Daily Times

First time in the country’s history, an energy training centre (ETC) duly certified by the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) was opened in the provincial capital on Wednesday.

Inaugurated by Jinko Solar Company’s Head for Asia Operations Anita Li, the centre will offer energy training courses especially in renewable energy to the engineers as well as non-engineers. Speaking on the occasion, Anita Li said that tendency of dependence on solar energy is increasing across the world as it is need of the hour. She was of the view that newly established centre will not only help substantially overcome energy crisis in Pakistan but also prove to be a source of guidance regarding energy conservation and its appropriate usage. Besides increasing energy generation, she added, Pakistan should also focus on energy saving and its proper use. She underscored that Pakistan government must keep check on quality of solar systems, especially the imported ones.

ETC Director Engineer Faiz Bhutta briefed the participants about the salient features of the centre. He said that Pakistan Renewable Academy was established in 2015 and it has so for imparted training to more than 2,000 individuals. The academy has now been upgraded to the Energy Training Centre that will impart skill development training to supervisors, inspectors, designers, engineers, technologists, managers, and supporting staff of various NGOs, he maintained.

Bhutta mentioned that duly certified by the PEC, the ETC will offer CPD courses, which will help bring revolution in the energy sector. He said an engineer can become a professional engineer after securing credit points from the centre. The centre, he continued, will also facilitate the non-engineers by offering them various courses. Keeping the importance of energy sector in view, he hoped, the ETC will soon attain the status of a university.

Published in Daily Times, February 28^th 2019.