KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Registration is now open for Wigton Wind Farm Limited’s upcoming training course in photovoltaic system design, from June 18 to 22.

The week-long course, to be held at Wigton’s renewable energy training laboratory in Rose Hill, Manchester, will entail theoretical and practical instructional delivery, and is open to all interested persons.

Speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank at the Agency’s head office in Kingston on Friday, Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) Corporate Affairs and Communications Manager, Camille Taylor, said one of Wigton’s mandates is facilitating the local renewable industry’s growth through human resource development.

Noting the growing demand for skills in the industry, which has generated over eight million jobs globally, she informed that Wigton, a PCJ subsidiary, has been offering renewable energy training for its employees as well as students, service providers and other professionals since becoming operational on 2004.

Taylor, who pointed out that the lab offers training through workshops, seminars, courses, and practical lab work, said Wigton aims to become the Caribbean’s premier renewable energy training facility.

Wigton’s Project Manager, Michelle Chin Lenn, indicated that state-of-the-art equipment is used to provide training in wind, solar, hydro and bio-energy, as well as energy efficiency and management.

She explained that in developing the facility, the management benchmarked labs in Mexico and Costa Rica, “and we took the best of what we found to develop our own lab for Jamaica”.

Chin Lenn said German company, Renewables Academy (RENAC), thereafter assisted in the design and outfitting of the lab and training courses.

Wigton Training Coordinator/Engineer, Sanja Simmonds, said the course is being undertaken, “as we realize that there is a gap between the marketers and some of the residential owners”.

He explained that while the marketer’s job is to sell products, owners need to have an idea of what to look for, when making purchases.

Interested applicants may get more information about this and other courses offered at the Wigton renewable energy training lab by calling 960-3994 or by sending an email to Sanja Simmonds at traininglab@wwfja.com.

Wigton Windfarm Limited opened its training lab in November 2016 and by the following year, commenced offering courses in photovoltaic, wind and hydro-electricity and fuel cells.

The wind farm is the largest such facility in the English-speaking Caribbean.