RETScreen Training

RETScreen trainings in fifteen ECOWAS Countries

ECREEE is supporting national trainings on the RETScreen Clean Energy Project Analysis Software in all fifteen ECOWAS countries. The national trainings follow-up on the regional train-the-trainers workshop held by ECREEE from 22 to 26 August 2011 in Kumasi, Ghana.

The national trainings aim at strengthening the local capacities on financial structuring and appraisal of renewable energy and energy efficiency investment projects. The trainings target key stakeholders such as policy makers, banks, project developers, utilities, trainers and researchers. ECREEE RETScreen workshops have usually a length of five days and trained participants have the possibility to do an exam and certification in the use of RETScreen. So far the ECREEE network trained more than 120 stakeholders.

Become a RETScreen Trainer!

ECREEE aims at establishing a regional network of RETScreen trainers and institutions in the ECOWAS region. For interested and qualified trainers and experts the Centre offers trainings and the possibility to become a certified trainer. Interested energy experts should send a CV and motivation letter to: retscreen@ecreee.org.

Certified ECREEE trainers (including teaching languages):

• Mr. Charles Diarra, Mali (English/French)
• Mr. José Mestre, Portugal, IT Power (English/Portuguese)
• Mr. Antunio Barbosa,  Universidade Cabo Verde, Mindelo (Portuguese)
• Mr. David Ato Quansah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana (English)
• Mr. Emmanuel Yeboah Osei, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana (English)

RETScreen Training Calendar

• Ghana, Accra, 5 to 9 March 2012
• Cape Verde, Sao Vicente, Mindelo, 19 to 23 March 2012 (see brochure below)
• Cape Verde, Santiago, Praia, 26 to 30 March 2012 (see brochure below)
• Nigeria, 27 to 30 March 2012  
• Mali, Bamako, 28 to 31 May 2012
• Cote d Ivoire, 5 to 7 June 2012
• Senegal, 11 to 14 June 2012
• Gambia, 27 August to 31 August 2012
• Guinea Bissau, end of 2012
• Niger, 10 to 14 December 2012
• Liberia, 17 to 20 December 2012

 Please write an e-mail to retscreen@ecreee.org if you would like to participate in one of the trainings.

Guidelines and background material for participants

Participants are asked to bring their own laptops with the RETScreen Software preinstalled. The software supports English, French as well as Portuguese. The software can be freely downloaded from the RETScreen webiste at: http://www.retscreen.net/ang/home.php.

Some general background information on renewable energy and energy efficiency financing can be found below. We would appreciate if the participants could read the RETScreen Text Book in advance to the meeting. It is available in English or French at: http://www.retscreen.net/ang/12.php. Paricipants are encouraged to bring their own renewable energy case studies for further analysis in the training.

There is also the possibility to get an introduction by video webcast:

RETScreen video (2:02 minutes)
RETScreen - Introduction (33:23 minutes)
RETScreen - Energy Efficiency (27:16 minutes)
RETScreen - Heating / Cooling (69:53 minutes)
RETScreen - Power (53:04 minutes)
RETScreen - Combined Heat & Power (23:59 minutes)