In the early morning, the sun shines on the rows of photovoltaic panels. Colombian electrical engineer Jaime Montaño comes to the photovoltaic power station and starts his day's work: checking the inverter equipment, viewing operating data, and troubleshooting equipment abnormalities. More than two years ago, he was still unfamiliar with photovoltaic power plants. Today, he is able to complete multiple operation and maintenance tasks independently. “My Chinese colleagues have taught me a lot,” Montaño said.
Not long ago, the Palmyra 3 photovoltaic power station, which Montaño participated in the construction, operation and maintenance, was officially handed over. The power station is located in Palmyra, a province in the Valle de Cauca province in western Colombia, about 27 kilometers away from Cali, the capital of the province. China Power Construction Group Co., Ltd. is responsible for the power plant design, equipment supply, construction, installation and commissioning. It is the first photovoltaic power plant project completed by it in Colombia. As of the final handover, the power station has delivered a total of approximately 40 million kilowatt hours of green electricity, equivalent to the electricity consumption of approximately 10,000 local households for two years, and has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 20,000 tons.
In recent years, Colombia has actively promoted the transformation of its energy structure, and the development of renewable energy sources such as photovoltaics has accelerated significantly. The construction and operation of Palmira 3 photovoltaic power station has become the epitome of Chinese and Colombian enterprises joining hands to promote green development. Edwin Palma, former Minister of Mines and Energy of Colombia, said that energy transformation is an important area of cooperation between Colombia and China. Green energy cooperation between the two countries is continuously extending from engineering construction to areas such as talent training, operation and maintenance, and local supply chain construction.
The Palmyra No. 3 photovoltaic power station project team follows the idea of "prioritize recruitment, focus on training, and grow together" and actively recruits local managers, engineering technicians and construction personnel, and allows local employees to accumulate experience in the process of participating in project construction and operation through mentoring, on-the-job training and on-site practice. During the peak construction period of the project, a total of approximately 160 jobs were provided, of which local employees accounted for more than 97%. The project directly helped more than 100 local families achieve stable employment and reserved professional talents for subsequent projects.
After the project is handed over, employees from China and Colombia will carry out joint operation and maintenance for two years. Chinese engineers will help Colombian employees gradually master photovoltaic power station operation and maintenance skills through on-site explanations, on-the-job training and practical drills. The project team cooperates with local companies, coordinates local engineering companies to participate in equipment installation and commissioning, and helps Colombia accumulate experience in the operation and maintenance of photovoltaic power plants. The project team also connected with local logistics companies to improve coordination in equipment transportation.
Our reporter Cheng Shijie
