Romanian company Wind Power Energy (WPE), which offers consultancy and services for wind and photovoltaic energy parks, recently launched the first school for training technicians for the renewable energy sector in Constanta.

The company has signed a partnership with BZEE – Renewable Energy School of Skills and together they have invested EUR 250,000 in organizing an educational center. The BZEE academy was founded in 2000 by the largest companies in the wind power business, including Vestas, GE, Nordex and GL-Garrad-Hassan and is currently present in 29 locations around the globe.

“The academy aims to prepare more than 500 service and maintenance technicians for wind turbines every year. The training center is the only one of this kind in South-Eastern Europe and will serve all neighboring countries, including Turkey,” said Sebastian Enache, business development manager for BZEE.

The center in Constanta will have a functional wind turbine, on which trainees will be taught the practical part of the course.

This initiative reflects the scale which the renewable energy sector reached in Romania in recent years. In just five years, Romania went from 14 MW of installed wind power capacities, in 2009, to about 2,600 MW, at the end of 2013. The installed photovoltaic power capacities in Romania also increased from close to zero to 1,100 MW at the end of last year. As a consequence, the demand for skilled technicians to serve these new capacities also increased.

Romania has more than 1,000 active technicians which provide service and maintenance for wind turbines and their number is going to grow once the warranty for these will end, according to BZEE representatives.

Wind Power Energy was founded in 2008 and currently offers consultancy services for more than 75% of operational wind parks in Romania. It is part of Monsson Group, which set up some of the largest wind parks in Romania. The group is controlled by Emanuel Muntmark.

Andrei Chirileasa, andrei@romania-insider.com