Building the capacity of local and regional staff to understand and manage energy systems is vital to the sustainability of the system.
Any investment in health facility energy technologies must go hand-in-hand with frequent training on the operation, use, and maintenance of the system. Each stakeholder must be equipped to carry out his or her duties.
Training for Tier 1 (Local) System Maintenance and Inspection
Training staff to install and maintain energy systems is often the first step to ensure system sustainability in developing countries. The successful implementation and operation of an electrification program will likely involve a multi-tiered support structure, and training will be required at each level.
At the facility level, health-care professionals or another local stakeholder must be trained to perform basic system operation and maintenance. This is particularly important for remote locations where service personnel are not likely to make regular visits.
Experience has demonstrated that, with minimal training, energy system owners are capable of performing the routine maintenance checks required for a system to operate successfully. Ideally, this local user training should be a mandatory component of system installation protocols. The distribution of user guides is also recommended, in case of staff turnover.
Training for Tier 2 (Regional) System Maintenance and Inspection
When local users encounter a problem that they are unable to repair, they must have a predetermined contact at the regional or national level who is trained to diagnose and correct all potential system problems. These individuals could be employed by a government agency or hired from the private sector, but they should be energy professionals with extensive training in the proper installation and operation of that particular system. The number of installations, size of the country, and accessibility of the facilities in that country will determine if this support can be provided at the national level or if regional representatives are required.
Training Resources
Below is a list of training materials developed for use at training sessions in Haiti. It covers common topics in energy management such as batteries, inverters, and maintenance of generators and photovoltaic systems.
USAID (2008). Sample Course Agenda: Haiti National Reference Laboratory, May 12–23, 2008 (PDF 123K).
A sample schedule for a two-week training program for health facility managers and laboratory specialists. The agenda covered options for providing health facilities with continuous and high quality power needed for effective operation.
USAID (2008). Real World Installation Considerations for Inverter/Charger/Battery Equipment (PDF 1,057K).
This short manual addresses the most common problems observed in the field and discusses practical applications regarding inverter, charger, and battery equipment. This manual is based on the Xantrax Model SW inverter, which is frequently found in Haitian health facilities.
USAID (2003). Example System and Alarm (PDF 6,927K).
A training presentation on proper inverter and battery wiring, in accordance with the National Electric Code.
USAID (2014). Technician Duties Summary (PDF 118K).
A brief summary of technician maintenance duties, developed as a reference for health facility technicians in Haiti.
USAID (2003). Technician Load Sheet Example (XLSX 63K).
An example health facility load calculation for reference by facility technicians.
USAID (2008). Technician System Size Example (XLSX 61K).
Example health facility energy system documentation, including system components, system size, facility power sources, and commissioning and inspection dates.
USAID (2008). Example Logging (XLSX 12K).
An example energy system log, showing daily energy usage and battery bank state of charge for one month.
