DEVELOPING A TRAINING LINE ON RENEWABLE. ENERGY SYSTEMS

Ion VISA, Transilvania University of Brasov, Center for Sustainable Development, Romania

Anca DUTA, Tranislvania University of Brasov, Centre for Sustainable Development, Romania

Introduction: Education is the path for ensuring a long-lasting implementation of the principles of Sustainable Development. In any of its chapters, this education must follow a coherent approach, starting with the trainers of the youngsters, with the young pupils, students and going to adults.

The Centre for Sustainable Development, in the Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania provides a training line on Sustainable Energy, with a strong orientation on Renewable Energy Systems, Research and Education are synergic integrated in developing a strategy that involves not only the university area but is extended to the regional community and targets the national and European priorities.

1. The Needs

To build up a society consciously applying the principles of sustainable development, needs the involvement of the promoters, developers and consumers. This goal can be attended only if a real strategy for education and training is designed and implemented, starting with the very young members of the society and going to the adults, key factors and decision makers. Although the concept was clearly stated more than 15 years ago, through the Brundtland Report, [1], the development dynamics is ascending and is supported by intense research, therefore integrating research and education represents a necessity and a powerful tool.

The Sustainable Energy, as an important part of the Sustainable Development includes scientific, economical, social and educational aspects related to energy efficiency, energy saving and renewable energy systems (RES), [2-4].

At European level, the development and implementation of the sustainable energy components is uneven represented. There are "market leaders” in the EU countries and there are, especially among the central and eastern European countries, parts where RES has only started to be considered as a real economical and strategic option.

Romania has, as one of the national priority, the sustainable development, [5] and steps have already been taken in order to support, at national level, this aim. The particular answer(s) must be shaped according to the mentalities, economical level and training offer. There is a certain tradition related to small hydros in the mountains region and already 30 years before PVs were implemented — for a short time — in some areas. But, these are only punctual steps.

The national strategy, complying well with the European one includes also the implementation of RES, the energy analysis of the existing industrial processes, the exergy of the products and a complex of actions regarding the increase of the thermal protection in buildings (residential and industrial).

Considering the European and national requirements along with the regional potential and needs the Transilvania University of Brasov developed, starting five years ago, a group of activities that targeted different education and research levels of the sustainable energy.

In November 2003 a institutional structure was initiated — The Centre for Sustainable Development — aiming to act, according to a coherent strategy, for integrating the groups in and outside the university in research and training projects on this subject.