Lebanon

Technical Training - CEDRO Solar Water Heater

The UNDP-CEDRO project organized a technical workshop on the design and the installation of Solar Water Heating systems on Wednesday the 7th of October 2009 at the Meridien Commodore Hotel in Hamra.

The training was attended by more than 60 persons representing members of the Lebanese army, governmental hospitals and agencies, non-governmental organizations and private sector.

It was divided into two main parts; the first one mainly targeted officials and directors of the governmental hospitals which are receiving the solar water heating systems.
The second part was more technical, and intended mostly for professionals installing and maintaining solar water heating systems such as hospital maintenance staff and contractors.

The CEDRO project international consultants, Trama TecnoAmbiental presented the different aspects of solar water heaters, detailed operations and maintenance needs, and design and installation procedures of the units. In addition, an engineer from the Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation and a private contractor currently working with the project presented two case studies about their experience in installing similar systems.

After the success of this workshop, the CEDRO project will be hosting a similar workshop targeting Photovoltaic (PV) systems, in line with the ongoing installation of decentralized PV generators by the project.

The CEDRO project has already installed solar water heating systems for 3 governmental hospitals with a fourth set to be finished by the end of October. Other solar water heating projects are on the way including six governmental hospitals, a military barracks, and the Roumieh prison among others.

The CEDRO project is funded by the Government of Lebanon through the Lebanon Recovery Fund by means of a grant from Spain, and is managed by UNDP. The project started in October 2007 as a medium sized recovery project with a budget of $2.73 million, but has since grown into a large scale project with a budget of nearly $10 million. Its objective is to install approximately 180 energy efficiency and renewable energy application in public facilities throughout the country, ensure technology transfer and ultimately creating an enabling environment to adopt a national sustainable energy policy.