Baoding, Hebei Province, China (July 29, 2026) — A dozen solar enthusiasts and practitioners from Asia and Africa joined People of Asia for Climate Solutions (PACS) for the two-week “International Training Course on PV System Design and New Scenario Application Technology” aimed at strengthening their technical expertise, deepening international cooperation, and accelerating community-led renewable energy solutions.
Photo courtesy of YC Solar. The two-week program brought together renewable energy practitioners from eight countries to strengthen technical expertise, foster international cooperation, and advance community-led renewable energy solutions.
Hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China and jointly organized by Yingli Group and Hebei University, the program brought together participants from the Philippines, Pakistan, Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Tanzania, Kazakhstan, and Nepal to exchange knowledge and explore practical approaches to accelerating renewable energy transition.
The training covered the latest developments in photovoltaic (PV) system design, battery energy storage systems (BESS), distributed microgrids, engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM), construction standards, and renewable energy applications across residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, transportation, and off-grid settings.
“The value of the training extends beyond technical learning,” said Jasmine Sabado, PACS Senior Energy Campaigner, who has led Filipino groups to Baoding multiple times. “It is an inspiration. It builds on a growing partnership between the Philippines and China that is already delivering tangible results for local communities.”
One such example is Barangay Bicos in Rizal, Nueva Ecija.
Among the participants in last year’s training program “Same Sunlight, Shared Future: China-Philippines Green Energy Partnership through Capacity-Building in PV Technology” were the Barangay Captain of Barangay Bicos and a local solar installer.
Inspired by the training, they returned to the Philippines in October 2025 and began developing a rooftop solar photovoltaic project for the barangay hall. The project was successfully completed on July 7, 2026. Since its commissioning, the PV system has already generated approximately PHP 2,700 in electricity savings for the barangay. Beyond generating clean electricity, the project demonstrates how local governments can harness distributed renewable energy to reduce energy costs, strengthen community resilience, and inspire similar initiatives in other communities.
International knowledge exchange has been translated into practical, community-based renewable energy solutions.
Building on this success, PACS helped facilitate the participation of key partners in this year's training, including representatives from the Africa Just Transition Network (AJTN) and the operations manager of Green Energy Solution Philippines, which led the engineering and installation of the Barangay Bicos project. Their participation enriched the program by bringing practical field experience and sparking dialogue among civil society organizations, technical practitioners, and renewable energy implementers from different regions.
As many developing countries continue to struggle with the effects of a fossil fuel crisis characterized by high prices and disruptions to the supply chain and energy insecurity, the need to scale and accelerate the deployment of affordable and resilient renewable energy grows more urgent. Against this backdrop, this year’s PV workshop is especially timely. The program expanded beyond the fundamentals covered in 2025, equipping participants with advanced knowledge on photovoltaic and battery energy storage system (PV+BESS) integration, distributed microgrids, engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM), construction standards, and renewable energy solutions for residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, transportation, and off-grid applications. Site visits also provided participants with firsthand exposure to large-scale renewable energy projects and practical approaches that can be adapted to their own countries.
Photo courtesy of YC Solar. Participants toured Yingli Group's facilities, exploring the company's latest photovoltaic technologies and renewable energy innovations while gaining firsthand insights into advancements in solar manufacturing, system applications, and clean energy solutions.
The training also complements PACS' broader efforts to advance the recommendations of its report, Bridging Opportunities: A Roadmap for Philippines–China Renewable Energy Cooperation, which identifies technical cooperation, knowledge exchange, workforce development, and institutional partnerships as key drivers of renewable energy collaboration between the two countries.
“We believe that more than technology, it is people who are the heart of a just energy transition,” Sabado added. “Technology is essential, but lasting change happens when local governments, engineers, civil society organizations, and communities have the knowledge and confidence to implement solutions that respond to their own energy needs.”
As countries work together to pursue ambitious climate and sustainable development goals, PACS remains committed to strengthening international cooperation that connects global expertise with local action. Through continued collaboration with like-minded organizations across Asia and beyond, PACS will continue to scale community-led renewable energy initiatives and demonstrate how international cooperation can accelerate a just and inclusive energy transition.
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