AKIPRESS.COM - The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized a study visit to Vienna from 9 to 12 May 2017 for representatives of the Turkmen State Energy Institute in Mary (TSEI) in order to show them international best practices in the field of renewable energy sources usage.

During the visit, the Turkmen delegation visited the Agricultural College Tulln and the Energiepark Bruck/Leitha complex, which generates electricity from wind and solar energy, as well as a biogas plant at the same location. The visit participants discussed the curriculum and teaching methods of the vocational school and were acquainted with the work of a fully operational renewable energy plant.

On the last day of their visit, participants attended the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Sustainable Energy Conference, which addressed key issues of the sustainable energy debate, linkages between climate and development and the global implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement.

“Provision of sustainable, innovative and reliable energy supplies represents a cornerstone of energy security, stability and economic growth. While the number of countries turning to renewable energy sources is steadily increasing, ensuring a cost-effective transition to clean and sustainable energy is vital,” said Natalya Drozd, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “Our Centre welcomes the efforts of the government of Turkmenistan to diversify its energy sources. Facilitating the exchange of sustainable energy solutions contributes towards achieving this goal”.

The aim of the three-day study visit was to familiarize the teaching staff of the Mary State Energy Institute with the experience of Austria in implementing renewable energy projects, as well as to support the exchange of knowledge in the field between Austrian experts and their Turkmen counterparts.

The field study visit is part of the Centre’s long-term support to the Mary State Energy Institute, which includes assistance in the establishment of a Centre of Excellence on Renewable Energy as a knowledge-sharing network of academics and specialists in the renewable energy field.

The study visit was organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat in co-operation with the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities.