In the past 4 years, SEIAPI has grown to a base of 65 members, with 32 industry members, 15 associate members and 18 honorary members. It has held an Annual General Meeting for the past 3 years and its board of officeholders are Renewable Energy stakeholders who come from 6 different countries in the PICTs region. SEIAPI’s members are from many countries world-wide (in addition to the Pacific Islands). SEIAPI communicates with its members through its website and through quarterly newsletters as well as its Linkedin forum, which currently has over 250 members.
Since its inception the association has undertaken the following:
- The preparation of the SEIAPI business plan which has been actively promoted to a number of donors.
- The development and distribution of the technical guidelines for design and installation of PV grid-connected system and design and installation of PV off-grid systems. These are released as SEIAPI/PPA guidelines and in April 2014 were re-launched at the Pacific Island Minister Ministers Meeting under a new format.
- SEIAPI has been working with University of South Pacific (USP) and in 2011 the Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Training Competency Standards Advisory Committee was formed. Since then 5 competency standards have been released.
- The certification and accreditation scheme was launched in May 2012 and In April 2014 became a joint SEIAPI/PPA . There are currently over 50 people undertaking the training to obtain provisional certification.
- An MOU with the Pacific Power Association (PPA) to work together on renewable issues which benefits members of the two associations including: standards and guidelines, the certification/accreditation and once we have staff they will be based in the PPA office in Suva.
- Worked with PIGAGREP to conduct workshop on the guidelines in Fiji in November 2011.
- Worked with IRENA and SPC to conduct workshops on the guidelines in Palau (April 2013) and Fiji (August 2013).
- Worked with GSES to offer members a discounted online training for grid connect systems. Over 50 people have or are undertaking the online course.
- The GSES project was then combined with the IRENA funded project undertaken jointly with PPA. This funding allowed for 6 practical courses to be conducted between November 2013 and September 2014 in Fiji, Samoa, Kiribati (2 courses), Marshall Islands and Tonga. This project has so far led to 8 people having provisional certification and 2 companies provisional accreditation.
- Joining regional energy meetings in Sydney, New Caledonia and Fiji (just to mention a few) and have been able to give presentations during these important meetings.
- Participating in IRENA’s meeting in Sydney and Abu Dhabi.
- Part of the advisory team to IRENA for capacity building programs including attending meetings in Germany.