REI Alumnus Spotlight – Brazil State Government, Guilherme Castro

GMC Certificate Achievers & REI Alumni Spotlight – London Renewable Energy Week Participant

Brazil State Government, Guilherme Castro

The Renewable Energy Institute (REI) is pleased to focus on the achievements of those who have attended REI courses and attained the internationally recognised Galileo Master Certificate to further their careers in the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency sectors. The REI, which works with the United Nations Environment Programme and major universities to promote best practice in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, this month is delighted to speak with Guilherme Castro from Brazil’s State Government of Minas Gerais, who attended courses during London Renewable Energy Week; including Solar Photovoltaics, Biomass and Wind Power.

1. What is your current expertise and how does this relate to the renewable energy field? I work as Public Policies Specialist in the State Government of Minas Gerais, one of the biggest economies in Brazil. My current work in the Secretariat for Economic Development relates to creating new policies and projects for the Energy and Mining Sector in order to improve our regulatory framework, reducing barriers to and attracting more investment and new companies. In addition, I recently graduated with a Master Degree in Economics, Policy of Energy and the Environment from University College London (UCL). Both professional and academic expertise is directly linked with Renewable Energy, as one of the State’s aims focuses on developing innovative alternatives able to substitute carbon-intensive energy generation sources, as well as developing new technologies locally.

2. Why did you choose to train with the Renewable Energy Institute in order to take the exam for the internationally recognised Galileo Master Certificate? Academic studies surrounding renewable energy outside the engineering area normally concentrate on the macro perspective of renewable energy technologies, discussing public policies for adoption and development. However, I believe that understanding the technical aspects of each technology is also essential for enhancing the decision-making capacity of project managers when defining the best technology for their site and energy demand. The Renewable Energy Institute was the only provider that I found offering varied courses in renewable energy alternatives with a complete overview of each technology available. Also, the Renewable Energy Institute’s experience in the topic and its high-quality courses increase my professional recognition in the market.

3. What are the skills that you gained with the Renewable Energy Institute? During the London Renewable Energy week, I had the opportunity to deeply understand how different technologies for green electricity generation work. Each course gave a complete overview of the requirements for developing a new project. I learned about site assessment, the UK regulatory framework, specific technologies according to their capacity for installation and generation and an economic analysis of investing in each technology.

4. How will you apply these skills to your career, either directly or indirectly? In the short term, these skills will enhance my capacity for proposing new policies for electricity generation in rural areas of my state which are not connected to the grid yet. In the long term, the knowledge acquired with the courses will help me when investing in renewable energy as a means of increasing electricity affordability among low-income consumers in Brazil