Climatelinks Photo Gallery

Olga Rakhrakhadze, a private sector installer of automated hybrid energy systems, inspects and monitors solar photovoltaic systems in Bazaleti, Georgia. Olga is a graduate of a USAID-supported training program for renewable energy. By expanding opportunities for women in Georgia’s private sector workforce and providing training in renewable energy technologies, USAID is helping Georgia build a more inclusive workforce to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fossil fuels, increase resilience to climate change, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

USAID supported Agro Impex Ltd, an agriculture producer in southern Georgia, to install the country's first-ever floating solar power station by co-financing the project. The station will slash carbon emissions while generating about 300,000 kWh of electricity each year to irrigate nearby fruit orchards. Because it floats on water, the power station saves valuable agricultural land, reduces water evaporation, and improves solar panel efficiency through natural cooling. This will enable Agro Impex to cut its electricity consumption by 38 percent, allowing it to save about $32,400 annually. With a more efficient business model, Agro Impex hopes to increase production and expand its workforce, which currently includes 150 people from the surrounding area. The company’s managing partner explained the plant’s environmental impact, “The plant will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 3,500 tons over a 30-year period. This is equal to planting 50,000 trees or cultivating a forest spanning 50 hectares."

Koba Durglishvili, a 26-year-old installer of automated hybrid energy systems, installs a solar collector at LTD ESCO-S in Bazaleti, Georgia. The USAID Industry-led Skills Development Program’s partnership with ESCO-S has helped increase high-value employment opportunities in Georgia’s green economy by developing and piloting a training program in installing and servicing automated hybrid energy systems. It was developed in partnership with vocational education providers Georgian Technical University and Spektri College.