GREEN Solar Academy has been honoured with the Empowerment Through Skills Development Award at the inaugural 2025 SAPVIA Awards, recognising its sustained and measurable impact in building technical capacity across the solar PV sector.
The SAPVIA Awards celebrate significant contributions of SAPVIA members in solar PV, from project development and quality installation to research, manufacturing, and the promotion of diversity. The awards aim to highlight and inspire excellence, innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable growth within South Africa’s solar energy landscape.
“Everyone is an industry player and we are all working towards the same goal – the just energy transition – so the fact that SAPVIA recognises that skills development is an essential part of that, feels absolutely amazing!” said Amanda Dzivhani, COO of GREEN Solar Academy, in her remarks following the award.
“The fact that SAPVIA recognises that skills development is an essential part of the just energy transition feels absolutely amazing!”
She continued: “We put everything we have into making sure that we provide quality training. That means keeping our training material up to date, working with trainers who are active in the solar field and making sure our content reflects what’s really happening on the ground.”
A track record backed by evidence
The Empowerment Through Skills Development category specifically acknowledges organisations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to building workforce capabilities across the solar PV value chain. Judging criteria included the number of trained and certified individuals, the level of inclusivity, and the extent of partnership and collaboration, supported by verifiable documentation.
Since 2013 (initially as maxx-solar academy and since 2019 as GREEN), the academy has trained nearly 10,000 individuals across South Africa and neighbouring countries. From SuperSolarSchool bootcamps to youth development projects and advanced compliance courses, GREEN has offered a modular, accredited training model that meets a broad range of learner needs for everyone from unemployed youth to professional engineers.
Putting it into numbers
Below are some achievements that demonstrate how GREEN has translated its mission into action across the solar value chain:
- 1,200+ PV GreenCard-accredited installers delivered
- Academies in five South African cities and centres in Namibia, Botswana, Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Ghana
- CPD-accredited training recognised by SAIEE and ECSA
- Dedicated youth programmes in partnership with organisations like KP Cares, YES for Youth, Life Choices, and Great North Business Incubator
- A growing alumni support network through the #GREENetwork
Recent demographic data further reflects the reach and impact of GREEN’s work:
- 39% of alumni are women
- Nearly 50% are aged 18–35
- Over 65% were unemployed or new to the sector at the time of training
Many are now active in the industry as installers, entrepreneurs, and mentors to others.
This award is not ours alone
Our achievements have been made possible through collaboration, particularly with our technology partners who understand that product knowledge and general solar competence go hand in hand. While it is standard practice to provide training on their own technologies, they have also been strong advocates for broader, accredited learning.
The ongoing collaboration between private companies, training providers and SAPVIA as industry associations has sparked a mindshift among installers, manufacturers and other industry players, reinforcing that high-quality, compliant solar work begins with informed, well-trained individuals. As a relatively young industry, the solar industry is now working jointly on preventing mistakes based on insufficient knowledge and skills, and low-quality installations and products.
We are committed to continued impact
“We stay closely connected to the industry. Our technology partners support us with insights and product developments, and as SAPVIA members, we hear about changes in regulations and standards as they happen. And we share that knowledge with our network, so they understand what’s expected of them now, not last year.,” ended Amanda.
GREEN Solar Academy thanks SAPVIA for recognising the work we do every day, across rooftops, training rooms, and communities. This award affirms our ongoing mission to provide accessible, high-quality training that serves the full solar value chain.
