Photovoltaic Conference and Exhibition Preview 2007

Near and long term plans for event coverage

In chronological order, here are the conferences I am interested in covering or following in 2007. My focus is on technical conferences and business to business tradeshows, not regional marketing and sales events. Time and budget resources won’t allow me to visit all of them.

2007 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show)
January 8-11, 2007
Las Vegas, Nevada USA

While this tradeshow is solar lite, I am on the prowl for solar powering and solar powered gadgets and accessories. This is my fourth straight year visiting CES and my first with accreditation.

International Conference on Solar Concentrators for the Generation of Electricity or Hydrogen (ICSC-4)
March 12-16, 2007
San Lorenzo del Escorial (near Madrid), Spain

Photovoltaic concentrator technologies are hot, and I predict this biannual conference will experience the highest percentage increase in attendance of any solar photovoltaic event in 2007. Reduced rate registration is available before January 26, 2007, at a reasonable price of 350€ rising to 450€ after that. Alas I don’t think my schedule will permit a week visit in March, but I will need the proceedings for follow up articles.

Photovoltaic Technology Show 2007
April 3-5, 2007
Munich (Muenchen), Germany

While I was skeptical about this PHOTON sponsored event, industry insiders praise the event for the Silicon Summit (4^th Solar Silicon Conference). Even a silicon oligarch was jealous with praise for the fees PHOTON was raking in with this conference! The PV Production Equipment Conference and PV Investors Conference have been added this year. I would like to cover this event, but I won’t hold my breath waiting for an accreditation given my past experiences with PHOTON.

Intersolar 2007
June 21-23, 2007
Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

While I enjoyed the Solar Promotion sponsored PV Industry Forum last year before Intersolar 2006, I am not sure I will be attending Intersolar this year since I view this as a regional show oriented towards the German market. In 2008, Intersolar will move to larger fairgrounds in Munich.

22nd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
September 3-7, 2007
Milan, Italy

This is my must cover conference selection for 2007. With the comprehensive conference program, the official PV Industry Forum, and the expanded trade exhibition, this is the best annual technical and business to business solar conference and exhibition =bar none=.

Solar Power 2007
September 24-27, 2007
Long Beach, California USA

Solar Power is the premiere US solar business to business event. While there is a technical component to Solar Power, I consider this conference and exhibition to be a regional US market event. Since I have a keen interest in the US photovoltaic market, I will be certain to cover Solar Power this year in Long Beach.

20th NREL Industry Growth Forum
Fall 2007 (specific date not announced)
Denver, Colorado USA

A great two day conference about technologies the latest solar startups are developing for commercialization and pitching to venture capitalists and investors.

8. Forum Solarpraxis (website online end of January 2007)
November 15-16, 2007
Berlin, Germany

I enjoyed covering the 7. Forum Solarpraxis in 2006 while I was in Berlin for the Solarvalue press conference. I found the Analyst Conferences (but see SOLON AG CEO Kicks PV Blogger Out of Analyst Conference) most interesting in getting a clear picture of the German solar market environment.

17th International Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference (PVSEC-17)
December 3-7, 2007
Fukuoka, Japan

This event strikes me as the Asian equivalent of EU PVSEC with more Japanese photovoltaic company participation. I would love to cover this event, but the timing before the Christmas holidays may make this impractical for me, but you never know…

And in the Press Room here at the 2007 International CES, the press folks were watching Steve Jobs’ keynote address at the Macworld Expo and cheering on the announcement of the iPhone. One reporter decided to “blow off” a meeting with Intel in favor of doing a write up on Apple’s iPhone.