Wind Energy

Making solar energy competitiveness a reality

Policymakers are increasingly recognising the importance of securing an energy future based on renewable energy sources, especially in the fight against climate change. Solar power photovoltaics, the fastest-growing renewable energy source in 2010, will play a major role in achieving that goal as it becomes even more competitive in the coming years as a source of electricity.

A new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on the role of renewables in reducing the production of greenhouse gases underlines solar PV’s importance to the fight. In a speech at the official launch of the report last month, Connie Hedegaard, the EU Commissioner for Climate Action, called for a new target for the use of renewable energy sources by 2030, saying it was crucial to the development of RES, including solar. As Commissioner Hedegaard pointed out, such a target is not only essential for giving PV companies the encouragement they need to innovate and grow, but also for assuring investors of the stability of the renewables sector.

Those issues are among the key ones to be addressed by the PV industry at two official Parallel Events of the 26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, to be held from 5 to 9 September 2011 in Hamburg, Germany.

The first of these, the 8th European PV Industry Summit, on Monday 5 September, will feature CEOs of the world’s biggest PV companies and examine current key issues of the industry: the global PV supply and demand balance, potential for further PV cost reduction, grid parity and the necessary up-grades in grid infrastructure.

The Summit will be followed on Tuesday 6 September by an Investors Day featuring interactive sessions between key and new players in the PV industry and the financial community. The day will include CEO-level speakers from the industry as well as representatives from banks, investment funds, insurance companies and analysts.

These events will be followed by the EU PVSEC Business Forum on Wednesday 7 September which will focus on PV industry business models for the future.

The 8th European PV Industry Summit and the Investors Day are jointly organised by EPIA and EU PVSEC. 

www.photovoltaic-conference.com