Bombay Exhibition Centre (BEC), Mumbai, from November 12–14

Mumbai/Pforzheim/Freiburg, October 31, 2013: Intersolar India is once again opening its doors to the international solar industry at the Bombay Exhibition Centre (BEC), Mumbai, from November 12–14. While one of this year's focal points is the topic of project development, current market trends and the most up-to-date developments in the areas of photovoltaics, PV production technologies, energy storage systems and solar thermal technologies are also being presented and discussed. Moreover, the exhibition's accompanying program offers numerous insights into the latest technologies, products and services in the form of short talks on the Presentation Stage in hall 1, booth 1170. Daily PV training workshops with experts from Solar Energy International (SEI) provide attendees with firsthand practical knowledge. The presentation of the Intersolar AWARD in the category Solar Projects in India on the Presentation Stage on November 12 from 3:00pm once again forms a particular highlight.

This year, around 200 exhibitors are presenting the solar industry's entire value-added chain at Intersolar India. The exhibition, which is taking place at the Bombay Exhibition Centre (BEC), is expected to welcome some 8,500 visitors. The Intersolar India Conference kicks off one day prior to the exhibition and is being held in the Leela Kempinski Hotel from November 11–14. Here, over 700 attendees from the areas of research, industry, politics and associations are set to debate current and future market and technological developments during more than 100 presentations and panel discussions. The conference builds on and consolidates the topics of the exhibition.

Intersolar India's role as an industry meeting point

The Indian solar market is undergoing a period of sweeping development. While the Indian government has set itself the target under the Jawahrlal Nehru Solar Mission of reaching a total of 10 gigawatts (GW) of installed solar energy capacity by 2017, the country's federal states are also driving forward developments. For example, the state government of Madhya Pradisch announced a few days ago its aim to achieve an overall installed capacity of 1.4 GW by 2015. In addition to the promising opportunities for expansion, the sector is facing a variety of challenges, which are also being addressed by the exhibition and conference. "The development of the Indian solar market will, above all, depend on the political framework currently being put in place. This means that Intersolar India is more than a unique platform for industry and political players to exchange information – it is also the location in which the future of the Indian solar industry will be mapped out," states Anil Varshney, Director (Solar Power), Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), India. The networking opportunities offered by the event are also emphasized by the exhibitors. "We see Intersolar India 2013 as the meeting point for the most influential people and companies within the Indian and global solar industry to showcase and discuss emerging technologies, best practices and achievements from across the solar value-added chain," says Gyanesh Chaudhary, Director, Vikram Solar. Rakesh Khanna, Managing Director, SMA Solar India Pvt. Ltd. stresses the enormous potential of the Indian market: "We believe that the opportunities presented by solar energy in India are long term and sustainable. SMA has taken part in the exhibition since Intersolar India was established. We are very satisfied with the response we receive from both our long-standing customers and new business contacts."

Expert knowledge, the latest topics and innovations

To date, the development of the Indian solar market has concentrated predominantly on the construction of PV power plants. It is expected that the overall amount of installed capacity will already exceed the 2 GW mark during the course of this year, by which point more than half of the installed systems will have already been connected to the grid for over a year. This means that the operation and maintenance of PV power plants will become an increasingly important topic for the Indian solar market.

Throughout Intersolar India, Solar Energy International (SEI) is running a daily three-hour training session on the operation and maintenance of PV power plants, with the aim of imparting more practical knowledge in this area.

While the Indian market for PV systems for homeowners is still in its infancy, the country holds considerable potential for this. The launch of the 10,000 Solar Rooftop Power Plants Programme by the federal state of Kerala in February of this year marked a new stage in the development of PV installations for homeowners. During the Intersolar India Conference, two presentations on November 11 and 12 tackle the topics of roof-mounted PV systems, grid-independent mini-grids and prevailing market developments.

Numerous exhibitors are holding short talks on the exhibition's Presentation Stage on November 12 and 13 on the state-of-the-art technologies, products and solutions. Then, on the afternoons of November 13 and 14, several presentations focus specifically on the topics of balance of systems, testing and certification, and training and education.

Intersolar AWARD 2013 for Solar Projects in India

A particular highlight of the exhibition is the presentation of the Intersolar AWARD in the category Solar Projects in India. The official ceremony takes place in hall 1, booth 1170 of the BEC on November 12, 2013 at 3:00pm and honors inspiring projects in the areas of Off-Grid Solutions, Industrial and Commercial Use and Utility-Scale Projects.

The following companies have been nominated for the Intersolar AWARD 2013 in the category Solar Projects in India: Barefoot Power Pty Ltd. (Australia), Chemtrols Solar Private Limited (India), Clique Solar (India), L&T Construction (India), OutBack Power (USA), SunCarrier Omega Pvt. Ltd. (India), Trojan Battery Company (USA) and Waaree Energies Ltd (India).

Intersolar India 2013 takes place at the Bombay Exhibition Center (BEC) in Mumbai from November 12–14.

Further information is available at www.intersolar.in