• 35th EU PVSEC takes place from 24 - 28 September 2018 in Brussels, Belgium • Strong message from the 35th EU PVSEC 2018 Conference General Chairman Dr. Pierre Verlinden – Total installed solar PV capacity will double to around 1 TW within 5 years • Covered in 1,000+ High-level Presentations from all over the world

The European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference (35th EU PVSEC), is taking place from 24 - 28 September 2018 in Brussels, Belgium. The political opening ceremony of the EU PVSEC 2018 was chaired by Dr. Pierre Verlinden, Managing Director of AMROCK, Australia, and visiting Professor at Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.

The EU PVSEC is the largest international Conference for Photovoltaic research, technologies and applications, and at the same time a top international PV Industry exhibition. With almost 1,000 high-level presentations from all over the world, the programme and its parallel events offer a world-class overview and in-depth insights to the latest research in the PV solar energy sector. It is the world-renowned science-to-science, business-to-business and science-to-industry platform with a full and only focus on the global PV solar sector.

Dr. Pierre Verlinden, Conference General Chairman, sent a strong message at the opening ceremony of the conference: "A 100% renewable based economy is the only possible solution. Our vision is that PV will play a central role in the future sustainable energy system. While we expect to reach 1 TW of cumulative capacity within 5 years, this volume will be added every year in only 10 years. However, if we look towards the end of the century, studies show that the cumulative PV capacity will be even in the range of 70 to 90 TW, which means that 2 to 3 TW will need to be manufactured every year, about 20 to 30 times our current annual production levels. We need the combined efforts from research and industry to stem this - thats why an event like EU PVSEC is so important."

Dominique Ristori, European Commission Director General DG Energy, stated during opening: "The EU is putting in place the most advanced regulatory framework to enable Europe to lead the clean energy transition. This includes a strong focus on renewable energy that we are addressing in a comprehensive way. Solar PV has a great potential in this context. Further encouraging research and innovation and access to financing are important elements to seize the potential. Strengthening the industrial basis for solar PV in Europe is key."

Bart Tommelein, Vice-Minister-President of the Government of Flanders, Flemish Minister for Budget, Finance and Energy, announced during the opening: "Solar energy is one of the main renewable sources encouraged by the Flemish Energy Policy. As far as the installation of PV-solar panels is concerned, Flanders has reached the second best position in the European Union, after Malta and before Germany. Our ambition for the coming years is to double the number of installed solar panels."

"Europe is on the solar growth path again. With the agreed 32% EU renewable energy target by 2030 and the end of the solar trade measures, we are at the onset of a new solar age in Europe. We expect a strong growth in demand for solar, which will support thousands of new clean and local jobs in Europe" said James Watson, CEO of SolarPower Europe.

After the opening addresses in a moderated Panel Discussion with the topic: "PV Growth Prospects in Europe - What Role in a Terawatt-level PV World?" many aspects and questions will be discussed by representatives of European institutions, countries and industry stakeholders during the opening day of EUPVSEC.

35th EU PVSEC 2018: Exhibition & Networking

The Exhibition takes place from Monday to Thursday, 24 - 27 September 2018 at the SQUARE Brussels Meeting Centre, Brussels. The layout of the SQUARE provides the advantage to have all three important pillars of the 35th EU PVSEC located next to each other: The Conference Auditoria, the Poster Area and the Exhibition. The 35th EU PVSEC will once again attract PV professionals from all around the world. They will attend the event to meet other international experts. The welcome reception is celebrating the role of the 35th EU PVSEC as a major networking platform for the global PV Community.

For further information, please visit: www.photovoltaic-conference.com/

EU PVSEC Background

EU PVSEC is the most important international conference for the photovoltaics sector. For more than 30 years, it has been serving as the annual meeting point for PV experts from research, development and the industry.
Technological innovations, the latest findings in research, the strategic and economical as well as political framework conditions - the future of photovoltaics will be shaped by a unique alliance between research, industry, and politics. The quality of this events program is unrivalled - a fact which is ensured every single year by the Scientific Committee comprising 204 international photovoltaics experts. Almost 1,000 conference presentations and 110 presentations in parallel events will be featured in 2018.