Intersolar expands to India, to take place in Hyderabad

Intersolar, the world’s largest trade show for solar technology, is expanding into India. Intersolar India will take place for the first time in 2009 in association with SOLARCON India, in Hyderabad from November 9-11. Alongside the Intersolar events in Munich and San Francisco, the trade show will now have a third international location.

Together with SOLARCON India, Intersolar India is the leading conference for the photovoltaics industry in India. The three-day programme will be complemented by an inaugural accompanying exhibition which is due to be greatly expanded for 2010 and onward.

The collaboration in India sees Intersolar further increase its partnership with SEMI PV Group, the global industry association for the semiconductor and photovoltaics industry and organiser of SOLARCON.
This year’s conference will focus on the development of the Indian PV market. The event will be inaugurated on November 9 by key officials from the Indian government, Andhra Pradesh and industry leaders.

Good market for solar technology

India has long been considered a potentially attractive market for solar technology by the industry. With the new “National Action Plan on Climate Change” that was adopted by the Indian government in 2008, that hope is now being realised.

According to plans drawn up by the “National Solar Mission” at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, solar installations with a total capacity of 20 gigawatts (GW) are to be installed in India by 2020. To achieve this objective, photovoltaic installations, including rooftop, ground-based arrays and off-grid applications, as well as solar thermal power plants, will be key.

With only a few projects being implemented to date, most of the planned 20GW will have to be realised within the next eleven years. This amounts to annual installation of approximately 1.8GW.