The Intersolar South America Summit made its debut in São Paulo, Brazil, on August 15, 2012. The conference, which ran in parallel to the 14th Electrical Installations Exhibition & Conference at the Expo Center Norte, met with a positive response: Speakers from around the world discussed the future of the South American solar industry watched by 215 conference attendees. Thus the focus of Intersolar, the world’s leading exhibition series for the solar industry, turned toward the upcoming Brazilian solar market, one of the most exciting future markets worldwide. The contributions concentrated on current developments in international solar markets with a particular emphasis on South America. Here, solar power subsidies in Brazil, the role of Brazilian energy utilities, and development opportunities for the Brazilian photovoltaic market occupied the spotlight. The concluding panel discussion provided a forum to debate the specific measures that are necessary for realizing an efficient solar energy infrastructure in Brazil. Intersolar is planning to expand this successful event when it takes place again in September 2013.
Organizers, partners and attendees alike were all extremely happy with the success of the Intersolar South America Summit. Around a third of the event’s trade visitors traveled from abroad. The 215 attendees used the one-day conference as a platform for exchanging information about international growth markets, solar energy’s importance for future energy supply and the latest technological developments in photovoltaics. The expert presentations paid special attention to the South American and, in particular, the Brazilian solar markets and their further opportunities for growth. Discussions focused primarily on the development of suitable business and financing models for the Brazilian market, as well as the further improvement of conditions in the solar industry and how to encourage associations within the country to intensify their work.
Brazilian solar market shows enormous potential
As the sixth largest economy in the world, Brazil, with its 196.53 million inhabitants and annual insolation of up to 2,353 kilowatt hours per square meter, ranks globally as one of the most promising future markets within the solar industry. As a result, the conference attendees were particularly interested in how signals from the Brazilian government will impact on the industry and what potential the market holds for the future. Among other initiatives, a central role has been played by the net metering remuneration system recently introduced by the Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency, the Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica (ANEEL). Another topic presented at the conference was the development of photovoltaics (PV) as a competitive energy solution. New PV business sectors and successful solar projects realized in Brazil were also of great interest to the attendees. The program was rounded off with a presentation on the steps needed to implement large-scale PV plants in South America, which focused on areas ranging from project planning to installation and the maintenance of PV installations. The concluding panel discussion tackled the issue of which specific measures must be taken in order for the Brazilian solar market to enjoy a successful future.
Positive outlook for next year
The Intersolar South America Summit provided an open, international platform for representatives of the Brazilian and international solar industries to forge new contacts and engage in stimulating discussions. Thanks to these positive experiences, the organizers believe the chances are good for developing and expanding the conference in Brazil in the future. The Intersolar South America Summit is set to become one of the most important pillars of the Intersolar global exhibition series in the coming years, helping to further develop and strengthen the international solar network in line with Intersolar’s motto Connecting Solar Business. Intersolar is planning to expand this event when it takes place again in September 2013.
