BUSINESS leaders on the frontline of the solar energy revolution will meet at a major conference later this year to plot the UK’s future in the rapidly growing market.
The Solar Flair 10 conference will see key players in the photovoltaic sector gather at Lumley Castle, County Durham, to discuss the future of the emerging industry and the many opportunities that lie ahead.
As the government steps up its drive to channel more solar-generated power into the national grid, delegates at the event will explore how businesses and consumers can reap the rewards of going solar.
Earlier this year the Government introduced feed-in tariffs for solar photovoltaic systems to help generate investment in the UK renewable energy market and create a more sustainable future for the country’s national grid.
Speakers at event, which include representatives of the Centre for Renewable Energy at Durham University and the Electronics, Sensors and Photonics Knowledge Transfer Network (ESP-KTN), will look at how government incentives will fuel ongoing growth in the sector while also examining solar power’s future relevance to the construction, space technology and power generation markets.
The conference has been organised by County Durham Development Company (CDDC) on behalf of the event’s financial backer, ESP-KTN.
CDDC’s managing director Stewart Watkins said: “The conference is particularly timely, following as it does the implementation by the Government earlier this year of a feed-in tariff for solar energy – offering financial incentives for embracing solar energy.
“This new tariff makes the installation of solar panels affordable not simply for businesses but also for residential customers who will be able to sell unused units of energy back to the grid. The feed-in tariff has the potential to stimulate the photovoltaic sector and generate job opportunities in the North East and further afield.”
Alongside Mr Watkins, other speakers at the event include representatives from the UK’s national flagship printable electronics facility PETEC, based at NETPark, County Durham, the Square Kilometre Array Telescope Programme, Romag plc, Evince Technologies, Devereux Architects and NASA, among others. The dinner speaker is BAFTA and Emmy nominated journalist, producer and presenter Michael Mosley responsible for, among others, The Story of Science, Walking with Dinosaurs, and Inventions that Changed the World.
Solar Flair 10 will be held at Lumley Castle, County Durham on 8th and 9th of December. For more information please visit www.solarflair10.com
