Renewable energies

Hamburg, 05 January 2009

Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH is adding two major new energy and environment events to its portfolio, with the 24th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, the leading event in this field, and the 17th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition.

The Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC) has established itself in two decades of development as the world’s biggest and most important conference and exhibition in the photovoltaic energy sector. It is an international platform which brings researchers and scientists together with all the industries and equipment suppliers involved.

The 24th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference will be held at CCH - Congress Center Hamburg from 21 to 25 September 2009; more than 5000 participants are expected at the Conference, and more than 30,000 visitors are expected at the concurrent Photovoltaic Solar Energy Exhibition, the world’s largest event in this field. The exhibition occupies three quarters of the 87,000 square metres of exhibition space at the adjacent New Hamburg Trade Fair. There will be more than 700 exhibitors presenting the whole range of technologies in the photovoltaic sector, i.e. the systems and equipment for direct conversion of solar radiation to electricity. The strong growth in this event reflects the rapid developments in the environmental engineering market. The European photovoltaic industry has set itself the target of covering about 12% of European electricity demand by 2020.

Programme coordination for this conference is under the responsibility of the joint research agency of the EU Commission, and the cooperation partner for industry is the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA). This is backed by increased cooperation with the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association (IPVEA), that is the organisation of the equipment suppliers and manufacturers for the solar industry. The EU PVSEC works in close cooperation with the natural sciences sector of UNESCO and the World Council for Renewable Energy.

The 17th  European Biomass Conference and Exhibition will be held in summer 2009 at CCH – Congress Center Hamburg. From 29 June to 3 July 2009, Hamburg will be the international meeting point for 1,500 scientists and representatives of industries concerned with use of biomass (energy plants, wood and residual substances such as straw, organic waste and manure). This dedicated scientific conference is supplemented by an exhibition of the relevant advanced technologies and products.

“Adding these two important events to our programme confirms our strategy of concentrating on the key sectors for the future,” says Bernd Aufderheide, CEO of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH “It also strengthens Hamburg’s position as a green city and progressive environmental location. Adding these events to acqua alta, Husum Wind Energy and H2Expo, we have a highly appealing and varied portfolio in the environmental technology sector.”

These two conferences with exhibitions were initiated by the Munich based company WIP Renewable Energies, under the leadership of Dr. Peter Helm. WIP is responsible for the whole of the conduct of the events. “We are particularly pleased to be able to hold these events in Hamburg, a city so rich in tradition and yet so open to new technologies,” remarked Dr. Peter Helm as preparations were launched for the EU PVSEC and Biomass events.