PHOTON's 10th Solar Silicon Conference on March 26, 2012 

- Strategies for supplying and sourcing the right silicon products

As prices for silicon have plunged dramatically in the last few months, the situation for suppliers and buyers has fundamentally changed – and many new questions need to be answered from both sides, especially regarding long-term contracts versus spot-market sales, internal silicon production versus external procurement, and downstream integration into the project business for silicon makers.

The 10th edition of the world’s leading solar silicon forum will once again have leading players discuss everything about silicon feedstock.

PHOTON's 4th PV Inverter Conference on March 26, 2012

- What’s needed beyond high-efficiency inverters

While the first Western companies have designed inverters reaching a 99-percent conversion efficiency, a quickly growing number of Asian manufacturers are entering the fray. That will result in even stronger competition, lower prices, and efforts to differentiate by integrating additional features such as new interfaces for communication.

The 4th PV Inverter Conference will provide a comprehensive picture on the latest developments for the device needed for connecting PV systems to the grid – from technology, performance, reliability and standards to supply, demand, and cost and price developments. 

PHOTON's 7th PV Investors Conference on March 27, 2012 

- Navigating through the turmoil of low profits and a scattered demand environment

Solar companies have suffered severely over the last few months – with strongly decreasing profits, huge competition, and a rollercoaster ride in demand that first led to gigantic inventories and full warehouses but also to supply bottlenecks at the end of the year when demand suddenly went through the roof. With many traditional PV markets cutting financial incentives to levels that will make investments hardly profitable soon, many analysts anticipate a solid first half of the year – but what comes afterwards?

As every year, PHOTON’s PV Investors Conference will have major PV companies, investors and market analysts discuss supply, demand, costs and profits for the global solar sector.  

PHOTON's 4th PV SAFETY Conference on March 27, 2012 

- How to install and operate safe and reliable PV systems

A recent report about a PV system causing a fire on a residential rooftop that was broadcasted on German public TV is another example of a trend in which the mass media is increasingly investigating whether solar power is really as safe and green as the industry claims. And while there is indeed an increasing number of technical PV safety solutions on offer and standards organizations working on improving guidelines for the safety of PV systems, it is also true that PV companies are increasingly under pressure to cut costs. 

At PHOTON’s 4th PV SAFETY Conference, experts from the PV industry, standards organizations, insurance companies and banks will discuss the achievements and further need to develop standards, procedures and technologies to make PV system operation safer – for reliable power generation, safe and accurate installation, with theft protection and products to switch off solar modules in the event of a fire.

PHOTON's 7th PV Production Equipment Conference on March 28, 2012 

- Selecting the right process and equipment for low-cost production

Surprisingly, there has been a great deal of innovation in production equipment and processes for improving traditional bulk crystalline silicon technology at all steps of the value chain recently – from wafers and cells to modules. And the road to further cost reduction and higher efficiencies is still far from coming to an end.

The 7th edition of PHOTON’s PV Production Equipment Conference will once again have speakers from the leading equipment makers and research institutes, as well as cell, wafer and module makers discuss the latest steps to bring PV to the next level.

PHOTON's 8th Solar Electric Utility Conference on March 28, 2012 

-  How solar is already reshaping the power supply markets

This winter, solar power has played a key role in maintaining the robustness of the European transmission grids. Solar delivered the necessary energy to fuel electrical heaters in France when nuclear power plants were unable to provide sufficient supply.
This demonstrates the new role of PV: solar is not on the threshold of future power markets anymore – its time has already come. And both solar companies and traditional power businesses have to deal with this fact.

 
Almost every discussion regarding electrical power in post-nuclear-power Germany involves PV. The challenges are tough: not only is solar power here to stay, it is reshaping the power supply market as we know it. New trading and pricing mechanisms are forcing suppliers to rethink business models, and operators of conventional power plants face the bitter reality of their high returns dwindling as the need for these plants decreases.

 
The rapid drop in module prices increases pressure further and is tempting traditional companies in Germany, the rest of Europe and around the world to enter into the solar business.

 
In this context, we invite decision makers in the solar and energy market, administration, and politics to Berlin to attend PHOTON's 8th Solar Electric Utility Conference on March 28, 2012.  

Registration 

Info - event overview