Solarcon India

The Solarcon Conference and Exhibition, held at the International Convention Center during November 9-11, 2009 in Hyderabad, India, was jointly supported by SEMI PV Group, Intersolar India and India Semiconductor Association. The first of its kind, the conference attracted 3,500 attendees and drew a good response from module manufacturers, installers to the solar support ecosystem, including equipment suppliers like Applied Materials.

The backdrop for this conference was the soon to be announced National Solar Mission of India that will be formally launched on November 14th. A goal of 20GW installed by 2020 is expected with clear outline for implementation in rooftop and utility segments.

The conference was inaugurated on Nov 9th by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Sri. K. Rosaiah by turning on a solar lantern in place of the Indian tradition of lighting an oil lamp. The conclave focused on the needs of the evolving solar sector in India; and brought together key players, business leaders, technology experts and strategists on a common platform.

The conference was complemented by an exhibition showcasing over 50 international speakers, 70 exhibitors and 300 delegates. Sessions highlighted the emerging photovoltaic (PV) markets, climate change, policy issues, finance opportunities, key applications for India, standards, Environment Health & Safety (EHS), balance of system and projects, planning and implementation.

Charlie Gay was the keynote speaker on Nov 10, kicking off the conference with highlights on the growth of PV solar and the opportunities ahead as the market grows.

Applied Materials’ booth at the exhibit was a great place to meet existing customers, continue the interaction with potential customers and generate new leads. The compact booth highlighted SunFab, crystalline silicon (c-Si) solutions and service offerings. A large module installation was demonstrated in a much-watched video of Applied’s test solar farm located in Santa Clara, California. In addition, a well attended technical seminar included a welcome and insights on c-Si by James Robson, a technology overview by Charlie Gay, PWS product highlights by Franck Genonceau and a Baccini product update by Rich Piech. The session was a success with 45 attendees and customer representatives ranging from chief executives to engineers. It gave them a chance to hear in person the recent advances by Applied in this segment including our Diamond Squarer, MaxEdge and Baccini Essato.

All-in-all, this conference was a great opportunity for Applied’s Energy and Environmental Solutions product group to get close to the customer, to understand their needs and perspective for the emerging India market.