Asia is a huge region for solar power, with countries like China and South Korea emerging and working towards becoming big players in the solar energy industry.
Showing off its increasing solar prowess, Asia's leading solar photovoltaic exhibition is scheduled for this September 4-6. EXPO Solar 2013 will take place in Kintex, Gyeonggi, Korea – and will feature 300 solar PV companies from a range of 20 countries.
This year's expo has three main themes. First is 'Rising Asia and Declining Europe,' Centre of Gravity of PV Industry Moving from Manufacturing to Power Generation and Installation,' and thirdly 'Change in PV Purchase and Demand Pattern.'
These three overarching themes reflect some of the major events, issues and concerns that the solar PV industry is currently facing.
"As the global photovoltaic market moves from Europe to Asia due to the recent reduction of FIT policy and financial crisis in Europe, the companies and buyers related to global PV become more interested in the Asian market," says EXPO Solar on its website.
Furthermore, EXPO Solar hopes to stimulate the industry come September through its exchanging of ideas, discussions over PV purchase and practical buyer meetings. Purchase and demand for PV systems are expected to be strong in the second half of this year, so EXPO Solar comes at no better time.
A spanner in the works for China is the EU imposing tariffs on Chinese manufactured solar panels. Jonathan Stearns reported for Bloomberg on June 5 that some Chinese manufacturers have been accused of selling their products below cost, a move which can hurt the local industry.
For this reason, Korean solar panels are likely to become even more popular internationally as they will be more competitively priced than China's highly tariffed products.
Posted by Mike Peacock