The solar industry has recognized the potential of the Latin American market.

São Paulo/Pforzheim/Freiburg, September 09, 2013 – For the first time, around 70 exhibitors in the areas of photovoltaics and solar thermal technologies are presenting their latest technologies, products and services at Intersolar South America, which is held in the Expo Center Norte in São Paulo from September 18–20. Running alongside the exhibition is the Intersolar South America Conference. Here, around 60 speakers and 600 attendees discuss current market trends and technological developments within the solar industry, giving company representatives, scientists and politicians from South America the opportunity to learn first hand about innovative products and discuss the most recent industry developments in South America.

The solar industry has recognized the potential of the Latin American market. This turn of events has come about largely thanks to the increasing amount of capacity added and forecasts for the coming years. While only 100 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic systems had been installed in the entire region in 2012, estimates from GTM Research indicate that this figure already stands at 450 MW for 2013. According to the same study, newly installed capacity is set to continue rising significantly, with the total amount of PV reaching 13 gigawatts (GW) by 2017.

Given the rapid development of other markets worldwide, a recent study by Greenpeace even estimates that the amount of photovoltaic capacity added will increase to 100 GW by 2050. Against this backdrop, Intersolar South America, which runs from September 18–20, offers an ideal platform for companies to showcase their latest technologies and gain an early foothold in the markets. The aim of the exhibition and conference is to continue promoting growth in the South American market and drive forward worldwide collaboration within the industry.

Optimistic mood among exhibitors Intersolar South America opens the doors to its exhibition area for the first time on September 18 at 12:00pm. It is here that around 70 exhibitors in the areas of photovoltaics (PV) and solar thermal technologies are presenting their latest technologies, products and services. The possibilities for development within the region are especially responsible for the sense of optimism among Intersolar South America's exhibitors: "Latin America is one of the most important markets of the future within the solar industry and we are planning to play a part in its development from the word go," states Brian Armentrout, Marketing Director at ReneSola, USA, as he explains why his company is participating in the exhibition. It is Brazil that is currently taking center stage within the market: "While the Brazilian market has extremely particular needs and is surrounded by an element of uncertainty, it is showing a particularly high potential. Brazil is an up-and-coming market that has achieved continuous growth without any state support and in the face of challenging political conditions," explains Martin Drope, Sales Manager at Fronius do Brasil in Brazil.

The products, technologies and services being exhibited at this year's Intersolar South America focus on solutions facilitating on-site consumption developed for commercial and residential buildings on the one hand, and PV production technologies on the other hand. "Countries such as Brazil have available to them practically all of the raw materials and industrial facilities needed to offer all of the products and services that make up the photovoltaics supply chain from within their borders," states Tirso Diaz, Business Development Director at Meyer Burger Technology AG in Switzerland. Thanks to Intersolar South America, experts can now find out
without having to travel far and wide about the technologies and products that are successful on an international stage and have the potential to be used in Latin America as well.

Expert knowledge on market trends and technologies The conference gets underway on September 18 at 9:00am with a session on Global & Latin America PV Markets. As the day progresses, opportunities for development within the various markets and Brazil in particular occupy the spotlight. On September 19, the conference sessions are dedicated to the project development and financing of PV power plants as well as the topic of PV production technologies, before attention is turned to the opportunities presented by rural electrification in Latin America on September 20. Furthermore, as part of the first Latin American PV Forum, representatives from the Latin American governments and industry associations meet to exchange ideas on political conditions and collaborative opportunities within the solar sector, as well as discuss recent case studies.

The last day of the conference features a set of sessions on the topic of solar thermal technologies. The session Global, Regional, Brazilian Market Outlooks on the morning of September 20 provides an overview of the global and, in particular, Latin American and Brazilian markets and their opportunities for development. In the afternoon, the conference attendees can find out specific information on the technological developments in the solar thermal sector and how these can be applied in practice during a session entitled Applications and Case Studies.

To register for the conference or to find out more, go to www.intersolar.net.br

About Intersolar
With events spanning four continents, Intersolar is the world's leading exhibition series for the solar industry and its partners. It unites people and companies from around the world with the aim of increasing the share of solar power in our energy supply.

Intersolar South America on September 18–20, 2013 becomes the 5th event in the Intersolar series, the world's leading exhibition series for the solar industry. The Exhibition and Conference takes place at the Expo Center Norte in São Paulo. Intersolar South America offers for all solar professionals an ideal platform for networking and gathering information on the latest market developments, effective production methods as well as financing and project planning. Both, exhibition and conference provides unique insights on the core topics of photovoltaics, PV production technologies, energy storage and solar thermal technologies.

Intersolar's storied history of international exhibitions and conferences spans more than 20 years. Taking place in addition to Intersolar South America in São Paulo are Intersolar North America in San Francisco, Intersolar India in Mumbai, and Intersolar China in Beijing. The world's largest exhibition for the solar industry is Intersolar Europe in Munich.

Intersolar South America is organized by Solar Promotion International GmbH, Pforzheim, Freiburg Management and Marketing International GmbH (FMMI) and Aranda as Co-Organizer.