SAN FRANCISCO, July 11, 2017 -- Intersolar and ees North America, the solar and energy storage industries' premier events dedicated to the North American market, today welcomed speakers, visitors and exhibitors to its tenth year in San Francisco. Over the course of the next three days, approximately 18,000 visitors from across the world will see the latest solar and energy storage innovations from more than 500 companies during the Intersolar and ees North America exhibitions. The co-located conferences, which began Monday, will feature in-depth commentary from more than 220 speakers, and provide expert insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the solar and storage industries.  

With over 2 GW of new solar capacity installed in the first quarter of 2017 alone, the U.S. solar industry is continuing its record of strong growth. GTM Research forecasts an impressive 12.6 GW of new PV to be built by the end of the year. In front of a packed house of solar industry professionals, policymakers, and financiers, the speakers at this year's keynote session detailed how to maintain this growth, and the importance of storage in bringing more renewable energy online.

Building on the energy in the room, Martin Keller, director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), discussed the importance of continued innovation in the solar sector. "We can grow the amount of solar currently online by linking new materials with new manufacturing technologies. We can get to 80 percent renewables in the US and we can continue to drive innovation."

"The thing about our energy grid is that it is not only energy inefficient but it is financially inefficient," said 2017 Champion of Change honoree Richard L. Kauffman. "There are ample opportunities for utilities to earn shared savings from improving efficiency, and solar and storage can help utilities realize its promise."

Throughout each keynote, speakers not only reflected on the advancements of the solar and energy storage industries over the past year, but also highlighted the tremendous amount of work yet to be done to fuel a clean energy future for all. In speaking of the recent wins for the solar industry in California, Bernadette del Chiaro, the executive director of the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA), described the strides the industry has made since the first Intersolar North America.

"It's pretty amazing if you think about how much the solar industry has grown and changed in California over the past 10 years," del Chiaro said. "Now, energy storage is basically at the same point as solar was 10 years ago, with a couple of initiatives to make energy as affordable and accessible for the emergence of PV market."

Declining technology costs are one of the factors driving the market's growth—with a 75 percent reduction in cost in the past decade, more price reductions are expected. The innovation and dedication that have reduced costs throughout the solar and energy storage industries are now shaping the way that policy makers consider energy efficiency programs and sustainability roadmaps for our American future.

"Each year, Intersolar and ees North America showcase the emerging technologies and latest trends impacting the growth of the solar and energy storage industries," said Florian Wessendorf, and Daniel Strowitzki, Managing Directors of Intersolar North America, in a joint statement. "2017 is no exception, with a new solar finance conference track and an expanded energy storage exhibition hall giving attendees the inside scoop on these popular and rapidly evolving sectors. We know that the conversations that happen in our conference sessions and on the exhibition floor form the backbone of solar policy and technology development across the United States."

"Intersolar is the place to be," said Elena Lucas, keynote speaker, co-founder and director at UtilityAPI. "This is where you can network and meet the people who have the ideas to reduce soft costs of solar, customer acquisition costs."

Specialized Exhibitions and Pavilions Return to Expo Floor

During the Intersolar/ees North America exhibitions, companies ranging from established industry leaders to promising startups will display the technologies that promise to continue to reduce the cost of solar and storage solutions. The exhibitions feature two returning exhibition showcases, the California Pavilion and the Powerhouse Pavilion. Hosted by CALSEIA, the California Pavilion returns for its third year, and features member companies in the solar and energy storage sectors. It is located on Level Three of Moscone West.

Now in its second year, the Powerhouse Pavilion, hosted by Powerhouse, the world's only incubator and accelerator dedicated to solar, is a collection of the most ingenious intelligent energy startups and entrepreneurial ventures. These exhibitors will demonstrate their innovative software solutions, and are also located on Level Three of Moscone West.

Attendees will also be able to learn more about these technologies and industry trends in presentations and workshops on two expo stages. There are more than 20 sessions and workshops from exhibitors and industry organizations planned, as well as product demonstrations. Additionally, there are a variety of networking events offered, both on the show floor and off, where attendees can connect.

Thousands Expected at Largest Solar Networking Event in California

The Golden State leads the domestic solar market with an unrivaled 35 percent market share, and Intersolar and ees North America are proud to return to the heart of the U.S. solar market year after year. This year, as Intersolar celebrates its 10th annual event, it also celebrates the 40th anniversary of longtime event partner CALSEIA. The two groups, alongside SEMI and ees North America, will host Solar Summerfest, the largest solar networking event in the state, at the prestigious AT&T ballpark in San Francisco. The event is the largest single fundraiser for CALSEIA, and all proceeds go directly to the help the organization in its mission to drive solar adoption within California communities. To-date, Intersolar has donated more than $1 million.

Tickets are available online, and can also be purchased at the Intersolar/ees North America exhibition.  

About Intersolar North America

Since its establishment in 2008, Intersolar North America has become the most attended solar event and the premier networking platform for the North American solar industry. Co-located with ees North America and SEMICON West, Intersolar North America takes place annually at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, in the heart of the United States'pioneering solar market.

More than 550 exhibitors and more than 18,000 visitors from over 80 countries participated in Intersolar North America in 2016. The conference and exhibition program featured 39 sessions with more than 260 speakers and 22 workshops.

For more information on Intersolar North America, please visit: http://www.intersolar.us

About ees North America

The ees North America exhibition and accompanying conference is focused on storage solutions for renewable energy, from residential and commercial applications to large-scale storage systems for stabilizing the grids. ees also features energy management, electric transportation and uninterruptible power supply (UPS).

With 100 expected exhibitors and 18,000 visitors at the co-located events, it will be the most-attended solar-plus-storage event in the U.S.

For more information on ees North America please visit www.ees-northamerica.com