Solar market diversification continues

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: With funding cuts and falling demand, the European photovoltaic market is shrinking. Asia, meanwhile, is performing well and expected to generate significant growth in 2012. PV companies looking to expand market are flocking to South Korea in February, 2012, to get a preview of what's to come in Asia over the next year.

In the Asia Pacific region, the PV market is forecast to grow 130 percent year-over-year in Q4'11 and installations of more than 2 GW of PV capacity are expected Q4'11, which will significantly raise the region's share of the global market, according to NPD Solarbuzz. Asia Pacific is poised to grow an additional 45 percent in 2012 as Asian governments introduce new installation targets.

From February 15-17, 2012, global solar companies wanting to drive growth in the Asian photovoltaic market are meeting at EXPO Solar 2012 to be held in the Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX), Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea.

As Asia's platform for the international photovolatic industry, EXPO Solar focuses on forging new contacts and expanding existing company networks. From February 15-17, 2012, over 500 exhibitors and approximately 45,000 visitors from all over the world are expected to flock to KINTEX near Seoul.

EXPO Solar provides a joint platform to present technologies and companies from the entire PV industry supply chain spanning Cell Processing, PV Modules, Materials, Production Equipment and Power Generation. It brings together manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers, service providers and government representatives under one roof.

Industry leaders including world's leading solar cell/module companies Yingli Solar and LDK Solar and world's renowned manufacturing equipment providers Schmid, MB Systems and Nisshinbo have all joined the growing list of solar vendors taking part in EXPO Solar 2012.

"We have worked hard to create an environment that offers the opportunity to spend three highly productive days conducting business and networking with a high concentration of qualified regional and international buyers. Their presence paired with roughly 500 other manufacturers and distributors should prove to be a great EXPO Solar event," said Jeongsik Choi, chairman of the EXPO Solar Organizing Committee.