Photovoltaics are spearheading the energy transition: “It will be necessary to install between 50,000 and 60,000 MW of power”
For those who do not recognize the initials, UNEF is Spain’s Photovoltaic Union, which for five years in a row has been organizing the Foro Solar, which brings together the “best of the sector”.
Over the years, it has established itself as a key event in the photovoltaic sector, and being a point of reference regarding the direction and trends of the sector. The Hotel Puerta de América welcomed almost 600 attendees over two days and hosted a number of debate panels where 50 speakers had the chance to share their knowledge and expertise.
It doesn’t sound bad, does it? In fact, most of us at SOLARNUB will be attending next year and we are going to tell you our experience, first hand. Meanwhile, for the rest of this year, I will keep you updated with a summary of the points that have caught our attention, through the press releases and news articles from different media.
Why did we like the V Solar Forum 2018 so much? Because they have paid attention to such important issues, such as the digitalization in solar energy and new photovoltaic business models, storage and technological developments among others.
We were very motivated by the words of the State Secretary for Energy, José Domínguez Abascal, who stated the set goal of renewable penetration at 35% by 2030, where solar energy will cover more than half of this objective, for this purpose it will be necessary the installation of 50,000 to 60,000 MW of power, whilst the investment price tag for photovoltaic sector was set at 700 billion euros.
Novelties in the Photovoltaic Sector
One of the discussion panels, which we would have undoubtedly loved to attend was the new business model ushered in through self-consumption, and its role in digitization, artificial intelligence and Big Data analysis.
Which speakers did we like?
Sara Pizzinato, head of Greenpeace campaigns, stressed the need to ease the legal process, in order to achieve efficiency without bureaucratic obstacles, so that citizens can participate in the production, use, and management of energy.
Moreover, David Sánchez, financial director of Huawei, emphasized the importance of knowing everything that is happening in a photovoltaic installation, through monitoring devices, and we were pleased to see that well-aligned with our understanding about the importance of Big Data and artificial intelligence in the photovoltaic sector.
From a business development point of view, the real estate sector was represented by Ismael Clemente, CEO of Merlin Properties (the largest real estate company in Spain) which has begun to test photovoltaic installation on the rooftops of one of its logistics properties in Valencia.
This pilot can provide the company with the installation experience, cost-assessments and ascertain the energy savings that can be generated. If the results are satisfactory, the next step will be to test it in shopping centers and, finally, on the roofs of office buildings, which are the places with the worst surface ratio.
Generally speaking, everything we have been reading about the fifth Solar Forum 2018 has been nothing short of invaluable which clearly illustrates the real success of the event. In 2019, SOLARNUB will be there, and we will be able to tell you everything in detail.
