SAN FRANCISCO, May 6 /PRNewswire/ — Intersolar North America, the most diverse global business-to-business exhibition in the United States dedicated to the transformation of the solar marketplace, today announced that growing demand in booth sales has prompted organizers to open another floor, tripling the size of last year’s exhibition and bringing the 2009 total floor space to approximately 120,000 net square feet — Intersolar North America 2009 now expects to accommodate around 500 exhibitors. Currently more than 370 exhibitors from 20 countries worldwide are confirmed to exhibit with 15,000 expected attendees anticipated at this year’s event, co-located with SEMICON West, in San Francisco on July 14-16.

“Solar is a complex global market with a wide variety of participants — from banks and governments, to manufactures and distributors. As evidenced by the massive increase in size of Intersolar North America 2009, this is an event that brings together the entire solar value chain to connect, develop partnerships and help define the vision for solar’s future,” said Markus Elsaesser, CEO of Solar Promotion International GmbH, organizer of Intersolar North America. “With the massive infusion of public and private capital over the last year, there has never been a bigger opportunity for solar’s growth — despite the economy. Intersolar North America 2009 will help our industry seize every advantage to advance solar as a ubiquitous energy source,” Elsaesser said.

For a diverse global industry including photovoltaics and solar thermal for both residential and commercial markets, the challenge of patchwork of regulations, incentives and quality standards can hinder market success. Intersolar North America’s exhibition will help both domestic and international solar businesses connect with other businesses to strengthen their positions and further the industry. Exhibitors from around the world, such as Solar World (Germany), LDK Solar (China), Nexolon (Korea), Schuco (Germany), Applied Materials (U.S.A.), Canadian Solar (Canada) and Acciona Solar Power (U.S.A.), will be among the 500 companies featured at the 2009 expo, designed to create access for attendees to the entire value chain of companies that make up the $50 billion international solar industry.

Intersolar North America is the premier exposition, attracting the top suppliers, buyers and technologists who are leading the charge toward the greening of America,” said Dan Martin, executive vice president of the SEMI PV Group. “Visitors will gain keen insight into the North American and global solar industries by taking part in the vast array of educational programs and discussions offered to create strong global relationships for those within the industry.”

Intersolar North America 2009’s exhibition programs are also expanding to accommodate the growing needs of the solar industry this year, including the expansion of the Innovation Exchange and the addition of the Job and Career Forum. The Innovation Exchange, which showcases innovative and new products or services in 25 minute presentations, will feature double the amount of planned presentations by exhibitors.

To help the industry fill the potential 5 million green jobs needed by the renewable energy industry over the next 15 years, according to The RAND Corporation, the Job and Career Forum, powered by Solarjobs.com, will host a variety of presentations on available training programs, the solar job market and details on future career opportunities within the solar industry. To connect attendees seeking solar jobs and companies looking to fill positions, the Job and Career Forum will provide free job search computer terminals, and will feature Solarjobsplus – Executive Search and Talent Management, a dedicated program to address the recruitment needs of senior and specialist candidates.

About Intersolar North America

Intersolar North America is the most diverse international business-to-business trade show in the United States for the global solar industry. As the only solar trade show in North America dedicated to recruiting companies across the solar supply chain from around the world, Intersolar helps the industry improve global supply, distribution, training, regulation and business issues in order to accelerate market transformation and advance solar as a significant part of the global energy supply. Intersolar North America 2009 features an expected 500 exhibitors and 15,000 trade visitors in San Francisco’s Moscone Center West on July 14-16. Intersolar North America was created in 2008 as a sister event to Intersolar in Munich, the world’s largest and longest-running solar technology trade show. http://www.intersolar.us/.

SOURCE Intersolar North America