SWC50 - February Newsletter

SWC50 Newsletter February 2020

by Geoff Stapleton, SWC50 Conference Chair

Celebrating 50 years of the ISES Solar World Congresses, the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) is organising SWC50 – The Century of Solar which will be held in Melbourne, Australia between the 2nd and 4th December 2020. The event will comprise of a conference, networking social events, a display area, and the release of the celebratory booklet: The Century of Solar - Stories and Visions for the Future of Renewable Energy. The event will briefly look back over the 50 years since the first Solar World Congress (SWC) was held in Melbourne in 1970. More importantly, the event will focus on how we can and must transition to 100% Renewable Energy. The display area will allow entities to tell their solar story and will celebrate individuals, pioneers, who have paved the way toward achieving solar technology breakthroughs and developed the industry.

SWC50 is partnering with the Asia Pacific Solar Research Conference (APSRC20) which will be held in Melbourne from 30th November to 2nd December. This conference will have a call for technical papers in the coming months. Registration discounts will be available for participants to register for both the SWC50 as well as APSRC20.

SWC50 - The Century of Solar Display

Since the first Solar World Congress (SWC) was held in Melbourne in 1970, the solar research world and industry has grown to the level that one can attend a solar conference or exhibition nearly every week somewhere in the world. At these exhibitions companies promote their products and services. The SWC50 is different: we will be celebrating the 50 years since that first SWC and, instead of a traditional exhibition, we are presenting a display in which research institutes, companies and individuals will tell their stories about how they helped develop an industry that has grown from watts to gigawatts.

The display will also include a timeline wall presenting significant historical events marking the development of solar research and the growth of the industry both from the perspective of research institutes/universities, companies, government entities but also from the many individuals shaping solar over the past 50 years. The display will be divided up into decades—starting with companies/institutes founded pre-1970 in one area, followed by those from the 80’s, 90’s and so on.

Research Institutes/Universities, Companies and Government Entities are being invited to be “Partners” of SWC50. As partners they will have a space in the display which will be comprised of banners or posters where each tells their story including when they started, what they do, significant achievements since they started, and projections for the future.

Though institutes and companies have been instrumental in the growth, ISES acknowledges many individuals have contributed as well. For this reason, SWC50 will acknowledge Renewable Energy Researcher Pioneers and Industry Pioneers (more information on this in the March Newsletter). Posters displaying these pioneers/researchers in the relevant decades will be part of the SWC50 display.

The display will also include some examples of early products to show how they have progressed over the years.

Though it is important to acknowledge what has been undertaken for the solar industry to grow significantly in the past 50 years, the theme of the conference/display is the Century of Solar. Therefore, there will be a section in the display summarising what is required politically, technically, financially and socially to transition to a world of 100% Renewable Energy covering all areas of our energy demand from electricity, heat, buildings, industry and transportation.

In summary, the display is not your typical exhibition. It will be similar to a small museum celebrating what has been achieved and a visioning display of what is needed for the 100% RE transformation.

Partners and Supporters

Though SWC50 is being organised by ISES, the successful celebration on what has been achieved and what is required cannot be achieved by ISES alone. In January 2020, ISES began connecting with partners as well as industry associations institutes, media organisations and other groups (associates) to join the SWC50.

SWC50 offers a great opportunity to your company, institution, association or organization to highlight your role in the success story that is the development of solar technologies We offer four levels for partners to participate in the SWC50: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. Please see the SWC50 partner prospectus for more details. Partners will tell their story in the SWC50 – The Century of Solar Display and in the Celebratory Booklet: The Century of Solar - Stories and Visions for the Future of Renewable Energy.

Current Partners of SWC50 include:
Platinum Partner: Global Sustainable Energy Solutions (Australia)

Current Supporters of SWC50 include:

  • American Solar Energy Society (ASES)
  • Australian PV Institute (APVI
  • Global Solar Council (GSC)
  • Pacific Power Association (PPA)
  • Smart Energy Council (SEC) (Australia)
  • Solar Energy Association Papua New Guinea (SEAP)
  • Solar Energy Industries Association SEIA
  • Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS)
  • Sustainable Energy Industries Association of Pacific Islands (SEIAPI)
  • Sustainable Energy Association of New Zealand (SEANZ)
  • Uganda Solar Energy Association (USEA)
  • Ecogeneration
  • Energies Journal
  • World Sustainability Forum 2020 (WSF2020)

Please contact our team swc50 [at] ises.org if you want to join SWC50 as a supporter or partner.

Come Join us in celebrating SWC50! ing back to Melbourne, ISES and the global solar community are not only looking back on the past transformative years of solar development, but also are looking ahead to solar’s bright future, and we are inviting you to become a part of it! More information on the event program and our invited speakers will be available soon on the event homepage.