European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition

What European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition does

European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC) is the world's largest annual scientific conference and exhibition dedicated to the photovoltaic solar energy sector, organized by WIP Wirtschaft und Infrastruktur GmbH & Co Planungs-KG, a German limited partnership headquartered in Munich. Founded in 1983 and now in its 43rd edition (scheduled for 14-18 September 2026 at World Trade Center Rotterdam), the event serves four primary customer segments: academic researchers and scientists (who publish peer-reviewed papers), PV industry professionals (who exhibit and sponsor), policymakers, and students/PhD candidates. The scientific programme is officially coordinated by the European Commission Joint Research Centre, anchored by a ~300-member International Scientific Committee that reviews abstracts, and produces a DOI-coded proceedings archive (ISSN 2196-100X) containing over 11,382 papers across all editions.

The core product suite comprises a multi-track scientific conference with five programme topics (silicon materials and cells, perovskites/thin-films/tandems, PV modules, systems design and applications, and PV in the energy transition), a parallel B2B exhibition, parallel events, an industry summit, and a startup pavilion. Supporting platforms include a User Area self-service portal for registration and abstract submission, an online video-on-demand platform providing 3 months of post-event session access, DOI-coded conference proceedings at eupvsec-proceedings.com, and a journal publication pathway through five partner journals (Progress in Photovoltaics, Solar RRL, EPJ Photovoltaics, EPJ Plus, AESR). Add-on modules include PV Academy workshops (€199/€99), EU Funding Academy workshops (€475), a Green Ticket sustainability add-on (€15), and a PhD Student Publication Track with APC discounts.

Revenue is generated entirely through event-driven streams: tiered conference registration (€450-€1,670 per attendee depending on duration, student status, and booking window), exhibition booth rentals, Gold/Bronze sponsorship packages, workshop fees, and ancillary ticket add-ons. Pricing includes Dutch VAT, and the organization distributes through self-serve digital channels (User Area portal and main website) with on-site registration at the venue. Marketing leverages the website, newsletters, social media, pre-event webinars, and 33+ institutional supporting organizations including SolarPowerEurope, IEA PVPS, ESMC, ETIP-PV, and EERA. The event operates annually as a recurring revenue model with no disclosed financials.

Name

European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition

Legal name

WIP Wirtschaft und Infrastruktur GmbH & Co Planungs-KG

Website

https://eupvsec.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EU PVSEC is the world's largest annual scientific conference and exhibition for the photovoltaic solar energy sector, organized by WIP Wirtschaft und Infrastruktur GmbH & Co Planungs-KG since 1983. It serves researchers, PV industry professionals, policymakers, and students through a peer-reviewed scientific programme coordinated by the European Commission Joint Research Centre, a B2B exhibition, and DOI-coded proceedings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Conferences and Exhibitions

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management (THAHACAM)

Keywords

• Photovoltaic conference
• Solar energy exhibition
• PV industry events
• Scientific publications
• Renewable energy networking

Headquarters

HQ city

München

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Conference Registration Fees: Revenue from participants registering for the conference with tiered pricing based on ticket type (full week, two days, one day, student) and registration period (early bird, regular, on-site). Includes access to scientific sessions, exhibition, networking events, and conference proceedings.
2. Exhibition and Booth Rental: Companies book exhibition space to showcase innovations to industry leaders and decision-makers. Includes booth setup, exhibitor profiles on website, and access to industry summit sessions.
3. Sponsorship Packages: Tailored sponsorship packages providing brand exposure and target audience access. Gold, Bronze, and other sponsorship tiers with varying visibility levels.
4. PV Academy and Workshops: Professional development sessions including PV Academy full-day tickets (€199 professional, €99 student) and EU Funding Academy workshops (€475 per workshop) on EU Projects Financial Management and Proposal Writing.
5. Exhibition Visitor Tickets: Separate ticketing for exhibition-only visitors: three-day pass (€125) or one-day pass (€50) with access to exhibition and industry summit sessions.
6. Green Ticket Add-on: €15 climate protection contribution add-on on any ticket category to offset participant CO2 footprint and support climate protection projects.
7. Conference Dinner: Optional dinner ticket (€135) for Wednesday evening, 16 September 2026 networking event.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

EU PVSEC is an annual conference and exhibition platform for the global photovoltaic solar energy sector, combining a peer-reviewed scientific conference (coordinated by the European Commission Joint Research Centre) with a parallel industry exhibition. It sells conference registrations, exhibition booth rentals, multi-tiered sponsorship packages, professional development workshops (PV Academy, EU Funding Academy), DOI-coded conference proceedings, and a video-on-demand online platform to researchers, PV industry professionals, policymakers, and students.

Product overview

EU PVSEC is a major annual conference and exhibition serving as the world's largest specialized PV Solar Energy platform. The offering consists of a Scientific Conference (coordinated by the European Commission Joint Research Centre) with five programme topics covering the entire photovoltaic value chain, complemented by a Business-to-Business Exhibition, Parallel Events, Industry Summit, and Startup Pavilion. Additional offerings include PV Academy (professional development workshops), EU Funding Academy (EU project workshops), and an Online Platform for virtual attendance. Publication pathways include Conference Proceedings with DOI identifiers and Scientific Journal Publication through partner journals (Progress in Photovoltaics, Solar RRL, EPJ Photovoltaics, AESR), plus a dedicated PhD Student Publication Track. The User Area serves as the central platform for registration, abstract submissions, and conference management. Optional add-ons include Green Ticket (carbon offset) and various ticket categories (Full Week, Two Days, One Day, Student, Online).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EU PVSEC Scientific Conference Annual scientific conference covering the entire photovoltaic value chain (silicon materials and cells, perovskites and thin-films/tandems, PV modules, systems and applications, and PV in the energy transition) through plenary, oral, and visual presentations. Scientific programme coordinated by the European Commission Joint Research Centre with peer-review by approximately 300 international experts. Held 14-18 September 2026 in Rotterdam.
• EU PVSEC Industry Exhibition B2B exhibition attracting innovative PV companies, manufacturing enterprises, and research centres from around the world to showcase technologies, innovations, and new concepts in the upstream PV sector. Held 14-16 September 2026 alongside the scientific conference at World Trade Center Rotterdam.
• Sponsorship Packages Tailored sponsorship packages providing brand exposure and target audience access, with tiered visibility levels including Gold sponsors (e.g., Eternal Sun/WAVELABS, G2V Optics, halm elektronik) and Bronze sponsors (e.g., TNO, RCT-Solutions).
• PV Academy Full-day professional development session providing deep insight into selected PV research and development topics, held on 13 September 2026. Professional tickets priced at €199 and student tickets at €99 (incl. VAT).
• EU Funding Academy Workshops Workshop series covering EU project funding topics: EU Projects Financial Management (From Grant Agreement to Audit Readiness) and EU Projects Proposal Writing (From Vision to Success). Participation fee €475 per workshop (incl. VAT).
• EU PVSEC Conference Proceedings Online publication of all accepted papers from plenary, oral, and visual presentations, with each paper assigned a DOI code (ISSN 2196-100X) for permanent identification and citability. Available at eupvsec-proceedings.com; archive contains 11,382+ papers.
• Online Platform (Video-on-Demand Access) Digital access to all recorded conference sessions for video-on-demand streaming for up to 3 months after the event, including virtual poster presentations and online networking with speakers. Online-only ticket priced at €690 (net €570.25) full week; €305 (net €252.07) for students. Not valid for presenters.
• Green Ticket (Climate Protection Add-on) Optional €15 (incl. VAT) climate protection contribution add-on that offsets the average CO₂ consumption of participants through investment in certified climate protection projects. Can be added to any ticket category.
• EU PVSEC Conference Dinner Optional networking dinner ticket priced at €135 (net €111.57), held on Wednesday evening, 16 September 2026, with limited availability.

Quantifiable outcome

• 43rd edition of the conference with over 40 years of continuous operation as landmark PV event
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and flagship.

• European Commission – Joint Research CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical programme coordination by European Commission Joint Research Centre. Scientific Committee comprising ~300 global experts reviews all abstracts. Provides institutional credibility and ensures scientific quality standards for the conference programme.
• WIP Renewable Energies (WIP Wirtschaft und Infrastruktur GmbH & Co Planungs-KG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial organiser of EU PVSEC events. Handles all administrative, operational, and logistical aspects including registration, exhibition management, sponsorship coordination, and general event management from Munich headquarters.
• Progress in Photovoltaics (Wiley)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner journal offering peer-reviewed publication for selected conference papers. High impact international journal for PV research. Hybrid open access publication option.
• Solar RRL (Wiley)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner journal for peer-reviewed publication of solar energy conversion research including photovoltaics. Offers hybrid open access/subscription publication.
• EPJ Photovoltaics (EDP Sciences)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpen access journal partner publishing original peer-reviewed papers in PV solar energy conversion. APC of 700€ per article with 36% discount for PhD Student Track papers.
• Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research (AESR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpen access journal partner for Topic 5 submissions (Photovoltaics in the Energy Transition). Publishes research on energy and sustainability science.
• SolarPowerEuropemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerInstitutional PV Industry Cooperation partner and media partner. Europe's solar energy trade body representing the PV sector.
• IEA PVPSmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme. Supporting organisation and exhibitor, promoting international collaboration in PV research and deployment.
• European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerInstitutional PV Industry Cooperation partner representing European solar manufacturing interests.
• ETIP-PV (European Technology and Innovation Platform for Photovoltaics)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting organisation providing strategic direction for PV research and innovation in Europe.
• EERA (European Energy Research Alliance)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting association representing European energy research institutions in the renewables sector.
• VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting association representing German mechanical and plant engineering industry, relevant for PV manufacturing equipment.
• EUREC (European Renewable Energy Research Centres)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting association representing European renewable energy research centres.
• Eternal Sun / WAVELABSflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor for EU PVSEC 2026. Provides solar simulators and testing equipment for PV research and manufacturing.
• G2V OpticsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor for EU PVSEC 2026. Provides optical solutions and solar simulators for PV testing.
• halm elektronik gmbhflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor for EU PVSEC 2026. Provides measurement and testing equipment for photovoltaics.
• TNO Energy TransitioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsor and exhibitor. Dutch independent research organisation focused on energy transition innovation.
• RCT-SolutionscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze sponsor and exhibitor. Provides consulting services for renewable energy projects.
• ec elements GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite development and operation provider. Manages technical infrastructure for EU PVSEC online platforms including website and User Area.
• World Trade Center RotterdamcoreOthersOfficial venue provider for EU PVSEC 2026. Conference and exhibition held at WTC Rotterdam (Beursplein 37, 3011 AA Rotterdam, The Netherlands).

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• RE+ (formerly Solar Power International): North America's largest solar industry event, now part of the broader RE+ brand covering solar, storage, and clean energy. Direct competitor for global sponsor budgets and a key alternative venue for upstream PV manufacturers.
• IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC): Premier North American scientific PV conference rotating across U.S. venues. Competes with EU PVSEC for the same scientific author pool, peer-reviewed publication prestige, and academic attendees, with significant overlap in topic coverage.
• SNEC International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference & Exhibition: The flagship annual PV exhibition and conference in Shanghai, focused on PV manufacturing and upstream supply chain. Direct global competitor for exhibitor and sponsor mindshare, especially among Asian manufacturers and large-scale integrators.
• The smarter E Europe (Intersolar Europe): Europe's largest solar industry exhibition with co-located ees Europe (storage) and Power2Drive (e-mobility) tracks. Direct competitor for European PV exhibitor budgets and attendees, and a benchmark for exhibition scale.

Regional players

• World Future Energy Summit (WFES): Large Middle East-focused clean energy exhibition and conference held annually in Abu Dhabi. Provides an alternative gathering point for PV stakeholders with regional focus on MENA deployment and competes for international exhibitor and policymaker attention.
• Solar & Storage Live (UK and other regional editions): Regional PV and storage exhibition with editions in the UK and other markets. Competes with EU PVSEC for European mid-tier exhibitor attention and provides a lower-cost alternative for industry attendees focused on deployment rather than research.

Broad incumbents

• SolarPower Europe (industry association events): The European PV industry trade association that supports EU PVSEC as a media/industry partner. Operates its own policy and market events, making it both a partner and a partial substitute for industry-focused programming.
• Hannover Messe (Industrial energy transition tracks): Massive industrial trade fair with significant PV, energy, and hydrogen content. While not a dedicated PV event, it competes for upstream PV equipment manufacturer booth budgets and provides an alternative venue for industrial-scale PV deployment conversations.

Others

• European Energy Transition Conference (EUREF/related): European energy transition-focused event with PV-relevant programming. Provides complementary policy and grid-integration content that overlaps with EU PVSEC's Topic 5 (Photovoltaics in the Energy Transition) sessions.
• IEA PVPS Task Reports and Workshops: International Energy Agency programme providing policy and deployment workshops for PV. EU PVSEC is a supporting organization of IEA PVPS; both serve overlapping research and policymaker audiences, with IEA PVPS events providing complementary policy-focused programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EUPVSEC

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition