World’s largest solar conference postponed

The world’s largest solar conference and exhibition, the SNEC trade show, diverged this morning and has been postponed due to the Covid-19 crisis.

The Shanghai show, which was set to take place in less than two months’ time, was expected to attract more than 2,000 exhibitors and 260,000 visitors this year.

Rumors had circulated since the start of the week that the global showpiece would follow in the footsteps of numerous other industry dates which have fallen victim to travel restrictions imposed around the world as governments attempt to slow spread of the novel coronavirus which has reportedly now infected almost a million people.

Several online news sources in China announced postponement of the show yesterday, but were later retracted due to “editorial errors.” Show organizers told pv magazine “There is no formal announcement of any delays or postponement of this event so far and the expo will move on schedule,” on Wednesday.

Today, the message had changed to, “Though we have devoted a lot of manpower and resources in the preparation of the exhibition, we have to postpone the event as the health and safety of all exhibitors and participants are of the highest priority for us.”

This year’s Intersolar Europe trade show, scheduled for mid-June had already been cancelled and Intersolar South America was pushed back this week, from August to November.

The SNEC 2020 organizers announced on April 8, 2020 that SNEC 2020 is preliminarily postponed until October 2020 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center Shanghai. They have yet to announce a new date and detailed agenda for for the expo.

Editor's Note: This article was modified on April 8, 2020 at 11:11AM CEST, reflecting the SNEC announcement of a new October scheduled event.