The Solar Show Africa 2016 opened with much interest in Johannesburg yesterday, with exhibitors and visitors engaging in a wide range of discussions on available solutions and measures to drive South Africa and other African markets forward in PV installations.

The show marks the first time Genera has been hosted outside Spain, reflecting the burgeoning PV potential in Chile and the wider Latin American market.

It is clear the fall from grace of one of the world’s largest PV manufacturers – a key topic at this year’s Solarcon China 2013 – will impact other Chinese top-tier companies. Other discussion points at the event included shifting policy models and the imminent overhaul of China’s PV FITs.

This year’s PV Project Implementation Conference – China saw around 80 solar industry professionals gather to discuss large-scale opportunities in what is tipped to be the biggest PV market of 2013. In contrast to the government’s declared 10 GW targets, forecasts are that just 8 GW of new PV will be added in China this year. Meanwhile, rumor has it, the Golden Sun Program will soon be scrapped.

Despite being down-sized to a conference without an exhibition, the second edition of Intersolar China in Beijing turned out to be very well-timed. In addition to news of a doubling of the country’s 2015 photovoltaic target, many turned out to hear what the central government has planned for the domestic photovoltaic industry. Overseas markets were also a central topic of discussion.

Organized by SEMI China, the Distributed PV Application and Commercialization Forum opened today in Shunde, Guangdong province. Overall, it was felt that China’s new Presidential appointments will bode well for the domestic photovoltaic market, and that Guangdong and China are about to do a lot more in distributed photovoltaic power.

Earlier this week, pv magazine visited BYD Company Limited in the outskirts of Shanghai to discuss the company’s solar and storage plans with Tom Zhao, general manager of BYD Solar Division.

Together with its Chinese partner, the German photovoltaic testing and certification service provider, PI-Berlin today celebrated the opening of its Chinese subsidiary in Suzhou, less than half an hour away from Shanghai by high-speed train.

China’s first major solar tradeshow of the year, CIPV Expo 2012 in Beijing, ended this past weekend with continued optimism over the further development of China’s solar industry, despite Germany’s support cutbacks, announced during the show. Rooftop photovoltaics emerged as one of China’s key future trends, while “integration” was the watchword du jour.

PV Japan kicked off yesterday in Tokyo, Japan, under sunny skies portending a bright future for Japan’s photovoltaic, and BIPV market. However, it is clear that overcapacity, and declining prices and margins have impacted both exhibitor numbers, and company strategies.