Renewable Energy Installer March 2014 | Page 16

Ecobuild Profile Ecobuild 2014 – The only place to be It’s March, the train tickets are booked and you’re heading to London’s ExCeL on 4-6 March, but how can REI readers make sure they get the most from their trip to Ecobuild 2014? cobuild is the biggest event for the renewables industry, and the most comprehensive showcase of sustainable construction products. With features displaying thousands of products, from both the UK and abroad, it’s a great opportunity for installers to get up-close-and-personal with the latest technologies on the market, and develop the right contacts to drive business forward. A good place for installers to start is the Practical Installer feature. With 17 of the industry’s top suppliers joining Plumb Center to showcase the latest solar, biomass, heat pumps and water efficiency technologies. Many manufacturers will also have their own exhibits, and will be keen to talk to installers about their latest products, offers and ideas for 2014. Solar City, sponsored by SMA Solar, will feature seminars and practical demonstration covering all aspects of the E solar PV market in the UK. Visitors can listen to live debates and practical case studies from industry experts. The conference and seminar programmes have been very popular with Ecobuild visitors and will this year feature speakers from leading organisations and government departments including: DECC, The Renewable Energy Association, Innasol, BRE, Rexel, Arup, Wolseley, and AECOM. Sessions will cover topics such as ‘Community energy or the Green Deal?’, ‘Domestic RHI: An energy boost for installers & householders’ and ‘The business case for air source heat pumps’, so there’s plenty to interest installers who are looking to get ahead of the game. Installers who want to squeeze everything in should check out the Ecobuild website www.ecobuild. co.uk. There’s a complete list of all the exhibitors, plus the full seminar and conference timetables. Staying on top Swiss inverter manufacturer SolarMax will be launching its new range of HT series string inverters at this year’s Ecobuild. The powerful HT series, with its new multi-tracking concept, is aimed at the fast-developing commercial rooftop market. The HT series will be available in three models: 30 kW and 32 kW output each with four MPP trackers, and 32kW output with two MPP trackers. Designed for quick and easy installation, and with the latest communication and monitoring functionality, SolarMax says the HT series inverters combine maximum flexibility with high cost efficiency. With their low system costs and high performance yields, they promise to provide the perfect solution for industrial and commercial solar power plants and will be available from June 2014. S1910 16 | www.renewableenergyinstaller.co.uk High and mighty: SolarMax’s new HT series of string inverters is aimed at the commercial roof mounted PV market