Dubai will play host to a brand new show dedicated to the Middle East’s burgeoning solar industry: The Big 5 Solar, which will be held in November along with the largest construction event in the region, The Big 5, said the organisers.

The event is a showcase of the latest solar technologies from leading photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing countries like Germany, Italy, China, India and Turkey as well as from the GCC region, stated dmg events Middle East, Asia and Africa, the organiser of The Big 5 show.

To be held from November 26 to 29 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the exhibition will open its doors to thousands of decision makers, buyers and manufacturers, showcasing the very latest solar thermal and photovoltaic technologies.

With 2016 turning to be a record-breaking year for the solar industry in the region, the future looks even brighter, according to the Middle East Solar Industry Association’s latest report.

With solar PV without storage becoming one of the cheapest sources of electricity, power demand on the rise, and the recognised need to develop environmentally sustainable solutions, solar penetration in the Middle East is accelerating, it stated.

In the UAE, rooftop solar output is growing more than 1,100 per cent over a one-year period, from 6 MW in 2016 to 70 MW by the end of 2017, stated the report.

With 135 operational solar (PV and CSP) installations, 1,000 under execution, and 1,200 under tender, the UAE is one of the most promising markets for solar energy, it added.

"The UAE Energy Plan 2050 aims at increasing clean energy use by 50 per cent, cutting down carbon dioxide emissions by 70 per cent before the middle of this century. There’s an unequivocal need for advanced solar technologies in the region," remarked Josine Heijmans, the Big 5 Solar event director.

Co-located with The Big 5, the largest construction event in the region attracting 78,869 participants from more than 120 countries last year, The Big 5 Solar 2017 is set to become an unmissable and truly global platform for solar industry professionals to network, learn and do business in the Middle East, she stated.

On the new venture, Heijmans said: "About 20 per cent of the visitors at The Big 5 2016 had expressed an interest in solar technologies. It’s with this growing demand in mind that dmg events Middle East, Asia and Africa is launching its first ever The Big 5 Solar in November, co-located with The Big 5."

Alongside the exhibition, international experts will share cutting-edge insights and industry best practices at a series of free-to-attend CPD (continuing professional development)-certified workshops.

Moreover, a one-day Global Solar Leaders Summit will contribute to the development of the solar industry, ensuring full support to achieving the UAE’s 2050 energy goals, stated Heijmans.

Previous solar events organised by dmg events (Middle East, Asia and Africa) had attracted more than 4,000 key buyers from over 65 countries, she added.-TradeArabia News Service