EU PVSEC: Notes from day three in a quiet Valencia

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  Síle Mc Mahon, Managing Editor of Photovoltaics International.
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  Joy-Fleur Brettschneider, Marketing & Communications Manager of Photovoltaics International.

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Síle Mc Mahon

Síle Mc Mahon joined Semiconductor Media in 2006 as sub-editor for Photovoltaics International and content manager for PV-Tech.org, and now holds the role of managing editor for the brand. She has an honours degree in English and Philosophy from NUI, Galway and an M. Phil. in Linguistics from Trinity College, Dublin. Her first name does not, contrary to popular opinion, rhyme with mile - the odd spelling of her name (pronounced “Sheila”) derives from the fact that she is Irish – agus an-bródúil as!

After a relatively quiet Monday, the second day of the EU PVSEC conference in Valencia certainly ‘hotted up’, in more than one sense of the word. With temperatures hitting 28°C, but feeling more like the high 30s, the air conditioning and vastness of the Feria Valencia are welcome as the suited and booted attendees meander their way around the eight halls and the conference centre.

As Tuesday wound down, Linde’s booth party provided some much-needed refreshments and the smooth jazz band defied the Feria’s set ‘lights out’ time of 7.30pm, much to the delight of the party attendees. A painfully accurate caricaturist sent the Photovoltaics International team home clutching pieces of paper that depicted only too well the tired eyes and ruddy cheeks that result from either too much sun or too little sleep.

The Q-Cells party also took place last night, and while some of us were sensible enough to go home and douse the throbbing feet, others partied on into the wee small hours in the club by Valencia’s marina.

As day three rolls by, and after the natural lunchtime lull, the groups of visitors are recommencing their visits to the booths. Those exhibitors on Level 2 (or the ground floor, for those in the know) are likely to be rubbing their hands in glee (the Photovoltaics International team included) as I’ve been told by several people that the Level 3 area is attracting far fewer traffic than Level 2.

All in all, the general consensus so far has been that the visitor levels are lower than expected. Of course, it’s not over yet, and the remainder of day three and all of day four are yet to come. Maybe it’s a case that things are quiet compared to the Hamburg event last year, or that the layout of the Feria Valencia lends itself to a more efficient trawling of the halls than, for example, the Messe München, but here’s hoping tomorrow picks up!

                                         Addendum due to popular demand:

It seems that only the ladies from the PV-Tech team are brave enough to display what some might call these abominations of representation. Either that, or the male members of the team are either not aesthetically pleasing enough, or they upset the caricaturist in some way.