Intersolar and ees North America 2017 concluded its 10th annual event in San Francisco last week.

The event organizer said attendees and exhibitors were optimistic, as they engaged in meaningful conversations about the best approaches for sustained market success, despite a year of industry consolidation and trade policy uncertainty.

Suniva’s Section 201 trade petition was a leading topic among conversations and conference sessions, with a lively debate surrounding expected outcomes and impacts of the decision, especially during the four-part Intersolar Finance Symposium, new to this year’s event, the organizer said.

More than 15,000 solar and energy storage professionals from 87 countries attended the event.

“We’re continuously impressed with the high-quality attendees we meet while exhibiting at Intersolar North America each year,” Denise Hugo, director of marketing at Array Technologies, said in a July 19 statement.

“The solar tracker industry is a growth sector within the expanding solar landscape, we’re glad to be able to connect with our fellow leaders in San Francisco each July.

Kyle Cherrick, head of business development at Pick My Solar, added that the event provides an opportunity to meet with leaders in every sector of the industry.

“That's why so many big deals get done during Intersolar; it acts as a marketplace that features key players and fosters connections across the entire industry,” Cherrick said in a statement. “We love the event and are already looking forward to next year."

A variety of exhibitors also used the exhibitions as a platform to launch new products—companies showcased new racking and mounting products, inverters, solar panels, storage systems and other products.

"Intersolar North America 2017 proved to be a tremendous trade show for Solaria — providing a great forum for reaching our customers, partners and prospects in an energetic atmosphere," Solaria CEO Suvi Sharma said in a statement.

Solaria showcased a new module during the event.

"There's keen interest in our new product, and being able to display it for the many solar professionals attending Intersolar provided us with phenomenal return on investment," Sharma said.

During the event, 12 companies, including UtilityAPI, participated in the Powerhouse Pavilion, hosted by Powerhouse.

The event organizer said that Elena Lucas, co-founder and board director at UtilityAPI, spoke alongside renewable energy leaders and policy makers during the Opening Ceremony’s keynote session, where she provided an entrepreneur’s perspective on the industry. During her remarks, she stressed the importance of networking events and seizing opportunities only Intersolar/ees North America can present. 

“Intersolar is the place to be,” Lucas said during her keynote session. “This is where you can network and meet the people who are ready to take action to reduce the soft costs of solar.”

Intersolar and ees North America featured unique special events, including the WRISE and Shine! networking breakfast, organized by the Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE). The event breakfast event advocated gender equality in the solar and energy storage industries. 

“We were thrilled to see so much support and interest,” Kristen Graf, executive director of WRISE, said in a statement. “The informal networking breakfast at Intersolar offered a great opportunity to build on the enthusiasm around our broader scope and new brand.”