The worldwide boom in renewable energy continues unabated and is gaining momentum. Not even the falling prices of fossil energy carriers over the past few months and quarters have been able to knock it off course. Renewables are on the rise and becoming less expensive at the same time: According to a study by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the cost of solar energy from utility-scale installations was 56 percent lower than the cost of energy from the cheapest fossil energy source. Between 2010 and 2023, the cost of solar energy dropped by 90 percent. The positive development of the industry is reflected in the number of registrations for The smarter E Europe exhibition alliance: Seven months before the event, Messe München’s 19 halls and the Outdoor Area are already 90 percent booked.
The rapid price development of solar energy is mainly driven by the photovoltaic modules, whose prices dropped by 93 percent between 2009 and 2023. The price of other components, such as inverters and mounting systems, has also fallen. Battery storage has seen similar developments: The price of this technology, which is essential for a 24/7 renewable energy supply, has dropped by 89 percent between 2010 and 2023. To ensure solar and wind power deployment continues at a rapid pace, infrastructure must expand alongside and become smarter. Digitalization and flexibilization are key to building powerful grids and markets for tomorrow’s energy world.
It is estimated that between 2000 and 2023, the use of solar energy saved around 78 billion US dollars in fossil fuel costs. When all types of renewable energy are considered, an estimated 409 billion US dollars were saved. But that’s not all: The European solar association SolarPower Europe predicts that the construction of PV systems will continue to grow at an extremely dynamic rate in the next few years. According to the association, the total installed solar capacity worldwide in 2028 would be 5,117 gigawatts, more than the current installed capacity of all coal, gas, oil and nuclear power plants combined, which is around 4,930 gigawatts.
The organizers are expecting more than 3,000 exhibitors to attend The smarter E Europe’s four sub-exhibitions Intersolar Europe, ees Europe, Power2Drive Europe and EM-Power Europe, including all relevant market and technology leaders such as CATL, Huawei, LG, LONGi, Samsung or Siemens. Exhibitors can look forward to seeing 110,000 visitors over the three days of the exhibition from May 7–9. A comprehensive and diverse accompanying program, specialist conferences and seven exhibition forums are sure to make these exhibitions a place for debate and discussion. Next year, there will be a novel special exhibit on the future-focused topic of bidirectional charging.
The organizers of The smarter E Europe are looking forward with excitement to the exhibition days in May 2025: Markus Elsässer, Founder and CEO of Solar Promotion GmbH, explains: “Next year, The smarter E Europe and its sub-exhibitions will once again demonstrate that the energy transition is not only possible, but is quickly becoming a reality. Falling costs and technological advances in recent years have put renewables into the fast lane. Each year, our exhibitions offer exhibitors and visitors the opportunity to get an overview of the solutions, business models and applications and to gain insights into global trends and innovations.” Hanna Böhme, Managing Director of Freiburg Wirtschaft Touristik und Messe GmbH & Co. KG, adds: “The smarter E Europe 2025 will be a place and space for global discussions and cooperation. Its exhibitions, forums and panels provide a platform for people to work together to create a climate-neutral energy future. Munich is the place where projects are brought underway.”