Four chapters on how ees Europe evolved from a small exhibition alongside Intersolar Europe to become Europe’s largest and most international exhibition for batteries and energy storage systems. Chapter 3 explains how ees Europe was able to establish itself so quickly as Europe's leading exhibition for energy storage systems.
In 2014, the solar industry in Germany is reeling from the EEG cuts and has to reinvent itself. Fortunately, other markets are growing, such as Spain or North America. But in addition to building international business, there are other topics driving the industry: The search for new business models, self-consumption and direct sales of solar power are changing the rules of the game – as is the trend towards energy storage. Solar Promotion GmbH is taking these developments into account by introducing the new exhibition ees (electrical energy storage). From the very beginning, this includes the ees AWARD, the innovation prize of the storage industry. Together, ees and Intersolar Europe form the world’s largest industry platform for storage systems right from the start.
Varta, Sonnenbatterie and Hoppecke, for example, present themselves as storage providers at Intersolar. The first ees exhibitors include prime movers such as ads-tec GmbH, Alpha Energy Storage Solution, ASD Sonnenspeicher, Battery Supplies, BMZ, CALB (China Aviation Lithium Battery), SENEC (then Deutsche Energieversorgung), E3/DC, Energy Depot, FENECON, FR-Frankensolar (now Memodo), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Narada Europe, Proton Motor Fuel Cell and Solax Power, to name just a few.
More and more, the focus shifts to integrated solutions that make a full, 24/7 supply with renewable energy possible all year round. Consequently, in 2018, The smarter E Europe is created as a innovation platform for the entire new energy world: In 2018, The smarter E Europe unites four energy exhibitions for renewable and smart energy solutions ‒ Intersolar Europe, ees Europe, Power2Drive Europe (international exhibition for charging infrastructure and electromobility) and EM-Power Europe (international exhibition for energy management and integrated energy solutions). With the thematic expansion, the networking of industries and sectors and the development of the platform for the new energy world, the organizers once again strike a chord and prove to be innovators and thought leaders of the industry.
Chapter 4: How Resilience and Inventiveness Can Turn Crises Into New Opportunities