The Big 5 Solar event, scheduled to be held in Dubai, UAE, in November, will shed light on the future of solar energy in the UAE and the region and the need for new regulations for building-integrated photovoltaics (BiPV).

The event, from November 26 to 29 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, will feature a day-long Global Solar Leaders’ Summit, as well as solar talks throughout the event. The expo is being held under the patronage of UAE's Ministry of Energy.

With the success of ground-mounted PV solutions such as those in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, local governments are looking to diversify their energy mix. Currently however, projects like the launch of Dewa’s Shams Dubai initiative to connect solar energy to buildings, inclusive of their online solar calculator, are coming hand in hand with the limitations of current policy and regulations surrounding new solar technologies.

Although BiPV solutions are not yet at the forefront of building design in the region, upcoming projects in the retail, transport and building sectors will see a wealth of opportunities for façade-based technologies to take centre stage. Partnered with the rising popularity of these solutions abroad, it is paramount to facilitate BiPV growth in the UAE, said the event organisers.

According to the Architectural Solar Association (ASA), tailoring global regulations for this specific landscape is the key to encouraging a mass adoption of BiPV in the region. However, locally focused safety regulations are perhaps the biggest hurdle faced by the industry, it said.

The incentives for adopting renewable energy methods have become more complex than simply adjusting to an environmental outlook; they are making a move towards lowering utility costs and increasing the value of properties. According to Anoop Babu, Mena regional manager ASA, preparing for the future should be at the core of building concept design.

He describes the transition towards BiPV as removing “facades that would otherwise be idle for the next 20 years, and replacing them with active building elements”.

The ASA are an official supporting association of The Big 5 Solar event. The Big 5 Solar pursues the escalating green demands in the GCC construction industry, and is set to become a premier platform for solar industry professionals to network and do business in the Middle East.

The event will also offer a series of high level free-to-attend  Continuing Professional Development (CPD)-certified solar talks covering topics such as the connection between solar and construction, the impact of VAT on the solar industry, the role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in driving the solar industry in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena), as well as many more.

These talks will bring together solar industry pioneers to empower a positive change and transformation of the renewable energy sector with a focus on solar.

A prominent feature at The Big 5 Solar 2017 will be the Global Solar Leaders’ Summit (GSLS), the only established high-level summit in the Middle East focusing on solar technology. Key speakers include: Dr Matar Al Neyada, undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Energy; Dr Rashid Aleem, founder of Aleem Business Congress; and Dr Nasser Saidi, chairman of the Regional Clean Energy Business Council. They will come together highlight the latest trends and practices in the solar industry along with major opportunities and challenges within the booming solar market.

Organised by dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa, The Big 5 Solar will be co-located with The Big 5 Dubai, the largest, most influential and renowned construction industry event in the Middle East. - TradeArabia News Service