Providers of renewable power solutions had a commanding presence at the fifth edition of the Energy Lebanon exhibition, hoping to capitalize on the growing popularity of energy-efficient systems among both Lebanese consumers and businesses.
The international trade exhibition, which brought together companies specializing in power generation, electrical engineering and environmental technology, kicked off Tuesday at the Beirut International Exhibition and Leisure Center (BIEL).
Both returning participants and newcomers showcased their products at the event, which was held concurrently with Project Lebanon 2015, the 20th edition of an international construction trade exhibition for Lebanon and the Middle East.
Bassem Hamade, director of Solar Toptec, was one of the first-time participants at the event.
Hamade launched Toptec, a local agent for Swedish company SolTech Energy, less than a year ago. The company provides solar energy solutions tailored for all types of properties, such as houses, hotels, apartments, schools and hospitals.
Toptec is seeking to capitalize on the increased awareness among Lebanese consumers and businesses about the benefits of opting for solar energy solutions, Hamade told The Daily Star. Raising awareness is one of the objectives behind Toptec’s participation in the Energy Lebanon 2015 exhibition, added Andreas Telander, marketing manager at SolTech Energy.
SolTech integrates its solar energy system in roofs, using its own specially developed glass roof tiles instead of standard concrete tiles.
While the installation cost of an integrated solar energy system is still considered by many to be relatively high, an increasing number of customers are opting for renewable energy solutions, said Jean Paul Sfeir, general manager of Solarnet.
Sfeir, who launched Solarnet 20 years ago, was participating in Project Lebanon for the fourth time.
While on average only one of 10 potential customers ends up buying an integrated solar system, Sfeir said renewable energy solutions are gaining popularity among Lebanese consumers who continue to suffer from power rationing and incur high private-generator costs. Sfeir said this increased popularity has been reflected in significant annual sales growth over the past few years.
Abdallah Doumit, an engineer at Saliba Solar Center, explained that the lack of awareness among consumers, rather than the high initial installation cost of an integrated solar system, had hampered sales growth in recent years, but added that the trend is slowly shifting. According to Doumit, the payback time on an investment in a solar energy system ranges between four to five years.
In addition to Energy Lebanon 2015, the four-day exhibition in BIEL will host the EcOrient 2015 conference. Held in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris, EcOrient 2015 will feature in its fourth edition an exhibition of environmental technologies, water technology and clean energy solutions.
