ExpoSolar Colombia Bogota

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

Who this event is for

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

Hotel tiers

A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.

Local transport

Get around the city with these convenient transport options.

Frequently asked

Glossary

1

Photovoltaic (PV) effect

The conversion of sunlight into direct-current electricity inside a semiconductor cell, usually silicon, without moving parts or fuel. At Expo Solar Colombia it is the technology family that most of the modules, inverters and mounting hardware on show are built around.

2

Solar module (panel)

A framed, weather-sealed assembly of PV cells rated by its peak power output under standard test conditions. Buyers at the fair compare module wattage, cell technology, efficiency, warranty terms and degradation rates rather than price alone.

3

Bifacial module

A module that collects light on both faces, gaining extra yield from light reflected off a bright roof or ground surface. It is usually paired with elevated or tracker mounting, so it appears on stands alongside structural hardware.

4

Watt-peak (Wp), kWp and MWp

The standard unit for module and system capacity: 1,000 Wp equals 1 kWp and 1,000 kWp equals 1 MWp. Quotations for Colombian rooftop and utility projects are normally written in kWp or MWp, so comparing offers requires the same unit basis.

5

Inverter (string, central, hybrid)

The device that converts module DC output into grid-compatible AC. String inverters dominate rooftop work, central inverters serve large plants, and hybrid inverters add battery charging and backup output for self-consumption systems.

6

MPPT (maximum power point tracking)

The control algorithm that constantly adjusts a solar array's operating voltage to extract its maximum output as irradiance and temperature change. It is a headline specification on charge controllers and inverter datasheets at the fair.

7

Balance of system (BOS)

Everything in a PV installation except the modules themselves: mounting, cabling, combiner boxes, protection devices, metering and monitoring. BOS quality is a common source of failure in tropical, high-altitude and dust-exposed installations.

8

Solar tracker

A motorised structure that tilts or rotates modules to follow the sun through the day, typically adding yield at the cost of moving parts and maintenance. Trackers are shown alongside fixed-tilt ground-mount structures at the fairground.

9

Distributed generation and self-consumption

Generation located at or near the point of use, sized primarily to offset a customer's own consumption rather than to sell wholesale power. In Colombia this segment covers rooftop systems on homes, shops, farms and factories and is a core visitor interest at the show.

10

BESS (battery energy storage system)

A packaged battery installation, usually lithium iron phosphate cells with a battery management system and power conversion, used for backup, peak shaving, solar shifting or grid services. Storage exhibitors are typically evaluated on cycle life, round-trip efficiency and local service support.

11

Off-grid and hybrid systems

Standalone installations that serve loads without a reliable utility connection, often combining PV, batteries, a generator and a controller. They matter for rural electrification programmes and for farms and telecom sites outside Colombia's interconnected grid.

12

Performance ratio (PR)

The ratio of a plant's actual energy output to the output its rated capacity would deliver under standard conditions. PR captures losses from heat, soiling, wiring, inverter conversion and downtime, and is the metric used to judge O&M quality.

13

PPA (power purchase agreement)

A long-term contract in which a developer sells electricity from a solar plant to an offtaker at an agreed price and term. PPAs and leasing structures are how many Colombian commercial and industrial buyers fund projects without upfront capital.

14

Solar irradiance and peak sun hours

Irradiance is instantaneous solar power per unit area, while peak sun hours express daily energy as the equivalent number of hours at 1,000 W/m2. Bogota's high-altitude, cloud-affected conditions make both figures central to yield modelling for Andean projects.

15

EPC contractor

An engineering, procurement and construction firm that delivers a solar plant end to end, including design, equipment sourcing, civil works, commissioning and often a performance guarantee. Many exhibitors at the fair operate as EPCs or partner with them.

16

Ley 1715 (Colombia)

Colombia's 2014 framework that introduced tax and duty incentives for non-conventional renewable energy projects. Rules and eligibility have been modified since, so exhibitors and buyers should confirm current applicability with a local adviser.