USBN Q1 2018- CUI Global version

US BUSINESS NEWS / Q1 2018 5 NEWS , Intersolar and ees North America 2018, the premier solar and energy storage events in North America, has announced two new California Pavilions, hosted in partnership with the California Solar & Storage Association (formerly CALSEIA), and an expanded Powerhouse Pavil- ion, hosted in partnership with Oakland-based incubator Pow- erhouse. The three exhibition pavilions provide a platform for emerging companies and promis- ing start-ups to present new products and services. The pavil- ions underscore Intersolar North America and the co-located ees North America’s commitment to delivering unparalleled informa- tion and networking opportunities that help move the North Ameri- can market forward. Now in its 11th year, Intersolar and ees North America have been the premier industry platform for manufacturers, sup- pliers, distributors, service provid- ers and partners in the solar plus storage industries. As the first major solar and storage event of the year in North America, it is a critical meeting place for industry executives, policymakers, project developers and financers. Lo- cated in San Francisco, the epi- center of technological innovation in the United States, attendees often look to the events for a big-picture perspective on the latest market trends impacting the marketplace. “In the past decade, the solar in- dustry has seen explosive growth along with areas of uncertainty due to shifts in the policy land- scape,” said Florian Wessendorf and Daniel Strowitzki, managing directors of Intersolar and ees North America, in a statement. “We’ve weathered trade cases, policy debates, and market con- solidations. We are no strangers to the ‘solar coaster,’ and work to ensure that Intersolar and ees North America will provide valua- ble opportunities for the industry to connect and learn how best to respond to these rapidly chang- ing market dynamics.” Each year, Intersolar and ees North America is the place to Called the Amazon meets Uber for shale drillers, Expedi has created a fully online, rapid-delivery means of supplying critical parts to keep rigs up-and-running 24/7. CEO Tim Neal says, “The response we’re seeing from customers is truly amazing. We thought we were on to something beneficial to the industry, but to be honest, we didn’t expect the demand we are experiencing.” Neal is a young veteran of the oil industry, having spent the last four years at Beijing, CN-based drilling rig manufacturer TSC, where he was head of business development and strategy. Expedi was started 12 months ago backed by a handful of in- dustry veterans in the oil market. Its mission is to modernize MRO services for the upstream oil and gas industry. Says one of the co-founders, “We all know the potential of the oil fields in North America, but felt they must be run more efficiently to start to achieve their full potential. Expe- di is helping do just that.” Today the firm provides over 200,000 critical parts and supplies, with complete transpar- ency on price, supplier choice and availability through their online website. Their innovative supply chain model has created a business that delivers the right part at the right time, overcoming a fundamental challenge for the industry. Staffed by experts with rig management experience and backed by innovative technolo- gy, Expedi is able to deliver an incredible service at a lower cost than traditional suppliers. hear industry insights and see technology innovations first. The event draws on the input from its long list of partners to inform its exhibition and conference schedule. This year, attend- ees can expect to see special attention paid to the recent tariffs passed by the Trump Administra- tion in response to a Section 201 trade complaint. The conference program will feature 40 sessions and workshops that focus on leading edge of policy devel- opment and new market trends that are shaping the future of the industry. Despite the tariffs, new GTM Research expects the solar industry to deploy more than 10 gigawatts of installations in the United States in 2018 and 11.9 gigawatts in 2019, with continu- ous growth through 2022. Many states are in the process of ful- filling their renewables mandates -- California is on-track to meet its Renewables Portfolio Stand- ard RPS, reaching 50 percent of generation as specified by California Energy Commissioner David Hochschild. “There’s still every reason to be bullish about the California solar and storage market in the long term,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of the California Solar & Storage As- sociation (formerly the California Solar Energy Industries Associ- ation). “We will still have a state that is committed to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and in- creasing our demand for renew- able energy. These larger forces are not stopping or slowing down because of mini-blips in state and federal policy decisions.” Upstart Company Expedi is Re- Inventing Oilfield Servicing in North America Just sixmonths into product launch, a newly started company, Expedi is re-inventing rig servicing for the North American oilfields.