Page 20 - ISES SWC50

The solar pioneers, who put into motion the creation of AFASE and ultimately ISES, advocated for more
coordinated and accelerated research in solar technologies. This was a prophetic recognition that solar
development would no longer be an activity of a few enthusiasts but would become an absolute necessity for
meeting the energy needs of the future. The recognition was further motivated by Bell Telephone Laboratories,
which patented the first commercial solar cell in 1954.

Over the years ISES became an important forum for solar energy scientists and engineers around the
world to communicate their work, check their results, critically analyse ideas and findings, and arrive at a
constantly increasing wealth of facts. Now armies of entrepreneurs and industries are providing the means
for changing over from fossil and nuclear-drive energy technologies to the benign, renewable and profitable
solar technologies of the future.

ISES Today
The global voice for renewable energy
For over 65 years the members of ISES have undertaken the product research that has helped the renewable
energy industry to grow. ISES, through its knowledge sharing and community building programs, helps its
global membership provide the technical answers to accelerate the transformation to 100% renewable energy
and thereby achieve the following vision:
The International Solar Energy Society (ISES) envisions a world with 100% renewable energy for everyone
used wisely and efficiently.

ISES facilitates the knowledge sharing between its members and the wider communities through:
• Active country sections and affiliates;
• The scientific publication: Solar Energy Journal;
• Webinars;
• Infographics;
• Renewable Transformation Challenge (RTC) + ISES Awards;
• Young ISES -- social and professional network for young members;
• Active participation in many international organisations and events; and
• The biannual conferences -- Solar World Congress (SWC) and EuroSun.

The Solar World Congresses
The first SWC was held in Melbourne Australia in 1970. Following the second SWC in the USA in 1971, the
Congresses then became bi-annual events generally held in the odd years. The following table shows where
the 27 SWCs have been held.

Table 1: Locations of SWC

Year City, Country Year City, Country
1970 Melbourne, Australia 1997 Taejon, South Korea
1971 Greenbelt, USA 1999 Jerusalem, Israel
1973 Paris, France 2000 Mexico City, Mexico
1
1975 Los Angeles, USA 2001 Adelaide, Australia
1977 New Delhi, India (held January 1978) 2003 Göteburg, Sweden
1979 Atlanta, USA 2005 Orlando, USA
1981 Brighton, UK 2007 Beijing, China

1983 Perth, Australia 2009 Johannesburg, South Africa
1985 Montreal, Canada 2011 Kassel, Germany
1987 Hamburg, Germany 2013 Cancun, Mexico
1989 Kobe, Japan 2015 Daegu, South Korea

1 A special SWC highlighted as the Solar Millennium

2 | ISES SWC50 - The Century of Solar-Stories and Visions