Solar Power Events, the team behind SPI, ESI, and North America Smart Energy Week, announced a series of new initiatives to enhance the experience and promote industry leadership in Salt Lake City, Utah (US) for the annual show this September 23-26.

As part of the event’s commitment to actively engage and give attendees the most up-to-date information, SPI, ESI, and North America Smart Energy Week partnered with SunCast Media and The Solar Coaster for unique daily content. The Podcast Lounge, presented by SunCast Media and sponsored by RadiantREIT, will bring together the podcast community for live interviews with SunCast host Nico Johnson, alongside other familiar energy industry hosts. A new series, “Live with The Solar Coaster,” will chronicle hosts Josh Porter and Jason Verkaart’s day as they take over the event’s social media channels as official live social media correspondents, interviewing attendees and exhibitors across the four days.

Another addition to the show floor is the new Community Lounge (Booth #7127), which will feature a complete line-up of programming on exciting new diversity and inclusion initiatives in the renewable industry, as well as a deeper dive into education session topics in a small group Q&A format with featured speakers.

The team is also proud to partner with the Salt Palace and their community partner, Observe & Serve, to upcycle plastic grocery bags into sleeping pads. The Salt Palace staff have been collecting their own plastic grocery bags throughout the year, which attendees will have the opportunity to use in creating mats and bags in the new activation space on the show floor. Observe & Serve’s mission is to connect individuals, charities, and communities together through service that alleviates human suffering. The group partners with Lifting Hands International to deliver the sleeping mats to refugees throughout the world.

Alongside the popular Ride & Drive, which will feature more vehicles like the Nissan LEAF, Audi e-Tron, Chevrolet Volt, Chevrolet Bolt, Kia Niro PHEV, and Kia Optima PHEV, Hydrogen & Fuel Cells and EV programming has expanded to create the Hydrogen + Fuel Cells & EV Experience Theater. This new educational experience will feature three full days of trends, national policies and demonstrations concentrating on the hydrogen & fuel cells, and electric vehicle industries.

The Women in Solar & Storage Luncheon will for the first time welcome a keynote speaker in Dr. Jen Welter, the first woman to coach in the NFL. A sold-out crowd will hear from this trailblazer as she discusses the importance of changing the field by embracing authentic leadership. The event will close out with a unique speed mentoring roundtable featuring more than 25 senior-level professionals in the industry.

Additional enhancements:

• Larger Social Media Wall featured in Solar Central, where attendees can catch the latest conversations, take a quick break to lounge, and learn more about future Solar Power Events.

• Unique Microgrid experience with interactive, 3-D features for attendees to immerse themselves and learn more about the smart energy + microgrid landscape.

• More perks to ensure attendees explore and enjoy all that Salt Lake City has to offer, including a partnership with SkyTeam as the event’s Official Alliance Network for air travel, and Show Your Badge Discounts – which offers attendees exclusive discounts to shops, restaurants, and bars around the city.

SPI, the flagship event, was honored for the ninth-consecutive year in a row by Trade Show Executive. It’s the largest energy event in North America and has been one of the 25 fastest-growing trade shows for four years in a row.

The event, powered by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), is once again expected to draw more than 19,000 attendees and 700 exhibitors. For more information, please visit www.smartenergyweek.com.