Although 2020’s Solar Power International conference will be all-virtual, hampering traditional exhibition and attendee revenue, the organization is still in a strong position going forward, said Jen Bristol, SEIA’s director of communications.

Solar Energy Trade Shows (SETS) is the management company behind Solar Power Events and is co-owned by SEIA and SEPA. This year, the organizations are each missing out on half of the multi-million dollar revenue generated by SPI. Still, Bristol said SEIA has other revenue sources to assist with the gap.

SEIA’s CEO Abby Hopper said SEIA is still committed to offering high-quality educational content for this year’s virtual SPI. She said the group is also focused on finding the best way to facilitate virtual exhibiting and networking in this unusual year.

Hopper said SEIA remains strong with industry support as well. Employees are meeting virtually multiple times a week, and the board has continued to grow during the pandemic.

“It shows that there’s a real commitment to the industry and a commitment to the organization, even during these challenging times,” Hopper said.