SOLTEC Fair

The first Professional Fair for Solar Energy Techniques in Northern Germany (SOLTEC) was held in Hameln in 1996.

SOLTEC fairs have taken place in Hameln annually ever since. The twelfth SOLTEC fair in September 2007 had some 15,000 visitors and 150 exhibitors.

In 2008 the SOLTEC will take place from 4th until 7th of September.

Hameln calls itself "Solar city of the North" (of Germany) for several reasons:

1. It is place of the SOLTEC fair every year.
2. Just outside the town there is the "Insitut für Solarenergieforschung (ISFH) GmbH Hameln-Emmerthal", a solar energy research institute.
3. The town offers a solar energy loan program for (public and) private buildings in Hameln. Meanwhile 305 objects with thermic solar energy and 94 objects with photovoltaics have taken advantage of the loan program. The town has so far given some 463.552 EUR to the users of the program.