If you were at last year’s largest business-to-business solar energy conference, you might remember the incredible crush of attendees, the packed exhibit hall, the lines in front of vendor booths. If not, well, that about sums it up. And this year’s co-sponsors for Solar Power International (SEPA & SEIA) have announced that the 2009 show will be double the size of SPI ’08. This is in terms of both exhibitors and of square footage.

SPI ’09 will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center October 27-29. More than 900 exhibitors will fill over 200,000 square feet, compared to about 420 and 90,000 at last year’s event, respectively. Solar panel manufacturers, solar installers, utility companies, green energy consultants, you name it: this is the go-to event for solar industry networking. If you’re an interested consumer, the public is invited in to the exhibit hall on the second evening of the conference.

Last year’s guest of honor was Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger; this year, Robert F. Kennedy will be delivering the keynote address.