THOUSANDS of people from around the world are expected to descend on Glasgow next month when a flagship renewable energy conference will be held in the city.

Described by organisers Reed Exhibitions as the UK's largest renewable energy event, All Energy 2015 will be held at the SECC in Glasgow on Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 May.

The event will feature conference sessions and trade exhibitions covering areas ranging from offshore wind power to developing sustainable cities.

Prominent energy industry figures such as Ian Marchant, the former chief executive of SSE who chairs the Infinis renewable energy business, will speak.

All Energy is being held in Glasgow for the first time after 14 years of events in Aberdeen.

The decision to select Glasgow to host the event reflects the city's standing as a centre for research and development in the fields of energy and engineering and its excellent transport links.

Announcing the move to Glasgow, Event Director, Jonathan Heastie of Reed Exhibitions said: "There were a number of factors to be considered; but there has been one key driver which has dominated the decision-making process and propelled us towards Glasgow... the ability to connect the UK supply chain who participate at All-Energy to new contacts from both national and international trading locations."

Estimates suggest the event will provide a multi-million pound boost to the Glasgow economy.

This year's conference takes place against an uncertain backdrop for the renewable industry.

The sharp fall in the price of oil since last June has made conventional power generation cheaper, making it harder for renewables to compete.

Niall Stuart, chief executive of Scottish Renewables, said: "On the one hand, lower oil and gas prices are pushing down the wholesale cost of electricity which means that renewables - and other low carbon electricity like nuclear - have even further to go to reduce costs down to the level of 'conventional' fossil fuel generation."

However, he added: "The long-term future the oil price is a matter of some debate, as is its potential effect on investment in renewable energy."

Mr Stuart noted the fall in the oil price could produce benefits for sectors players. Scottish Renewables expects the low oil price to reduce the prices of turbines and other manufactured goods, as well as the costs of engineering services and even vessels used for installation.

Mr Stuart said this will reduce overall levels of capital expenditure, which is one of the main drivers of the cost per unit of power from renewables. He said big steps have been made in recent years in cutting the cost of onshore and offshore wind and solar power.

Mr Heastie said: "We have certainly not noticed any drop-off in exhibitor numbers; and as we embrace all forms of renewable energy there is steady investment across the board. Indeed, recent stories report companies like RWE and E.ON are publicly declaring they are moving away from fossil fuels and towards renewables."

A spokeswoman said Reed is quietly confident it will see more people at this year's show than at last year's.

She added: "We had total attendance in 2014 of 6,875 and certainly registrations this year are comfortably up on the same time last year."

Around 450 organisations have signed up as exhibitors at All Energy 2015, in line with last year's event.

They come from around 20 countries ranging from Denmark to Indonesia.