Contents
- KEY – The Energy Transition Expo, organised by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), concluded its 2026 edition at Rimini Expo Centre with a 10% increase in total attendance and a 9% rise in international visitors.
- More than 1,000 exhibitors and strong international participation
- Focus on technology, energy systems and digitalisation
- Financing renewable energy projects
- Innovation District highlights start-ups and green jobs
- DPE – International Electricity Expo held alongside KEY
- KEY CHOICE event focused on PPAs
- Next edition scheduled for March 2027
KEY – The Energy Transition Expo, organised by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), concluded its 2026 edition at Rimini Expo Centre with a 10% increase in total attendance and a 9% rise in international visitors.
Held from 4 to 6 March 2026, the event brought together industry leaders, technology providers, investors and institutions to discuss the future of the global energy transition.
Recognised as a key platform for Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean region, the exhibition combined a large-scale trade show with conferences and international business networking.
More than 1,000 exhibitors and strong international participation
The exhibition covered 125,000 square metres across 24 halls and hosted more than 1,000 exhibiting brands, including 320 international companies.
A total of 530 hosted buyers and delegations from 59 countries attended the event with the support of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI).
The event also accredited 412 journalists from around the world.
Focus on technology, energy systems and digitalisation
The exhibition was officially inaugurated on 4 March by Italy’s Minister for the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin.
KEY 2026 featured 160 conferences and technical sessions, addressing key topics shaping the energy transition, including:
- energy efficiency and decarbonisation
- energy storage technologies
- artificial intelligence for electricity grid optimisation
- renewable energy production forecasting
- real-time management of energy flows
The event served as a platform connecting engineers, technology developers, investors and institutions to accelerate project development and reduce financial risk.
Financing renewable energy projects
Financial innovation was another major theme of the event.
Discussions focused on new financing mechanisms for renewable energy projects, including:
- green bonds
- sustainable project bonds
- participatory financing models involving citizens and businesses
- tools designed to manage and reduce energy costs
Innovation District highlights start-ups and green jobs
The Innovation District showcased 32 start-ups and SMEs presenting new technologies for the energy transition.
The Green Jobs & Skills initiative also facilitated connections between companies and professionals in the sustainability sector.
During the event, the Lorenzo Cagnoni Innovation Award was presented to seven start-ups and seven exhibitors for their innovative projects.
DPE – International Electricity Expo held alongside KEY
Alongside KEY, the DPE – International Electricity Expo took place, focusing on electricity generation, transmission, distribution, safety and automation systems.
The event was organised by Italian Exhibition Group in collaboration with the Distributed Generation Association (ANIMA Confindustria) and Federazione ANIE.
KEY CHOICE event focused on PPAs
Ahead of the exhibition, the KEY CHOICE – Unlock the Future of PPAs event took place on 3 March at the Rimini Palacongressi Conference Centre, focusing on Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and organised in collaboration with Elemens.
Next edition scheduled for March 2027
The next edition of KEY – The Energy Transition Expo will take place 10–12 March 2027 at Rimini Expo Centre.
Author
Mesut Kul
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