Italy steps decisively into the spotlight of the global energy transition as KEY – The Energy Transition Expo officially opens at the Rimini Expo Centre. Organised by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), the event confirms its status as a leading platform for Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean basin on renewable energy, efficiency and decarbonisation.
Running until 6 March, the 2026 edition spans more than 125,000 square metres across 24 halls, hosting over 1,000 exhibiting brands, around 30% of which come from abroad. More than 500 hosted buyers and delegations from 50 countries are expected, supported by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI).
Institutional Backing and a Strategic Vision
The opening ceremony brought together key institutional and industry leaders. Among them were the Minister for the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Maurizio Renzo Ermeti, President of IEG, Anna Montini, Rimini’s Municipal Councillor for Ecological Transition, Maurizio Forte of ITA, Vinicio Mosé Vigilante, CEO of GSE, and Irene Priolo, Emilia-Romagna’s Regional Councillor for the Environment.
Pichetto Fratin reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to renewables and technological neutrality within a pragmatic, non-ideological sustainable development strategy. Recent international developments, he noted, underline the urgency of strengthening energy security while unlocking the full potential of renewables.
Italy’s latest Energy Decree reflects this direction, combining support for renewable sources with openness to all available energy vectors. The government’s draft enabling law on next-generation nuclear power further signals a diversified approach aimed at ensuring clean, sustainable and secure supply. According to the Minister, the business community present at KEY is already translating this “advanced vision of environment” into innovation and quality-driven solutions.
SSEC Announced: A New Hub for Solar and Storage
During the opening day, IEG introduced a new strategic event: SSEC – Storage & Solar Expo Conference.
Scheduled for 22–23 September 2026 at the Vicenza Expo Centre, SSEC will focus exclusively on photovoltaics, energy storage and integrated energy management systems. Designed as a highly specialised B2B format, it will connect manufacturers, distributors, EPC contractors, designers, investors and large energy users in a compact, business-oriented setting.
With this initiative, IEG strengthens its year-round engagement with the energy value chain and consolidates its leadership in the international trade fair landscape for the energy transition.
Technology, Innovation and Market Dynamism
Across the exhibition halls, technology and research converge in tangible form. From coloured photovoltaic panels to next-generation sodium-ion batteries, from fluidised sand thermal storage systems to residential-scale solutions, KEY 2026 captures a sector in constant evolution.
Agrivoltaics, high-power electric vehicle charging infrastructure and advanced efficiency systems illustrate how Europe and global markets are accelerating investment in decarbonisation, even amid geopolitical and economic uncertainty.
In the efficiency area, the spotlight falls on KEY HOME – Healthy, Optimized, Measured, Efficient, a full-scale reproduction of a 100% smart, efficient and sustainable building. The project demonstrates how digitalisation, performance monitoring and integrated design can redefine residential energy standards.
Key Events on the Agenda
Among the most anticipated sessions:
- Presentation of the Report on the State of Energy Sustainability in the Construction Supply Chain, organised with FEDERCOSTRUZIONI
- “EPC and Finance: the New Phase of Renewables”
- “Energy and Innovation: MASE’s International Cooperation for Energy Transition” with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- “The Centrality of Energy Efficiency for Competitiveness, Energy Security and Decarbonisation”
- “Women in the Energy Sector: Numbers, Roles and Work Dynamics”
- “Good News, Bad News, Fake News: Renewables between Narrative and Reality”
- “The Charging Network for Electric Cars: Where Are We in Italy and Europe?” organised by GSE and Motus-E
- “Solar PV/Wind and Battery Storage Systems: The Key to Energy Self-Sufficiency – Driving Africa’s Energy Transition”
- “Energy and Transport: IEA Scenarios between Technological Innovation and Supply Security” with the International Energy Agency (IEA)
KEY 2026 confirms Italy’s ambition to act as a strategic bridge between Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean in shaping the next phase of the global energy transition. With its scale, international reach and institutional backing, the Rimini event positions itself not only as a trade fair, but as a policy, business and innovation platform driving the future of clean energy.
