PRESS RELEASE
Press Release n. 3 of 23/02/2026 ( download download )
- From 4th to 6th March at Rimini Expo Centre, 150 events of which 90 organised by the Technical Scientific Committee
- Spotlight on financial tools for energy cost control and reducing bills
- On the opening day, the KEY ENERGY SUMMIT
Rimini, February 23, 2026 – An agenda to understand the present and build the future of the global energy system.
This is the conference program at KEY - The Energy Transition Expo, Italian Exhibition Group’s (IEG) event of reference for Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean basin, scheduled to take place from 4th to 6th March at Rimini Expo Centre. With a calendar of over 150 events, of which 90 organised by the Technical Scientific Committee (chaired by professor Gianni Silvestrini) and 18 international, KEY 2026 will spotlight the topic of finance and energy cost control with rigorous, scientific and high-quality content, offering moments of qualified discussion and opportunities for training, information and professional updates.
NOT-TO-BE-MISSED EVENTS
Wednesday 4th March:
KEY ENERGY SUMMIT: the event will analyse the challenges that the current geopolitical and economic context poses to decarbonisation policies, putting the issue of the energy transition’s economic and social sustainability at the centre and highlighting how governance, support policies and the capacity to innovate are decisive for rendering the transition a concrete opportunity for industrial and economic development. A study by Althesys for KEY will be presented, which will take a close look into the relationship between transition and the competitiveness of European and Italian companies with a specific focus on Italy, the generation-storage-network triad and the evolution of energy demand, influenced by digitalisation, Artificial Intelligence and data centres.
The Lorenzo Cagnoni Innovation Award ceremony will be held in the Innovation Arena.
This year ITALIA SOLARE’s ForumTech will be focusing on particularly current issues: technological innovation, regulatory evolution, and the future of photovoltaics. The event will provide a day of debates and insights with experts, companies and institutions on advanced materials and technologies for PV, prospects for national manufacturing and the application of NZIA rules for FER X. One session will address the use of Artificial Intelligence in photovoltaic systems with examples of predictive maintenance and cybersecurity. In the afternoon, parallel sessions will focus on environmental regulations and the end of life of modules, as well as agri-photovoltaics with operational experiences and regional perspectives.
The meeting on Artificial Intelligence for a carbon-free built environment will be a moment of discussion with international experts and professionals on the most recent innovations, technologies and projects that use Artificial Intelligence to support the decarbonisation of the built environment: a complete overview of concrete applications, benefits, critical issues and future prospects with particular attention to the implications in the industrial, urban and civil sectors, as well as the opportunities for sector companies, public administrations and stakeholders.
Cleantech for Italy, on the other hand, will be organising the meeting entitled The Clean Industrial Deal and the role of industrial demand: how to accelerate cleantech in Italy and Europe, which will see scientists, entrepreneurs, industrial leaders and institutions gathered together to define the priorities of a European industrial policy based on innovation, productivity and technological leadership. The core of the discussion will be Italy's role in the context of the European Clean Industrial Deal.
Thursday 5th March:
The Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security (MASE), with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the UN Environment Program (UNEP), will be organising Energy and Innovation: MASE's International Cooperation for Energy Transition with the aim of analysing the opportunities for the Italian private sector and the scientific community, illustrating the tools that MASE makes available, how to access tenders, the selection criteria and the possible forms of public-private collaboration in the context of international cooperation programmes. Priority initiatives that have already been launched and guidelines for the Italian system’s active and qualified participation will also be presented.
For the first time at KEY, the Report on the state of energy sustainability in the construction supply chain, organised in collaboration with FEDERCOSTRUZIONI, will be presented. The document will include a critical and comparative analysis with the main reference tools and guidelines (LCA, new EPBD, CAM, ESG/CSRD) and sections on the European and national context, analysis by sector, aggregate indicators and a reflection on the supply chain’s transition trajectories.
Elemens will be organising the conference entitled EPC and Finance: the new phase of renewables: three round tables with the aim of putting banks and EPC Contractors in direct contact to foster new collaboration models and reduce operational and financial barriers that are hindering the construction of renewable plants.
At the Women in the energy sector: numbers, roles and work dynamics event, the results of a survey, conducted by ITALIA SOLARE and KEY - The Energy Transition Expo, on the presence of women in the energy sector will be presented.
The event entitled Strengthening collaboration between Italy and Japan on hydrogen technology innovations, organized by H2IT, Cluster Greentech and JH2A – Japan Hydrogen Association, will aim to strengthen the partnership between Italy and Japan in the hydrogen sector with the participation of the Italian Embassy in Tokyo, the NEDO and industrial players from both countries.
The appointment The centrality of Energy Efficiency for competitiveness, energy security and decarbonisation, organised by AGICI, will present a study on the decarbonisation trajectories of the European economy with particular reference to the civil and industrial sectors. It will also estimate the contribution of energy efficiency in addressing these challenges in an integrated approach with renewable energy sources (RES), quantifying the additional benefits compared to a separate approach. The research also addresses the demand for decarbonisation of families and businesses, as well as ESCOs offer to understand which market areas are open to sector operators.
PV Magazine's English-language event entitled Dual harvest, double trouble: Tackling EPC barriers in agrivoltaics design will address the technical and engineering challenges from a European perspective, while Solar PV/Wind and Battery Storage Systems: the key to energy self-sufficiency, Driving Africa's Energy Transition, organised by Res4Africa, will explore a variety of topics related to battery energy storage systems and the solar PV value chain on the African continent.
Friday 6th March:
On the last day of KEY 2026, Res4Africa will be staging the conference Multiple financing instruments need to be scaled up to accelerate Africa’s energy future and to improve energy access.
INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
Scheduled for Thursday 5th March:
· Towards a Circular Economy for Solar and Energy Storage: Strategies and Innovations in PV and Battery Recycling organised by ETA Florence, in collaboration with Ecomondo;
· The charging network for electric cars: where do we stand in Italy and Europe organised by GSE and Motus-E: a debate among operators, institutions, regulators and dealers to assess the opportunities and challenges for creating an efficient and widespread charging network in Italy and Europe;
· How Norwegian offshore wind supply chain cluster members can support the bankability of FOW in Italy Norwegian OHshore Wind (NOW);
· The GERMAN-ITALIAN Energy Talk on hydrogen: an international debate organised by Hannover Fairs International, Hydrogen + Fuel Cells EUROPE, ITKAM, DIE GAS- UND WASSERSTOFFWIRTSCHAFT and H2IT featuring experts and Italian and German industries;
· Italy in the European and international agrivoltaic landscape organised by AIAS – Italian Sustainable Agrivoltaics Association;
· Bridging academia and industry: shared pathways for the energy transition organised by La Sapienza University in Rome to promote the debate among researchers, industries and political decision-makers, laying the foundations for the Scientific Conference 2027;
· Energy Communities Beyond Borders: Scalable Models from the Western Balkans organised by the Region and ART-ER;.
· Türkiye’s Energy Transition and Investment Outlook: Opportunities for Italian – Turkish Collaboration Toward COP31 organised by Invest in Türkiye.
On 5th and 6th March, IBESA will be organising the events Powering Italy’s Storage Decade: Markets, Technologies & the Road to 72 GWh and Italy’s Solar Transformation: Business Models, Policy Shifts & ESG for the Next Decade.
TO NOTE IN AGENDA, SECTOR BY SECTOR
Solar & Storage
Thursday 5th March:
· Artificial Intelligence for the maintenance and management of photovoltaic plants organised by ENEA, which will illustrate methods and techniques to apply in the O&M phase of photovoltaic plants with the presentation of a practical case;
· Energy Storage systems: regulatory and technological scenarios from flexibility to the Net Zero Industry Act organised by ANIE on the role of storage systems and innovative energy storage solutions in the development of national electricity in the light of new European directives and the Net Zero Industry Act;
· Storage, grids and mobility: automotive and energy networks allies in decarbonisation, promoted by a joint project between Cluster Greentech, Mech, the Big Data Associations and MUNER (Motor Vehicle University) of Emilia-Romagna: a discussion between the automotive industry and network operators on new possible industrial alliances to support the energy transition;
· High-temperature thermal storage for industry and electric grid flexibility organised by ENEA, which will present the state of development of TES/ETES systems at national and European level, analysing the main regulatory, economic and technological obstacles that are hindering their large-scale diffusion in Italy;
· Terriorial acceptability of utility-scale plants: national and international best practices organised by Coordinamento FREE and ITALIA SOLARE.
Scheduled for Friday 6th March, Grids and storage and new technologies for a 100% renewable future organised by Coordinamento FREE and Kyoto Club, with the presentation of a Dossier on Europe’s best practices and Agrivoltaics and engineering - design capsules organised by AREA Ridef.
Wind power and ports
On Thursday 5th March, ANEV will be organising the events A control room to accelerate the energy transition to discuss how to overcome the constraint of virtual saturation to build a more open, transparent and adaptive electricity system; and Energy in dialogue - wind power, territories and communities, a moment of interdisciplinary discussion on the social acceptability of wind power.
As for ports, Wednesday 4th March will see Magellan Circle’s Offshore Wind Revolution Working Groups in collaboration with AERO, Wind Europe, the Danish Embassy in Italy, Innovation Norway and Owemes, and the NextGen Port Energy event, again organised by Magellan Circle, on port governance evolution with the presentation of Italian and European showcases.
On Thursday 5th March, AERO will be organising the meetings entitled Offshore wind power: an opportunity for national industry and competitiveness, which will provide an analysis of the first authorised case in Italy, and Ports of the future: the challenge between sea, energy and new economy. AVENTA will be organising The impact of seabed dynamics in the design of an offshore wind farm.
On the topic of offshore, on Friday 6th March, ENEA will be staging The role of materials for offshore wind power.
Hydrogen
The hydrogen programme opens on the morning of Wednesday 4th March with From hydrogen to e-fuels: Development prospects in key sectors, penetration scenarios and initial projects organised by H2IT, T&E and ENEA with the presentation of ongoing pilot and industrial initiatives, a focus on European experiences and a reflection on development prospects in Italy. In the afternoon, ART-ER’s Regional Hydrogen Valleys workshop will explore the role of Hydrogen Valleys in sustainable territorial development and the Italian energy transition.
On Thursday 5th March, H2IT will be organising Hydrogen for Hard to Abate sectors, dialogue between supply and demand for market creation, and, on Friday 6th March, the H2Talks in which companies will highlight their strength and know-how by presenting innovative systems, products and projects.
Also on Friday 6th, MIMIT, H2IT, ANIE, ITALIA SOLARE and ANEV will be hosting the event entitled The manufacturing of clean technologies to give visibility to tools for supporting companies that want to scale their manufacturing production, and for joint work between associations to promote production plant scale up.
Energy efficiency
On the topic of energy efficiency as a transversal lever for enabling the transition, the following meetings are planned:
Wednesday 4th March:
· “Energy audits”: obligation and incentives for companies with high electricity and gas consumption organised by ENEA;
· Finance for energy efficiency: tools for ESCos organised by FEDERESCO;
· Energy efficiency in small businesses: issues and possible solutions organised by Coordinamento FREE, Confartigianato, CNA and FIRE.
Thursday 5th March:
· Energy efficiency of Public Residential Buildings: where are we with the use of the 1.3 billion Next Generation EU funds allocated? organised by Coordinamento FREE, AssoESCo and FIRE;
· Measures and mechanisms for the energy transition post Next Generation: the role of Energy Service Companies organised by AssoEsco;
· Building decarbonisation in Italy: challenges and opportunities, from the renovation of historical heritage to the EPBD directive organised by RSE SpA and GBC;
· Geothermal energy and thermal storage for district heating and cooling works organised by ENEA and UGI (Italian Geothermal Union);
· Energy efficiency of Ecclesiastical Institutions organised by Federesco;
· Measurement and verification of energy savings and White certificates: news regarding targets and regulations organised by FIRE.
FIRE will also be organising the meeting on Friday 6th March entitled Artificial Intelligence for energy efficiency.
E-mobility
Motus-E will be the main player in the e-mobility programme. In fact, on Wednesday 4th March, it will organising the events How to electrify a company fleet: the practical guide for businesses and Electric car charging between regulatory updates and technological innovation together with ANIE.
On the same day, with “School network for mobility”, it will be organising Preparing for the future: the skills needed to work and do business in new mobility, a discussion panel to explore which profiles will be most requested by the industry in the coming years and how to orient training and study paths to prepare teachers and students to face the greatest technological transformation in the history of the automotive industry.
Also scheduled for Wednesday 4th March, the meeting entitled Decarbonising transport: the right energy to the right sector organised by Transport&Enviroment and Kyoto Club to investigate how far the electrification of transport can go and what role e-fuels, biofuels and biomethane can have.
On Friday 6th March, Motus-E will also be organising Charging infrastructure for freight transport vehicles: the implementation of the AFIR Regulation in Italy with Kyoto Club, ZET Italia and in collaboration with Ecomondo to monitor the state of implementation of the AFIR regulation in Italy almost two years after its entry into force.
On Thursday 5th March, RSE will be staging Technologies for aggregating electric vehicle charging: an Italian excellence.
Sustainable City
On Thursday 5th March, the following events will be staged in the Sustainable City area:
· PELL PUBLIC LIGHTING and Chain2: new perspectives from the introduction of second generation meters organised by ENEA
· Interconnected cities: smart buildings and networks for sustainable and inclusive decarbonisation organised by GBC, ENEA with KEY’s Technical Scientific Committee.
On 6th March, GBC and KEY’s Technical Scientific Committee will also be organising Zero emission Data Centres and Logistics, while I borghi più belli d’Italia will be staging Thermal Account 3.0 and energy transition in villages.
Transversal themes
Numerous events will transversally address the topic of energy transition.
Wednesday 4th March:
· Energy, industry, growth organised by Elettricità Futura to discuss the “lessons learned” from new market mechanisms and gather ideas and concrete solutions that can transform the energy transition into works, growth and security for the country;
· Demand response: business models and opportunities by Smart-EN;
· Hydroelectric: a sector with great potential organised by ANIE and FEDERIDROELETTRICA.
On Thursday 5th March, KEY will be staging:
· New tools to support the development of renewables organised by GSE;
· Energy and transport: IEA scenarios between technological innovation and security of supply by IEA, Motus-E and KEY;
· Good news, bad news, fake news: renewables between narrative and reality organised by Italy for Climate: an open discussion between journalists, experts from the world of information, and various sector operators to dispel the false myths in the public debate, which are still hindering the transition;
· The potential of industrial flexibility organised by Smart-EN;
· The role of industrial sector innovation in the energy transition organised by RSE;
· The balance of the Italian electrical systemin the new supply-demand scenario organised by Althesys and ANIE;
· Is there a future for new nuclear reactors in Italy? organised by KEY’s Technical Scientific Committee;
· Legambiente’s renewable and solidarity energy communities: focus on BeComE, the campaign inSmall Municipalities carried out with Kyoto Club and AzzeroCO2 by Legambiente and Kyoto Club.
Furthermore, the first “Green Book of the Energy Transition” will be presented, compiled with the contribution of almost all Italian efficiency, renewables and sustainability sector associations, and the second issue of QualEnergia Science.
Other events scheduled for Friday 6th March:
· ENEA observatory for new energy strategies and economic-social valorisation models: Energy Communities and One-stop shops and new financing perspectives for energy renovation of buildings organised by ENEA;
· CHECKMATE TO RENEWABLES 2026. Renewables, territories and communities: from opposition to opportunities organised by Legambiente;
· Clean tech in Europe and Italy: geopolitical context and industrial policies in the transition organised by ECCO;
· The development of Renewable Energy Communities (RECS) in the school environment organised by RSE.
Green Jobs&Skills
As part of the Green Jobs&Skills project, which at KEY fosters the encounter between job supply and demand, energy sector upskilling, re-skilling and skill training initiatives are planned, which aim to transform the environmental sensitivity of young people into professional opportunities by connecting schools with companies and making Rimini an open-air workshop. In collaboration with ENEA and CNA, a Hackathon will be launched in which energy-oriented Technical High School students from all over Italy will compete for three days: an “Off Show” event that will allow young people to leave the Expo Centre halls and go to construction sites and workshops of CNA affiliated companies
Light Meetings
At KEY 2026, talks organised by AIDI (Italian Lighting Association) will be back in the Light Meetings Arena (Hall A1). The topic on Wednesday 4th March, will be Smart lighting in buildings: opportunities and scenarios, while on Thursday 5th March, The new frontiers of urban lighting, lighting for the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage and Lighting in parks and natural environments will be addressed. The topic for Friday 6th March will be Inclusive lighting for the well-being of all citizens.
Renewables Hub
The Renewables HUB, a discussion area dedicated to analysing the changes taking place in the energy sector, will also be featured: three days of workshops and networking to explore topics related to buildings, infrastructures, grids, digitalisation, and financing. New for 2026 will be the partnership with the National Council of Engineers, which will accredit CFPs to engineers who personally participate in the workshops. Scheduled appointments will include an event in partnership with BEX - Beyond Exploration Expo to explore the two-way relationship between energy and space, highlighting both the technological and strategic challenges and the concrete opportunities for businesses.
DPE – International Electricity Expo
In addition to KEY 2026 events, the DPE – International Electricity Expo will also be organising the following meetings in the Energy Distribution Arena (Hall A5):
· Energy infrastructure for growth: perspectives, enabling technologies, critical issues organised by ANIE and GENERAZIONE DISTRIBUITA – ANIMA (5th March);
· Electronics and Energy: where value is created today. Comparison along the supply chain organised by Assodel and LUMI 4 Innovation (5th March);
Fit4Micro – Clean and Efficient MicroCHCP by Micro Turbine Based Hybrid Systems organized by ETA Florence (6th March).
The complete and constantly updated programme of KEY 2026 events is available for consultation on the event website at the following link: www.key-expo.com/eventi
ABOUT KEY 2026
Event: International trade show; Organisation: Italian Exhibition Group S.p.A.; Frequency: annual; Edition: 4th; Dates: 4-6 March 2026; mail keyenergy@iegexpo.it; Website: http://www.key-expo.com; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keyexpo/; Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/key_expo/; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/keyenergy/
PRESS CONTACT KEY - ITALIAN EXHIBITION GROUP
head of media & corporate communication: Elisabetta Vitali; press office manager: Marco Forcellini, Pier Francesco Bellini; international press office coordinator: Silvia Giorgi; press office coordinator: Luca Paganin; press office specialists: Nicoletta Evangelisti, Mirko Malgieri; media@iegexpo.it
MEDIA AGENCY: Smartitaly Communications
Sara Scatena, s.scatena@smartitaly.it, mob. +39 338 7836985; Francesca Pericolo, f.pericolo@smartitaly.it, mob. +39 327 986 1860
This press release contains forecast elements and estimates that reflect the management´s current opinions (´forward-looking statements´), particularly regarding future management performance, realization of investments, cash flow trends and the evolution of the financial structure. For their very nature, forward-looking statements have a component of risk and uncertainty, as they depend on the occurrence of future events. The effective results may differ (even significantly) from those announced, due to numerous factors, including, only by way of example: food service market and tourist flow trends in Italy, gold and jewellery market trends, green economy market trends; the evolution of raw material prices; general macroeconomic conditions; geopolitical factors and evolutions in the legislative framework. Moreover, the information contained in this release, doe not claim to be complete, and has not been verified by independent third parties. Forecasts, estimates and objectives contained herein are based on the information available to the Company as at the date of this release.