This year’s KEY – The Energy Transition Expo is expanding its focus well beyond national and European borders. More than 1,000 exhibitors from 30 countries, along with over 500 hosted buyers and delegations from around 50 countries, are expected, supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the ICE Agency.
KEY 2026 will focus on the markets of North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as Turkey and Europe, with special attention given to Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, Poland, Serbia and the Balkans in general. For the first time, a Japanese delegation is also expected to attend, participating in cooperation with H2IT and Clust-ER Greentech of the Emilia-Romagna Region as part of the bilateral hydrogen partnership and as a follow-up to the IEG mission to EXPO in Osaka.
Initiatives for Africa
In line with the priorities of the Mattei Plan and in view of Africa’s growing importance for the global energy transition and for European energy and industrial policy, KEY aims to strengthen cooperation between Italy and Africa by connecting companies, institutions and investors to foster new synergies.
The new layout for the exhibition will feature the Africa Investment Hub in Hall D3 – a completely new area covering 126 square metres – which will welcome African industry associations from Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and South Africa, and serve as a space for networking and business meetings.
KEY 2026 expo line-up highlights finance and energy strategies
In addition, KEY is partnering with Piantando, a B Corp company that initiates, finances and monitors projects with high social and environmental impact. Three solar streetlights will be installed in a village in Malawi as part of the event and Piantando’s “Light Up” initiative.
International events
The event programme, defined by KEY’s Technical-Scientific Committee, will include around 18 English-language events for international visitors and professionals.
Wednesday, 4 March:
1. Next Generation AI for a carbon-free built environment, organised by the KEY Technical-Scientific Committee: an opportunity to exchange ideas with international experts and professionals on the latest innovations, technologies and projects using artificial intelligence to support decarbonisation of the built environment.
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The session will provide a comprehensive overview of practical applications, benefits, challenges, and future prospects, with particular focus on the impacts for industry, urban development and civil society, as well as opportunities for companies, public administrations and sector stakeholders.
Thursday, 5 March:
1. Strengthening collaboration between Italy and Japan on hydrogen technology innovations, organised by H2IT, Clust-ER Greentech and JH2A – Japan Hydrogen Association: Based on the memorandum of understanding between H2IT and JH2A, this event aims to reinforce the partnership between Italy and Japan in the hydrogen sector, involving the Italian Embassy in Tokyo, Nedo and industry players from both countries.
2. Electric Car Charging Networks: Where Do We Stand in Italy and Europe, organised by GSE and Motus-E: a forum for operators, institutions, regulators, and concessionaires to discuss the opportunities and challenges involved in developing an efficient, nationwide charging infrastructure in Italy and Europe.
3. Dual harvest, double trouble: Tackling EPC barriers in agrivoltaics, focusing on technical and engineering challenges in agrivoltaics from a European perspective.
4. Italy in the European and international agrivoltaics landscape, organised by AIAS – the Italian Association for Sustainable Agrivoltaics.
5. How Norwegian offshore wind supply chain cluster members can support the bankability of floating offshore wind in Italy, organised by Norwegian Offshore Wind (NOW).
6. Towards a Circular Economy for Solar and Energy Storage: Strategies and Innovations in PV and Battery Recycling, organised by ETA Florence, in cooperation with Ecomondo.
7. German-Italian Energy Talk on hydrogen, organised by Hannover Fairs International, Hydrogen + Fuel Cells Europe, Itkam, The Gas and Hyrdogen Industry, and H2IT.
8. Powering Italy’s Storage Decade: Markets, Technologies & the Road to 95 GWh, organised by IBESA.
9. Bridging academia and industry: shared pathways for the energy transition, organised by the University of La Sapienza in Rome, to foster dialogue between researchers, industry and policymakers and lay the groundwork for the 2027 Science Conference.
10. Solar PV/Wind and Battery Storage Systems: the key to energy self-sufficiency, Driving Africa’s Energy Transition, organised by Res4Africa.
11. Energy Communities Beyond Borders: Scalable Models from the Western Balkans, organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region and ART-ER.
12. Türkiye’s Energy Transition and Investment Outlook: A Platform for Italian-Turkish Collaboration, organised by Invest in Turkey.
Friday, 6 March:
13. Multiple financing instruments need to be scaled up to accelerate Africa’s energy future and improve energy access, organised by Res4Africa.
14. Italy’s Solar Transformation: Business Models, Policy Shifts & ESG for the Next Decade, organised by IBESA.
15. EPBD & One-Stop-Shop: Technical assistance facilities to boost building energy renovation, organised by ENEA.
16. Fit4Micro – Clean and Efficient MicroCHCP by Micro Turbine Based Hybrid Systems, organised by ETA Florence as part of the DPE – International Electricity Expo. (hcn)
