KEY , The Energy Transition Expo , will once again transform the Italian city of Rimini into one of the world's leading hubs for clean energy. For three days, the exhibition center will become a space where manufacturers, investors, government agencies, and companies from around the globe will analyze how to accelerate the energy transition with a practical, business-oriented approach.
With its commitment to a comprehensive approach to decarbonization , the event has earned a prominent place on the European and Mediterranean calendar. It is not just a trade fair for viewing products, but a place where cutting-edge technology, innovative financial solutions, new business models, and opportunities for collaboration between regions converge, generating increasing interest among stakeholders from Spain and the rest of Europe.
An expo focused on the energy transition and clean energy
KEY presents itself as a major international event dedicated exclusively to the energy transition , something unusual in the European trade fair landscape, where many fairs combine energy with other sectors. In this case, the entire design of the show revolves around how to produce, manage, store, finance, and consume energy more efficiently and with a lower carbon footprint.
The event will be held at the Rimini Fairgrounds and, for the first time, will occupy virtually all of the venue's halls . This scaled-up approach aims to accommodate the growth of exhibiting companies, but also to better organize the offerings, allowing trade visitors to quickly locate the strategic areas that interest them.
The fair is structured around seven major thematic sectors that cover the entire clean energy value chain: photovoltaics, wind power, hydrogen, energy efficiency, storage systems, electric mobility, and sustainable cities. This organization allows a wide range of stakeholders—from installers to investment funds—to find a specific space for their activities.
One of the stated objectives is to strengthen a cross-cutting vision across technologies and business models . Instead of analyzing solar or wind energy in isolation, KEY promotes hybrid projects, integrated efficiency and storage solutions, and schemes in which electric mobility and urban planning are linked to renewable generation.
Solar and wind energy, key drivers of growth
Within the exhibition, the area dedicated to solar energy has seen the largest increase in size compared to previous editions. This growth reflects the dynamism of the photovoltaic market, both in large-scale plants and in installations on rooftops and industrial ground, an area of ​​particular interest for European countries, including Spain, where self-consumption and distributed generation continue to rise.
In parallel, the exhibition area focused on wind energy is also being expanded , with a special emphasis on the Su.port – Sustainable Ports for Energy Transition project. This thematic focus highlights the role of ports as key infrastructure for the decarbonization of the maritime sector and the logistics of renewable energy.
In this context, the electrification of port docks , often known as cold ironing, is highlighted : the electrical connection of docked ships to reduce emissions and noise. Furthermore, ports are being considered as logistics hubs for the assembly and maintenance of floating wind farms and as nodes for the storage and transport of renewable hydrogen.
These lines of work are especially relevant for European ports such as Valencia, Barcelona, ​​Bilbao or Rotterdam , which are already deploying infrastructure for maritime renewable energy and electricity supply services to ships, and find in events such as KEY an ideal environment to forge technical and financial alliances.
Seven sectors for a complete vision of the new energy system
Beyond solar and wind power, KEY maintains its commitment to a structure of seven well-defined thematic sectors . In this way, visitors can explore a comprehensive map of the new energy system:
- Photovoltaic energy: modules, inverters, mounting systems, roofing and flooring solutions, architectural integration and large plants.
- EnergÃa eólica: onshore and offshore technologies, especially floating offshore wind and services associated with sustainable ports.
- Hydrogen: electrolyzers, storage, industrial uses, mobility and green corridor pilot projects.
- Energy efficiencySolutions for industry, the residential sector and the built environment, including audits, digitization and consumption control.
- Energy storageBatteries, hybrid systems, smart management and solutions for grid flexibility.
- Electric mobility: charging points, fast charging networks, integration with renewable energies and fleet services.
- Sustainable cities: urban planning projects, nearly zero energy buildings, efficient lighting and smart management of municipal services.
The reorganization of the energy efficiency areas aims to offer a more comprehensive view, allowing a single visitor to explore options for improving the performance of an industrial plant, renovating a residential building, or implementing digital solutions in an entire neighborhood, all in one visit. In this sense, energy efficiency is presented as a catalyst for transformation across multiple sectors.
For professionals and companies in Spain and the rest of Europe , this way of presenting the content makes it easier to think about comprehensive projects that combine energy rehabilitation , solar self-consumption, storage, charging points and monitoring solutions, all aligned with decarbonization objectives and the requirements of European funds.
A solar pavilion for EPC and finance, and an African investment hub
Among the key innovations in KEY's design is the creation of an entire pavilion within the solar area reserved for EPC companies and the financial sector . This space is intended for engineering, procurement, and construction contractors, as well as banks, funds, and other players specializing in structuring energy projects.
This approach addresses a very clear market need: without solid and scalable financial models , many renewable energy and efficiency projects fail to materialize. The pavilion aims to facilitate direct interaction between those developing solar plants, self-consumption systems, or storage projects, and those providing capital or structuring long-term contracts.
Meanwhile, in Hall D3, the Africa Investment HUB will be set up , an area specifically designed for networking and business meetings with associations and entities from the African continent. Participation is expected from organizations in countries such as Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and South Africa , among others.
This hub is conceived as a platform to connect African energy projects with European technological and financial partners , including those from Spain, a country that in recent years has intensified its presence in North African and sub-Saharan African markets thanks to its accumulated experience in renewables.
An event with a global focus and a special emphasis on Europe and Africa
The organizers of KEY prioritize consolidating the trade fair's international profile . Although the event is held in Italy, its reach is clearly transnational, with a special focus on the African continent and a wide range of European countries.
The event focuses part of its efforts on North African and sub-Saharan African countries , where the growth potential in renewables is enormous and the need to strengthen access to reliable and sustainable energy is urgent. African delegations will be able to present projects, regulatory needs, and opportunities for collaboration in areas such as solar energy, energy storage , and electricity grids.
At the same time, KEY is decisively focused on Europe, with particular attention to markets such as Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, Poland, Serbia, and the Balkans as a whole . The trade fair aims to attract companies, institutions, and buyers from these countries, recognizing that the integration of European energy systems requires dialogue and coordinated efforts that transcend national borders.
A Japanese delegation is also expected to attend and will collaborate with H2IT and Clust-ER Greentech, entities linked to the innovation ecosystem of the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. This participation strengthens the exchange of knowledge on technologies such as hydrogen, digitalization, and advanced network management.
More than 1000 exhibiting brands and buyers from around 50 countries
In terms of volume, KEY aims to bring together more than 1000 exhibiting brands , approximately one-third of which will come from abroad. These include manufacturers, developers, engineering firms, service providers, software companies, investment funds, and public entities, covering the entire value chain.
The fair also expects more than 500 invited buyers and official delegations from some 50 countries , selected to foster concrete business agreements. This highly business-oriented format aims to ensure that the event is not limited to product exhibitions, but rather generates contracts, investments, and medium-term projects.
In the case of Spain , the event anticipates the presence of both exhibiting companies and professional visitors interested in strengthening their business in Italy, Africa, and other markets in the Mediterranean basin. Spanish expertise in renewable energy, self-consumption, smart grids, and energy storage is particularly attractive to international partners seeking suppliers with established projects.
To facilitate travel from the Iberian Peninsula, the event will feature a special direct flight between Madrid and Rimini , operated by LuxWing. This nonstop connection aims to reduce travel times and encourage more Spanish professionals to attend the trade fair and take advantage of the networking opportunities.
Financing, PPAs and new models for decarbonization
One of the central themes of KEY's program will be financing the energy transition . The trade fair will dedicate a significant portion of its conferences and workshops to analyzing how to structure investments in renewables, efficiency, and storage, and which financial instruments are becoming established in Europe and other markets.
In total, the event will offer more than 150 events, including conferences, roundtables, and presentations, of which approximately 90 are organized by the event's Scientific and Technical Committee. Around 18 of these will have a distinctly international focus, with speakers and content geared towards regulations, technological trends, and market developments.
Within this section, KEY CHOICE – Unlock the future of PPA stands out , a pre-fair event to be held at the Palacongressi in Rimini. This meeting will focus on Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) , key to guaranteeing stable long-term revenue for renewable energy projects and attracting institutional capital.
The discussions will address issues such as the role of banks and infrastructure funds, price hedging strategies, regulatory developments and corporate and public PPA models, topics of great interest to generating companies and large energy consumers in Spain and the rest of Europe.
Agrivoltaics, electric vehicle charging and AI innovation
KEY's conference program also includes a series of English-language sessions dedicated to topics gaining traction on national and European energy agendas. These include agrivoltaics , which combines solar electricity generation with agricultural land use.
This technology, already expanding in countries like Italy, France, and Spain, allows for optimized land use , protects certain crops from excessive radiation or extreme weather events, and generates additional income for the agricultural sector. The trade fair will analyze regulatory models, pilot projects, and technical requirements for its large-scale deployment.
Another section will be dedicated to the electric vehicle charging network in Italy and Europe. This will cover topics such as infrastructure planning, interoperability between operators, ultra-fast charging solutions, and the integration of charging points with energy storage and renewable generation systems.
During the opening day, a conference organized by KEY's Scientific and Technical Committee will review the main projects and innovations that use artificial intelligence to advance the decarbonization of the built environment. Applications such as smart building management, electrical grid optimization, predictive maintenance of renewable energy plants, and advanced consumption data analysis will be addressed.
In all these sections, the approach will be decidedly practical, with real-world examples and projects already underway , making it easier for European companies to identify collaboration opportunities and technologies ready for adoption.
Talent, green jobs and the start-up ecosystem
In addition to the technological and financial components, KEY dedicates a specific space to emerging innovation and green talent . The Innovation District, located in Hall D4, will bring together startups and SMEs with an eco-friendly profile, selected through a prior call for applications.
This district is designed as an open innovation hub , where startups can present their solutions to large corporations, utilities, investment funds, and public administrations. For many of them, it's an opportunity to validate their value proposition and secure commercial or financing agreements.
In recognition of their innovative efforts, seven KEY exhibitors—one from each thematic sector—will receive the Lorenzo Cagnoni Innovation Award during the opening day. The award aims to highlight projects that bring significant improvements in efficiency, sustainability, or economic viability within their respective fields.
The Innovation District will also host the Green Jobs & Skills initiative , focused on professional skills and the green jobs of the future . This initiative aims to connect companies that need specialists in the energy transition with people seeking new job opportunities or retraining.
In a European context where the demand for installers, engineers, maintenance technicians, energy data specialists or sustainable finance experts is growing rapidly, spaces like this can be especially interesting for professionals from Spain and other neighboring countries.
With an expanding exhibition offering, a conference program focused on financing and new business models, and a clear international focus connecting Europe, Africa, and other strategic markets, KEY is reaffirming its position as a key meeting point for those working on the energy transition . From solar and wind power to electric mobility, hydrogen, storage, and efficiency, the Rimini trade fair is emerging as a place where technology, capital, and talent converge to turn projects that seemed distant just a few years ago into reality.
