KEY 2026 Tag

The energy transition is no longer just a political objective or a long-term perspective. It is now a rapidly accelerating industrial process, made up of investments, technologies, and business models that are reshaping the global energy system.

Concrete proof of this comes from KEY – The Energy Transition Expo, the event organized by Italian Exhibition Group at Fiera di Rimini, which once again confirmed its role as a European hub for renewable energy and energy innovation in its 2026 edition.

From March 4 to 6, 2026, Rimini became a meeting point for companies, institutions, investors, and energy professionals for three days. And the event’s numbers clearly reflect the energy of the sector: total attendance increased by 10% compared to 2025, and international participation increased by 9%, a sign of increasingly global interest in decarbonization technologies.

With this goal in mind, the Raptech team visited KEY – The Energy Transition Expo 2026, as the trade show represents an important annual opportunity for operators, developers, technology manufacturers, and professionals in the energy sector.

The visit was a valuable opportunity for direct discussions with customers, partners, and industry professionals, allowing them to strengthen relationships, share experiences, and discuss the market’s key challenges and opportunities.

This success consolidates KEY as one of the leading European events dedicated to the energy transition.

 

An international energy ecosystem

The 2026 edition confirmed the fair’s international scope. The 24 pavilions of the Rimini exhibition center, spanning approximately 125,000 square meters of exhibition space, hosted over 1,000 exhibiting brands, including approximately 320 international brands.

The event also attracted 530 hosted buyers and delegations from 59 countries, strengthening the fair’s role as a global platform for networking and developing industrial partnerships.

It’s not just about numbers: the geographical diversity of the participants demonstrates how the energy transition has become a shared global challenge. European, Asian, and American companies brought to Rimini technologies, solutions, and projects spanning the entire spectrum of renewables and energy infrastructure.

In parallel, the event hosted approximately 160 events, including conferences, workshops, and technical meetings, transforming the fair into a true platform for discussion between industry, research, and institutions.

 

The leading technologies: from solar to hydrogen

KEY has been organized around several technological pillars of the energy transition for years, and the 2026 edition confirmed this structure.

The most represented sectors include:

• photovoltaic solar energy
• wind energy
• hydrogen and power-to-gas
• energy efficiency
• energy storage systems
• electric mobility
• Sustainable Cities and sustainable urban infrastructure

Photovoltaics remains one of the most dynamic sectors, driven by the continuous reduction in costs and increasing module efficiency. Many companies presented new integrated solutions for industrial plants, large solar farms, and residential systems.

Alongside solar, there is growing attention towards energy storage technologies, which are essential for stabilizing electricity grids increasingly powered by non-programmable renewable sources.

Another key theme was green hydrogen, considered one of the strategic levers for decarbonizing sectors that are difficult to electrify, such as heavy industry and maritime transport.

 

The key role of energy efficiency

While renewables are at the heart of the energy transition, energy efficiency remains its primary driver.

Many meetings and roundtables have highlighted how optimizing energy consumption is the most immediate solution to reducing emissions and costs. Digital technologies, sensors, energy management platforms, and monitoring systems are becoming increasingly widespread tools in businesses.

In this scenario, the integration of energy, digital, and industry is one of the most evident trends: the future of energy lies in smart grids, data management systems, and digital platforms for optimizing consumption.

 

PPAs and new financing models

Another key theme that emerged during KEY concerns Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), long-term contracts for the purchase of renewable energy between producers and energy-intensive companies.

These instruments are becoming increasingly important for two reasons:

1. To guarantee stable energy prices for companies
2. To make new renewable energy plants eligible for financing

The growing interest in PPAs is also linked to the volatility of energy markets in recent years. For many industrial companies, securing long-term energy supplies from renewable sources means reducing economic risk and improving their sustainability profile.

 

Energy and geopolitics

The 2026 edition of KEY took place in an international context still marked by geopolitical tensions and a constantly evolving energy market.

Precisely for this reason, the topic of energy security was central to the political and industrial debate. During the fair’s inauguration, the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security emphasized the importance of accelerating the development of renewables not only for environmental but also strategic reasons.

Reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels means increasing the energy autonomy of European countries and making energy systems more resilient.

The role of cities in the energy transition

Another increasingly relevant area is that dedicated to Sustainable Cities. Decarbonization concerns not only energy production, but also how it is used in urban spaces. Among the topics addressed:

• electrification of transportation;
• charging infrastructure for electric vehicles;
• smart urban energy networks;
• integration between buildings and energy production.

Cities are responsible for a significant portion of global energy consumption and represent one of the main innovation laboratories for the energy transition.

 

A fast-growing market

KEY’s success reflects a broader trend: the global renewable energy market is experiencing unprecedented expansion.

According to many industry analyses, investments in energy transition technologies will continue to grow in the coming years, driven by three main factors:

1. increasingly stringent climate targets
2. decreasing costs of renewable technologies
3. growing business demand for sustainable energy

In this context, events like KEY are becoming increasingly important as meeting places for industry, institutions, and innovation.

KEY as a platform for the future of energy

From the growing attendance to the variety of technologies presented, the 2026 edition of KEY confirms that the energy transition is now a fully mature industrial process.

The fair is not only a technological showcase, but also a privileged observatory on the transformations underway in the global energy system.

From renewables to hydrogen, from energy efficiency to smart cities, the topics addressed in Rimini outline a future in which energy, digital, and sustainability will be increasingly interconnected.

The next event is already scheduled: the next edition of KEY will return to Rimini in March 2027, with the aim of continuing to bring together businesses, institutions, and innovators to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable energy system.

And if this year’s numbers are a reliable indicator, the transformation of the energy sector is destined to proceed at an increasingly rapid pace.