Energy efficiency is at the centre of the global debate, considered essential to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainable use of resources. At a time when climate policies are accelerating, KEY 2025 stands as a catalyst for change, offering a platform to discuss and develop effective strategies. This event highlights the importance of energy efficiency and promotes it as a fundamental pillar for a more sustainable future.

Record numbers for KEY 2025

The 2025 edition of KEY – The Energy Transition Expo recorded record numbers, confirming its growing impact on the global energy sector. With a 20% increase compared to 2024, the total attendance reached unprecedented figures. International presence marked an increase of 40%, underlining the global appeal of the event and its relevance in the dialogue on energy transition.

Over 1,000 exhibitors participated, of which more than 30% came from abroad, demonstrating a variety and diversity of solutions presented. In addition, 350 hosted buyers and delegations from over 50 countries enriched the event. The Rimini exhibition center hosted the expo on 90,000 m² of space, divided into 20 pavilions.

With more than 160 events, conferences and workshops, KEY 2025 demonstrated significant growth compared to previous editions. These figures not only reflect the success of the event, but also its ability to attract a diverse audience and strengthen its global presence.

KEY 2025 targets

The main objectives of KEY – The Energy Transition Expo 2025 were focused on accelerating the energy transition and promoting the development of renewable energy in Europe and worldwide. Here are the key points:

1. Promoting Renewable Energy

KEY 2025 aimed to promote the spread of renewable sources such as solar, wind, green hydrogen and energy storage, highlighting the most advanced technologies and leading projects.

2. Supporting decarbonisation

A central objective was to help companies and institutions reduce their carbon footprint through energy efficiency solutions, climate neutrality strategies and incentives for the electrification of consumption.

3. Technological innovation and digitalisation

The event promoted the integration of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and IoT, to optimise energy production, distribution and consumption.

4. Development of sustainable infrastructure

Particular attention was paid to energy storage systems, smart grids and the integration of hydrogen as the energy vector of the future.

5. Promoting collaboration between sectors

KEY 2025 encouraged partnerships between companies, startups, institutions and universities to accelerate research and development in the field of renewable energy.

6. Training and Green Jobs

Through the Green Jobs & Skills program, the event offered training and networking opportunities for professionals and young talents, supporting the growth of employment in the energy transition sector.

7. Focus on Electric Mobility and Sustainable Cities

The event dedicated an area to e-mobility, zero-emission transport and sustainable urban transformation, with pilot projects for smart cities.

These objectives made KEY 2025 a strategic event for the growth of renewable energy and environmental sustainability.

KEY 2025 Exhibition Sectors

In the context of KEY 2025, the fair is divided into seven product areas, each of which plays a crucial role in the energy transition. These sectors offer platforms for innovation and dialogue, contributing to a more sustainable and inclusive energy transition.

SEC – Solar Expo & Conference: dedicates space to solar technologies, promoting discussions on solar energy as a primary renewable source.

WEM – Wind Expo for Med: focused on wind energy, exploring the opportunities of wind, especially in the Mediterranean region.

KSE – Key Storage Expo: highlights the importance of energy storage solutions to improve the efficiency of energy systems.

HYPE – Hydrogen Power Expo: explores the potential of hydrogen as an energy carrier, supported by advances in fuel cells.

EFFI – Energy Efficiency Expo: presents technologies and measures to reduce energy consumption, essential for greater efficiency.

EME – e-Mobility Expo: focuses on electric mobility, promoting electric vehicles and sustainable charging infrastructure.

Sustainable City: focuses on urban sustainability, promoting practices that support the development of green cities.

These sectors not only shape the path of the energy transition, but also create a dynamic ecosystem for innovation and collaboration between companies, investors and institutions.

Evolving Energy Policies

During the KEY 2025 event, several policies and regulations related to energy transition and climate change were addressed. The European Union is experiencing an acceleration of climate policies that aim to balance energy security with ambitious green transition goals. The European Green Deal remains central, setting the goal of climate neutrality by 2050. However, regulations need to be adapted to address emerging challenges and optimize advanced energy transition programs.

New regulations include incentives for low-carbon technologies, such as green hydrogen, which could revolutionize energy-intensive industries. Financial incentives are designed to attract investments in renewable energy, with a particular focus on solar, wind and innovative technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs). In addition, the Climate Finance Roadmap is seeking to close the climate finance gap, involving the private sector. These legislations include measures to facilitate the integration of sustainable technologies and incentivize companies to invest in clean energy projects. The event highlighted:

• Acceleration of energy and climate policies: the opportunities offered by the renewable energy and energy efficiency market were discussed, with a focus on the integration of European and national regulations.
• Institutional support: the participation of delegates and decision makers from over 50 countries, thanks to the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ICE Agency, underlined the importance of a global approach.
• Innovative projects: programs such as Green Jobs & Skills were presented, aimed at promoting the meeting between companies and young talents, in line with the regulations on sustainable development

A significant example is the introduction of tax incentives for the installation of domestic solar panels. These economic benefits are designed to reduce initial costs and make solar energy more accessible to consumers. In addition, incentives were proposed for companies that develop energy storage technologies, essential for improving the stability of electricity networks.

These policies not only promote a sustainable energy transition, but also create opportunities for economic and employment growth, encouraging the adoption of green technologies on a large scale.

Innovation through Research and Development

At KEY 2025, technological innovations played a crucial role in shaping the future of the energy sector. One of the emerging trends is AI Autonomy, which envisions a future where artificial intelligence will operate autonomously, requiring a new relationship of trust between companies and consumers. This allows to fully exploit the capabilities of AI, improving efficiency and innovation.

Another significant innovation is The Binary Big Bang, a concept that represents a radical change in technological systems, driven by foundation models that improve natural language processing. This phenomenon is set to multiply digital output, accelerating innovation.

Among the innovative projects presented, SouthTown in Ann Arbor and Sunset Park Solar in Brooklyn stand out. SouthTown promotes democratic energy with off-grid systems, while Sunset Park Solar is an example of a community solar project that reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Both projects demonstrate the importance of innovation in achieving a sustainable energy transition.

Another notable technology is the rapidly growing European biomethane, which offers a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. France, in particular, is emerging as a leader, and this development is helping to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy security.

In addition, the I-REC system is evolving, introducing new products and tracking systems that increase transparency and accountability in renewable energy sourcing.

Collaborations between companies and institutions were another pillar of the innovation showcased. Boston Medical Center’s Clean Power Prescription project, for example, demonstrated how partnerships can reduce low-income patients’ electricity bills while improving health outcomes. These initiatives highlight the importance of pooling resources and expertise to address the challenges of the energy transition.

In summary, the technologies on display at KEY 2025 improve energy efficiency and represent the future of the energy transition, offering integrated solutions that can be deployed globally.

KEY 2025 highlighted the challenges of the energy transition, including rising electricity demand and changing geopolitical dynamics. However, it also highlighted countless opportunities, such as the integration of digital technologies and innovative projects that promote sustainability. These elements demonstrate the need for creative solutions and strategic collaborations to address a greener energy future.

The next edition of KEY – The Energy Transition Expo is already scheduled! It will be held in Rimini from 4 to 6 March 2026. It will be another occasion to explore the innovations and opportunities related to the energy transition. With the success of previous editions, we can expect an even richer and more inspiring event.

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Significant events and conferences

Numerous events and conferences of great importance were organized during Ecomondo 2023, which attracted the attention of industry experts and professionals from the world of environment and sustainability. Among these, the conferences “Towards a Greener Future” and “Sustainable Solutions for a Sustainable World” were particularly interesting, which explored the themes of environmental sustainability and innovative solutions to combat climate change. Furthermore, the “Circular Economy: From Theory to Practice” event offered interesting insights on how to promote a circular economy and reduce waste of resources. Other notable events were “The Power of Renewable Energy” and “Green Technologies for a Better Tomorrow”, which explored the potential of renewable energy and green technologies to contribute to protecting the environment. These events helped outline the key themes of Ecomondo 2023 and provided valuable information and food for thought for participants.

Main topics covered

The Ecomondo 2023 fair focused on several key issues for environmental sustainability and the circular economy. Among the main topics covered during the event were:

• Climate change and solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: numerous innovations and technologies were presented to promote a more sustainable industry and reduce the environmental impact of production activities.
• Waste management and the transition towards a circular economy: companies showed their solutions to reduce, recycle and valorise waste, contributing to greater sustainability and a more efficient use of resources.
• The protection of water resources and their sustainable management: technologies and projects were presented to preserve and responsibly exploit this precious asset for the environment and the economy.

These issues highlighted the importance of a holistic approach to addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainable growth. Furthermore, experts and companies highlighted the importance of collaboration between different sectors to achieve sustainability goals. The 2023 edition of Ecomondo provided a complete cross-section of the main issues and related solutions, promoting greater awareness and concrete action for a more sustainable future. From the regenerative bioeconomy to the blue economy, from the valorization of waste as a resource to soil restoration, passing through bioenergy to environmental monitoring: the largest edition in 26 years gives a clear signal, circularity technologies are ready to regenerate ecosystems and profitable, when combined with policies oriented towards decarbonisation. Also showcased are the latest eco-friendly vehicles at the biennial SAL.VE show organized with ANFIA. Together with what was seen in the pavilions of the Rimini Fair, green is also confirmed as profitable for the economy in the report “The economy of tomorrow: a decarbonised, circular and regenerative green economy” presented at the opening of the General States of the Green Economy 2023. A benefit of 689 billion euros is estimated over a period of ten years, against cumulative costs of 136.7 billion, from the ‘Fit for 55’ European regulatory package for decarbonisation alone.

Innovations and technologies on stage

During Ecomondo 2023, numerous companies presented their latest innovations and technologies to promote sustainability and solve environmental problems. Among the most interesting, solutions for recycling and waste treatment stand out, such as the use of biodegradable materials and the transformation of waste into energy. Furthermore, advanced technologies for monitoring and managing water resources and for the production of renewable energy were exhibited. These innovations demonstrate companies’ commitment to finding sustainable solutions for the environment and the economy. Furthermore, these technologies have the potential to be applied on a large scale and help reduce the environmental impact of human activities.

Honors and awards

The 2023 edition of Ecomondo saw the awarding of numerous companies and projects for their commitment and contribution towards environmental sustainability. Among the awards awarded during the fair, we highlight the “Best Eco-Innovation Award” for the best eco-sustainable innovations, the “Green Circular Award” for the best circular economy practices, the “Sustainable Manufacturing Award” for the best sustainable production solutions , and “Sustainable Community Award” for the best community involvement projects in environmental sustainability. These awards not only enhance the winning companies and projects, but also the environmental sustainability sector as a whole. Awarded companies receive greater visibility and credibility, while the sector is enriched with new ideas and innovative solutions. The winners of these awards were selected by a jury of industry experts, who evaluated criteria such as originality, environmental impact, economic sustainability and feasibility of the projects. These awards demonstrate companies’ commitment and dedication to environmental sustainability, encouraging further development and investment in this area. Start-ups and Scale-ups, essential ingredients of Ecomondo. For consolidated and emerging innovators in the ecosystem of green Italian companies, the prize named after Lorenzo Cagnoni was established this year. On the podium Eco Reciclyng from Viterbo, HBI from Treviso and the global brand AMP Robotics. Three startups: 3Bee from Milan, Oxoco from Bari and Mixcycling from Vicenza. The companies and public administrations that have been most committed to eco-innovation have been rewarded with the Sustainable Development Award promoted by the Foundation for Sustainable Development and Ecomondo.

The Minister of the Environment: Ecomondo national flag

The inaugural day was attended by the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, who visited the exhibition area with the president of IEG Maurizio Ermeti, the CEO Corrado Peraboni and the global exhibition director Alessandra Astolfi and defined Ecomondo «from pioneering model to national flag». And again, the following participated: Francesco Corvaro, special envoy for climate change of the Italian government at COP28; the president of the Emilia-Romagna Region, Stefano Bonaccini and the councilor for the ecological transition of the Municipality of Rimini Anna Montini. During the four days of the event, guests at Ecomondo were the Deputy Minister for the Environment and Energy Security Vannia Gava, the Undersecretaries of MASE Claudio Barbaro and the Prime Minister Alessandro Morelli, and the Undersecretaries of the Interior Emanuele Prisco. The visit of members of the Parliamentary Eco-crime Commission. The presidents of the Campania Region Vincenzo De Luca and Michele Emiliano of the Puglia Region. The supply chain consortia and business associations, historic partners of the Event, starting with CONAI, Utilitalia and Assoambiente, Confindustria, together with the European Commission, OECD, FAO, UfM, EEA, ISWA, coordinated by the Technical Scientific Committee of the event directed by Professor Fabio Fava of the University of Bologna, make Ecomondo the reference community catalyst in the Euro-Mediterranean area with a calendar of over 240 events.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the 2023 edition of Ecomondo confirmed itself as an event of great importance for the environment and the economy. The numbers and statistics of the turnout and participation of exhibitors and visitors demonstrate the importance and success of the fair.

The main news and trends that emerged during the event showed a strong commitment from companies and experts to sustainability and environmental protection. The numerous events and conferences have helped to outline key themes and present concrete solutions to address environmental challenges.

The number of countries of origin of Ecomondo visitors is growing, mainly from the Euro-Mediterranean area led by Spain, Germany, Greece, Serbia, Egypt and Tunisia, and then from sub-Saharan Africa. Over 630 international foreign operators were hosted thanks to the collaboration of the ICE Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation with the global network of regional advisors of IEG and also of the Emilia-Romagna Region, in particular for the Blue Economy sector, coming from North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, the Balkan area, Latin America, North America, India and the Middle East, which overall generated 2,700 business matches.

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