(Finance) – Studies, research and observatories, but also meetings, conferences and debates to reflect on the present and future of the transition and energy efficiency, with the aim of increasingly accelerating the path towards decarbonisation. The Technical Scientific Committee of KEY – The Energy Transition Expochaired by the professor Gianni Silvestrini and made up of institutions, industrial associations, technical-scientific associations, bodies and foundations, is working to define the conference schedule for the next edition of the event, organized by IEG (Italian Exhibition Group) and a point of reference in Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean basin. The appointment is from 5 to 7 March 2025 at the Rimini Fair. Furthermore, on Tuesday 4 March 2025, on the eve of KEY, the second edition of KEY CHOICE – Unlock the future of PPAthe B2B event of KEY – The Energy Transition Expo dedicated to Power Purchase Agreements, organized by IEG in collaboration with Elemens.
ForumTech – On the first day of the event, Wednesday 5 March 2025, as every year, the ForumTech of the Italia Solare association will return to KEY, the event that brings together industry experts, researchers, academics and professionals to discuss news and future trends in the field of photovoltaic and explore latest technologies, innovative materials and advanced solutions to improve the efficiency and integration of photovoltaics into existing infrastructures.
Smart and sustainable cities, with increasingly efficient industries and buildings – From the industrial sector to the sports sector, from the redevelopment of real estate to the role of the Public Administration, from sustainable construction to the efficiency of the built environment in light of the “Green Homes” Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD). At KEY the theme of energy efficiency will be central, offering Energy managers, EGEs, utilities, ESCOs, suppliers of verification and monitoring platforms and all other stakeholders involved the opportunity to exchange best practices and case studies, with an overview 360° on the state of the art, obstacles, opportunities and actions necessary to achieve the decarbonisation objectives. Furthermore, the conferences scheduled at KEY will focus on the analysis of the transformation of cities with a view to greater resilience to change, exploring the role of the most cutting-edge technologies, with a focus on solutions applicable in future urban contexts.
Artificial Intelligence in the energy sector – For the first time, KEY will ask itself what are the possible applications of AI in the energy sector through meetings and workshops aimed at illustrating the options currently available and the results obtained from projects already underway, but also at promoting reflections on opportunities, risks , ethical aspects and environmental impact generated by the adoption of this technology. During the three days, FIRE will illustrate the results of a survey carried out among technology suppliers and users.
The energy transition between opportunities, regulations and authorizations – The energy transition not only allows us to increase a country’s energy autonomy and security, but also contributes to the creation of new jobs and technological growth. The current uncertain geopolitical scenario risks slowing down the process, also impacting the increase in energy costs, which must be controlled. The conferences scheduled at KEY will involve all interested players, with the aim of identifying possible solutions capable of making the transition sustainable, with specific focuses on the regulatory framework, on the critical issues that hinder business investments and on the role of the Regions, as for example Sardinia through the presentation of a study conducted by the Polytechnic of Milan.
Ports and offshore wind – The growth of energy produced by wind is supported by the development of real hubs in Italian ports, protagonists of the Mediterranean. Starting from MASE’s commitment to launch an important stage in industrial development in Southern Italy, through the creation of a logistics platform at the service of the growth of marine renewables, the events scheduled at KEY25 will address the topic of wind power, focusing on the technologies which have allowed the sector to make significant progress on energy storage and the optimization of production and maintenance, thanks to the adoption of advanced control systems that integrate AI, augmented reality and drones. Furthermore, Su.port – Sustainable Ports for Energy Transition will debut at KEY25, an exhibition focus dedicated to the electrification of port quays and the development of offshore wind power, in particular floating ones.
New perspectives for hydrogen – Hydrogen Valleys, regional green hydrogen supply chains launched or in the process of being launched, sustainability of renewable fuels of non-biological origin, such as e-fuels and hydrogen, and integration of hydrogen and new sustainable energy carriers in airports. Hydrogen is among the protagonists of KEY, both within the conference program and in the new HYPE exhibition area – Hydrogen Power Expo supported by Hydrogen & Fuel Cells, created by Italian Exhibition Group and Hannover Fairs International GmbH (HFI), subsidiary Italian company Deutsche Messe AG.
The electric transition of mobility – Existing technologies and adoption trends, public infrastructure along the road and motorway network and private infrastructure, focus on hard-to-abate sectors such as medium and long-distance heavy road transport, maritime and air transport: the KEY25 schedule aims to address the broad topic of mobility transition, approaching it from multiple points of view, with panels and conferences in the presence of institutions, companies and associations in the sector. KEY will also be one of the stages of the Observatory’s roadshow on the transformations of the Automotive Ecosystem.
Photovoltaic and agriculture, winning synergy – Agrivoltaics, although representing a crucial and innovative solution for the production of energy from renewable sources, still sees numerous environmental and landscape barriers that hinder its implementation. At KEY, the goal is to provide an overview of currently available solutions and explore best practices for developing sustainable and landscape-integrated agrivoltaic projects, delving into policies, regulations and strategies that can facilitate the adoption of this technology.
Renewable Energy Communities, a virtuous model – In light of the birth of the first Italian Renewable Energy Communities, RSE and Legambiente will present their respective mappings, with the aim of analyzing the diffusion of this model and understanding what the prevailing organizational models are, the most used technologies and the role of the institutions and entities involved. Legambiente will reward the best CERs for quality and implementation of solidarity projects and will talk about the best practices of the BeComE project created together with Kyoto Club with AzzeroCO2.
Energy storage to align supply and demand – Storage systems, particularly long-term ones, are essential to accelerate the transition towards renewable energy in an economical, reliable and sustainable way, ensuring security of supply and timely response even during peaks in electricity demand. However, some challenges remain, such as regulatory uncertainties and high upfront costs. Topics that KEY25 will address through the scheduled events, hosting, among other things, the presentation of the fourth edition of the ANIE and RSE White Paper.
Africa protagonist of the green future – With its enormous natural resources and its renewable energy supplies, Africa has the potential to become a protagonist of the green future on a global level, but, despite the progress made in recent decades, the continent is still far from reaching the objectives of ‘Agenda 2030. It will face fundamental energy challenges, for which electrification, together with digitalisation and the development of strategic professional skills, will play a central role. We will talk about it again this year at KEY, in the traditional appointment with RES4Africa Foundation.