2022 was the year of the climate crisis, international tensions and rising energy costs. But it was also the year of records for renewable energy, whose total global capacity, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) Renewables 2022 Report, is set to almost double by 2027, overtaking coal and becoming the largest source of global electricity by early 2025.
Renewables are also running faster and faster in Europe, driven mainly by solar and wind power, and in Italy, where the end of 2022 recorded 1.989 MW of new installed capacity (+146% compared to the same period in 2021), according to the ANIE Rinnovabili FER Observatory based on Terna’s Gaudì data.
In this scenario, K.EY – The Energy Transition Expo, the IEG’s (Italian Exhibition Group) reference trade fair in Italy, Africa and in the Mediterranean region on technologies, services and integrated solutions for energy efficiency and renewable energies, is preparing to make its debut on March, 22-24 at the Rimini Expo Centre.
A stand-alone event for the very first time, with a new name, a new format and an unprecedented placement in springtime, which, less than three months after the last edition of Key Energy, has already exceeded expectations, gathering numerous national, European and non-European registrations and confirming the interest that the market has always shown in the event. The doubling of the exhibition area distributed within 12 pavilions, an increase of more than 30% of the brands with the presence of the main market leaders in all sectors and a significant expansion of the supply chains are expected.
K.EY – The Energy Transition Expo enhances the experience gained by Key Energy over the previous 15 editions and maintains close ties with Ecomondo, setting itself even more ambitious goals: to strengthen its leadership on energy efficiency and transition issues and to consolidate its role as a reference network for all the communities involved.
The three days of business and networking will have an even more international scope, thanks to the support of ICE – Italian Trade Agency, and the presence of numerous operators and exhibiting companies from abroad, with more than 200 delegates from Southern Europe, the Balkans, Sub Saharan Africa, the Middle East and China.
THE NEW LAYOUT
Among the new features is the layout, with much larger spaces, a double entrance from the south and the east halls, and, for the first time, six thematic exhibition areas (one for each of the six sectors of the event) clearly delineated, but at the same time connected to each other, to explore the topic of energy efficiency from all points of view:
- SEC – Solar Exhibition & Conference: for the first time within K.EY, it is dedicated to photovoltaics and storage.
- WEM – Wind Expo for Med reserved for technologies and services for the construction and operation of on-shore and off-shore wind power plants.
- HYe dedicated to technologies and projects for hydrogen production and storage.
- EFFI – Energy Efficiency Expo transversal to all sectors involved in the energy transition and dedicated to energy efficiency and storage in industry and building, with technologies and services available to companies to optimize their energy consumption and reduce their carbon footprint.
- eME – e-Mobility Expo reserved for electric and sustainable mobility, from charging infrastructure to interconnected mobility services.
- Sustainable City, the special project dedicated to the transformation of cities according to the smart city model.
Make way also for innovation under the dome of the Rimini Expo Centre, with the Start-up and Scale-up Area in the Innovation Square, the physical and virtual exhibition space reserved for young Italian and international green companies and innovators offering products and services related to the energy transition.
The initiative is organized by Italian Exhibition Group and promoted in cooperation with the Italian Trade Agency. The main partner is ART-ER (Attrattività Ricerca Territorio), a consortium based in Emilia-Romagna.
K.EY also expands the Sustainable Building District, thanks to the collaboration with main partner Green Building Council Italia. This themed area is entirely dedicated to sustainable building and it is also a reference platform for companies, professionals, builders, real estate and public and private stakeholders whose priority is sustainable and green design.
INCREASINGLY INTERNATIONAL EVENTS AND CONFERENCES
K.EY is an exclusive marketplace and a privileged place for discussion and debate on energy transition issues, able to connect key players in the industry with each other, to develop new businesses, expand contacts and stay informed on all technological and market development. It is also an opportunity to take an in-depth look at the topic of energy efficiency all-round (from production and industrial processes to construction, from public and private lighting to mobility, transport and logistics), thanks to the rich schedule of events and international conferences, developed by the K.EY Scientific Committee, chaired by Professor Gianni Silvestrini and made up of Institutions, Industrial Trade Associations, Technical and Scientific Associations, Bodies and Foundations.
Simultaneously with the first independent edition of K.EY is the third edition of Italy’s ForumTech, ITALIA SOLARE’s training and information event. Meetings and conferences are also planned, ranging from wind power (repowering and off-shore) to agrivoltaic, photovoltaic, solar thermal and storage systems; from electric and hydrogen mobility to energy efficiency in construction, energy performance, electrification of consumption, auctions and white certificates and industrial cogeneration; from new urban models to CERs, the use of new energy technologies in the transformation of urban contexts, and the challenges and opportunities arising from investments in renewable energy in Africa.
In conjunction with K.EY takes place the first edition of DPE The European Exhibition of Electrical power System, the European trade fair that showcases the entire ecosystem of electrical generation, distribution, safety and automation, organized by Italian Exhibition Group in collaboration with Associazione Generazione Distribuita – Engines, Components, Generators, a member of ANIMA Confindustria. DPE aims at the distributed generation sector, offering a range of solutions and technologies from the entire electricity generation and distribution systems and components industry. It also brings to the fair issues related to the new structure that the power grid is taking on, through a dedicated conference and training program.
 Renewables 2022 Report, is set to almost double by 2027, overtaking coal and becoming the largest source of global electricity by early 2025.){kind=link}