HEYSUN 2026 accelerates its international focus: renewable energy, hydrogen, and nuclear power take center stage in the conference program.

From September 30 to October 2, international buyers, institutions, universities, research centers, companies, and industry associations will gather at SiciliaFiera in Misterbianco.
CATANIA – HEYSUN – The Energy Transition Expo is gearing up for its third edition, scheduled to take place from September 30 to October 2 at the SiciliaFiera exhibition center in Misterbianco. The three-day event will bring together institutions, businesses, universities, research centers, and international industry players to discuss key topics shaping the evolution of the energy sector—ranging from industrial policies and new technologies to foreign market access and the relationship between companies and emerging professional roles in the fields of energy and sustainability. Organized in collaboration with ICE (the Italian Trade Agency), the event will officially kick off on September 30 at 10:30 AM with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by representatives from government institutions, the business community, academia, and the energy sector. The program links public policy, research, industry, and the market, involving a wide range of stakeholders. The Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy will also participate through its “Case del Made in Italy” (Made in Italy Hubs), offering companies information, guidance, and support regarding available tools and incentives for growth, competitiveness, and innovation. The program also features contributions from the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, ENEA, and the Sicilian Region. HEYSUN is included in the region’s 2026 Trade Fair Plan, with the Regional Department for Productive Activities supporting the participation of Sicilian companies and focusing on development and investment themes. Scientific coordination for the conferences is led by the University of Catania, under the guidance of Professor Francesco Nocera, Chair of Building Physics and Energy Systems at the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture (DICAr).

The program will open with the panel “Decarbonization for Southern Italy through Renewables and Nuclear Power,” featuring Enrico Foti, Rector of the University of Catania, who will kick off the discussion on renewable energy sources, grids, storage systems, and new nuclear technologies. The following day, the focus will shift to synergies between advanced nuclear power and renewable energy sources in a session coordinated by Dr. Giacomo Cuttone, Research Director at the INFN Southern National Laboratories in Catania and a member of the EURATOM Technical-Scientific Committee. Topics will range from fusion to next-generation photovoltaics, covering grid flexibility, new materials, biomass, and the application of renewable energy sources within public institutions. Attention will also be given to Renewable Energy Communities, highlighting experiences and projects developed within church and diocesan contexts.

A specific track will be dedicated to hydrogen, involving H2IT (the Italian Hydrogen Association). On September 30, HEYSUN will host a stop for *H2InComune*, an initiative promoted by H2IT and RENAEL (the National Network of Local Energy Agencies) designed to raise awareness among public authorities regarding hydrogen’s importance as an energy carrier, showcase ongoing initiatives, and discuss the local supply chain’s industrial potential. The program continues on October 1 with an event focused on “Hydrogen Valleys” funded by the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan), fostering dialogue on their future and their vital role as ecosystems in developing the hydrogen market. Alongside the technical and scientific content, a significant portion of the event will focus on business and corporate internationalization. Thanks to a partnership with ICE (the Italian Trade Agency), 24 buyers from 13 countries will attend to participate in one-on-one B2B meetings with companies. The international dimension will also take center stage at the “Italy-Cameroon” conference.
“Energy, Territories, and New Development Opportunities,” organized by PowerSolutions with the involvement of Italian and Cameroonian institutional representatives. The discussion will focus on cooperation between regions, business internationalization, infrastructure, water resources, and new development opportunities linking Sicily and Cameroon.

Industry networks and supply chains present at the trade fair will also play a pivotal role. Compagnia delle Opere Sicilia will center its presence on a business hub featuring a collective of 15 member companies. Within this hub, CDO Sicilia’s Energy Supply Chain division will host the “Photovoltaic Forum 2030 – Accelerating Investments in Italy,” scheduled for the morning of October 1st. The relationship between energy and the regulatory framework will be examined in depth during the “Energy and Law” session, coordinated by Professor Ida Nicotra—President of the University of Catania’s Higher School and Professor of Constitutional and Public Law at the university’s Department of Law. Key topics will include regulatory quality, administrative law, procedures, and the certainty of the regulatory landscape.

On October 2nd, the program will broaden its scope to the social dimension of the transition with the session “Mobility as a Right: The Challenge of Transport Poverty in the Energy Transition,” coordinated by Prof. Matteo Ignaccolo, Director of the Department of Civil-Industrial Engineering and Architecture at the University of Catania and Full Professor of Transport Systems. A further in-depth session will focus on healthcare with the conference “Healthcare Innovation as a Key Driver for the Energy Transition and for Economic, Social, and Environmental Sustainability in the Health Sector,” coordinated by Prof. Margherita Ferrante, Full Professor of General and Applied Hygiene at the “G.F. Ingrassia” Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies at the University of Catania. Technical and vocational training within the supply chain will also be highlighted. Events include a meeting promoted by Energia Italia dedicated to renewable energy technologies and the regulatory framework, with a focus on photovoltaics, inverters, storage systems, and system optimization. Meanwhile, on October 2nd, Confartigianato Imprese Sicilia will present “System Installers Power Up the Future – Innovation, Skills, and Energy Transition” at the fair, an event dedicated to the role of technical professionals in the sector’s transformation. Media and information will also have a dedicated space. The Order of Journalists of Sicily will be involved in the event “Sicily: A Strategic Energy Hub in the Mediterranean – Narrating the Energy Transition Across Media, Industry, and Public Interest.” Aimed at media professionals, this session focuses on a transformation where public policy, incentives, industry, investment, and the collective interest intersect. Professional training credits will be available for participating journalists.

HEYSUN will also focus on the new generations with the HEYSUN Academy – Talents for Energy, scheduled for the afternoon of October 2nd and coordinated by Prof. Giuseppe Speciale, the Rector’s Delegate for Education at the University of Catania.

The Academy will connect universities, students, students nearing graduation, recent graduates, and companies around a theme of increasing importance for the growth of the supply chain: the relationship between education and the professional skills demanded by the market. «“The energy transition encompasses security, competitiveness, the environment, and social cohesion, requiring a vision that brings together research, business, and institutions. This year, HEYSUN aims to be the meeting point for these sectors, while also focusing on young people—who represent the future of skills and innovation. It is time to chart a course, establish key milestones, and build the foundations for further growth,” emphasizes Nino Di Cavolo, President of SiciliaFiera.

HEYSUN – Energy Transition Expo is held under the patronage of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy; the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security; the Sicilian Regional Assembly; the Sicilian Regional Department for Productive Activities; ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development); the Port System Authority of the Eastern Sicilian Sea; the Metropolitan City of Catania; the Municipality of Catania; the City of Misterbianco; the University of Catania; the South-East Sicily Chamber of Commerce; the Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI); Azienda Metropolitana Trasporti e Sosta Catania S.p.A.; Confindustria Catania; Confartigianato Sicilia; Compagnia delle Opere Sicilia; the Order of Agronomists and Foresters of the Province of Catania; the Order of Engineers of the Province of Catania; and the Order of Industrial Experts and Graduate Industrial Experts of the Province of Catania. With this third edition, HEYSUN consolidates its role as a meeting point for institutions, the research community, the industrial sector, and international markets, focusing on technologies, investments, expertise, and new opportunities for the growth of the energy sector.