Energy: The Mediterranean as a Hub for the Energy Transition: HEYSUN 2026 Launches a Discussion on Advanced Nuclear Technology, Hydrogen, Energy Storage, and Smart Grids
The trade fair, scheduled for September 30 through October 2, was presented at Mimit;
it brings together institutions, industry, and academia to address key issues for the development of renewable energy.
ROME – From decarbonization to the creation of a new, more autonomous and integrated energy system: advanced nuclear power, hydrogen, energy communities, storage solutions, and increasingly digital grids.
This is the strategic scope of the third edition of HEYSUN – Energy Transition Expo, which was unveiled today in Rome at Palazzo Piacentini, the headquarters of the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy.
The event, which will take place from September 30 to October 2, 2026, at the Exhibition & Meeting Hub of SiciliaFiera in Misterbianco (Catania), serves as a platform for dialogue among institutions, research organizations, industry, and academia, with the aim of translating the debate into concrete action plans and promoting the Mediterranean as a strategic hub for the country’s energy and industrial development. The Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, attended the press conference to present the event, underscoring the strategic importance of this gathering, which has now become a key reference point on the national scene.
“Heysun remains a strategic event for guiding the transition toward a sustainable, secure, and competitive energy system,” the minister stated. “The government is committed to building a balanced energy mix based on domestic sources, leveraging all available solutions: renewables, hydrogen, storage, smart grids, and next-generation nuclear power with small modular reactors—a transition that can no longer be postponed and is now recognized across Europe as a key driver of energy security. Strengthening the country’s strategic autonomy is the priority: the future of energy is being built today.” Also participating in the event was Domenico Repetto, Director of Institutional Communications at the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, who highlighted how the event, now in its third edition, connects public policies with local communities.
«HEYSUN constitutes a space in which the energy transition acquires a concrete dimension in the territories, strengthening the dialogue between institutions, companies and citizens. In this context, Sicily consolidates its strategic role in the Mediterranean, both in terms of energy security and the development of new steps of value related to energy.”
The president of the SiciliaFiera fairgrounds, Nino Di Cavolo, noted: «The third edition of HEYSUN is a decisive step towards consolidating Sicily’s history as a strategic platform in the Mediterranean in terms of energy and innovation. From SiciliaFiera, we can contribute enormously to a project that brings to the fore the institutions, the industry and the academic world, creating an ecosystem capable of generating a concrete development. Even more, it is never necessary to transform the debate into action: advanced nuclear energy, hydrogen, energy communities and building systems are not just future scenarios, but immediate opportunities for the territory. HEYSUN holds the merit of placing these themes at the center of a qualified debate, with the ambition of building a solid industrial and educational chain, throughout southern Italy. SiciliaFiera wants to be the venue for this debate, a place where ideas, skills and inversions come together to give shape to the energy transition. The presence of the national institutions and the main actors of the sector confirms that we are on the right path: to convert Sicily into an energy and technological center of reference at the European level”.
Pietro Piccinetti, president of the International Commission of the AEFI, also highlighted the importance of this event and signaled that the holidays are the new exchange spaces, where competences are shared and strategic decisions are oriented.
«From the AEFI we believe in the paper of the holidays as instruments of industrial and international politics —subraya Piccineti—. HEYSUN is consolidating itself as a strategic city for energy transition, with a marked Euro-Mediterranean dimension that refers to the Sicilian paper as a gateway between Europe, Africa and the Middle East and as a center of sustainable innovation”.
Among the new features of the 2026 edition is the opening of the HeySun Academy, a space dedicated to university programs and the development of skills for the energy transition. The initiative includes the presentation of a map of degree programs consistent with the event’s themes, with the direct involvement of Italian universities. Among the participating universities this year are those in Sicily—Catania, Messina, Palermo, and Enna—which will present their program offerings and opportunities for students. This program is designed to guide choices, enhance skills, and strengthen the connection between universities and the manufacturing sector.
The Rector’s Delegate of the University of Catania, Professor Francesco Nocera, stated: “The University of Catania is actively engaged in the major issues of energy transition, environmental sustainability, and technological innovation, through internationally recognized applied research, advanced training, and ongoing dialogue with the manufacturing sector. We operate in strategic fields with an interdisciplinary approach that integrates scientific, engineering, and economic expertise. In this context, Sicily represents a strategic strength, also due to its growing role in the Mediterranean. Our MIT–UNICT Summer School ‘Climate Resilient Solutions for Sicily,’ developed with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is a valuable project that strengthens the ability of students and researchers to address global challenges with concrete tools and vision. In this context, HEYSUN represents an important opportunity to enhance the university’s contribution within an innovation ecosystem capable of generating real impact and new development opportunities.”
Strengthening the international profile of HEYSUN – Energy Transition Expo will be the partnership with ICE – Italian Trade Agency (ITA).
The 2026 edition will see the participation of over 30 buyers from ten countries and the scheduling of approximately 400 B2B meetings between Italian companies and international operators.
“ITA’s goal is to support the internationalization of the renewable energy sector and, in particular, to support the growth of Italian SMEs in foreign markets,” explained Luca Durante, Head of Capital Goods at ITA. The international delegation will include operators from Croatia, Spain, Saudi Arabia, several African countries, Argentina, and Mexico, among others. Special attention will be paid to markets that are accelerating investments in the energy transition and renewables-related infrastructure. “It’s not just about increasing exports,” Durante added, “but about expanding the number of Italian companies that export, creating new international positioning opportunities for Sicilian companies as well.”
The Sicilian Region also supported the initiative through its Regional Department for Productive Activities, along with a significant presence of local businesses active in the energy, innovation, and energy transition-related services sectors. Regional Energy Manager Roberto Sannasardo was also present. HEYSUN thus confirms its role as a forum for dialogue between institutions, businesses, stakeholders, and trade associations. Representatives of Compagnia delle Opere Sicilia, led by Director Claudia Fuccio, were also present.
Energy, innovation, and security: the conference’s key topics
An analytical process to interpret the present and guide the evolution of the energy system.
The HEYSUN 2026 conference program is structured around the main drivers of the energy transition, with an approach that integrates technological innovation, sustainability, and infrastructure safety, in a European context that calls for a reduction in energy dependence and a strengthening of industrial autonomy.
The discussion on advanced nuclear power opens the program, focusing on next-generation technologies—SMR, AMR, and fourth-generation systems—and the possibility of developing a national supply chain. The focus is on the industry’s current state of the art, licensing processes, authorization times, costs, and issues related to safety, social acceptability, and waste management. The contributions of institutions, researchers, and businesses are aimed at outlining an initial operational trajectory, including in relation to development opportunities in Southern Italy.
Alongside nuclear power, the hydrogen issue addresses the development of Hydrogen Valleys and the growth conditions of the supply chain.
The discussion focuses on transport infrastructure, including pipelines and maritime logistics, incentive tools, and economic sustainability, with a focus on cost trends through 2030. The role of Southern Italy and Sicily in the Euro-Mediterranean system will also be discussed.
Energy communities and collective self-consumption represent a further area of development, in light of regulatory updates. The debate involves key institutional and regulatory stakeholders, focusing on the role of municipalities, the sustainability of technical and economic models, and the contribution of these solutions to improving access to energy and combating energy poverty.
Il tema degli accumuli e della digitalizzazione delle reti completa il quadro. I sistemi BESS sono analizzati in relazione allo sviluppo del mercato, alle aste e ai meccanismi di capacità, mentre l’integrazione di tecnologie avanzate – intelligenza artificiale, digital twin e cybersecurity – introduce nuove modalità di gestione delle reti e rafforza la resilienza delle infrastrutture energetiche, anche alla luce delle criticità emerse a livello europeo. Un quadro che restituisce la complessità della transizione energetica e ne definisce le direttrici operative, mettendo in relazione tecnologie, modelli di sviluppo e politiche pubbliche. HEYSUN si conferma un luogo di confronto qualificato, in cui la transizione prende forma attraverso contenuti concreti, esperienze e visioni capaci di orientare le scelte del sistema energetico nei prossimi anni.
