The trade fair, scheduled for September 30th to October 2nd, was presented at Mimit
which brings together institutions, industry, and academia to discuss key issues for the development of renewables.

ROME – From decarbonization to the construction of a new, more autonomous and integrated energy system: advanced nuclear, hydrogen, energy communities, storage, and increasingly digital networks.
This is the strategic scope of the third edition of HEYSUN – Energy Transition Expo, presented today in Rome, at Palazzo Piacentini, at the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy.
The event, which will take place from September 30 to October 2, 2026, at the SiciliaFiera Exhibition & Meeting Hub in Misterbianco (Catania), is designed as a platform for discussion between institutions, research organizations, industry, and academia. Its goal is to translate the debate into operational trajectories and promote the Mediterranean as a strategic hub for the country’s energy and industrial development. The Minister of Business and Made in Italy,  Adolfo Urso, testifying to the strategic importance of the event, which has become a point of reference on the national scene. 

“Heysun confirms its strategic role in guiding the transition to 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, which can no longer be postponed and is now recognized in 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 are:  Domenico Repetto, Director of Institutional Communications for the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, highlighted how the event, now in its third edition, connects public policies and 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 exhibition center, Nino Di Cavolo, ha evidenziato: “La terza edizione di HEYSUN represents a decisive step in consolidating Sicily’s role as a strategic platform in the Mediterranean on energy and innovation. As SiciliaFiera, we are proud to contribute to a project that connects institutions, industry, and academia, creating an ecosystem capable of generating concrete development. Today, more than ever, it is essential to transform the debate into action: advanced nuclear power, hydrogen, energy communities, and storage systems are not just future scenarios, but immediate opportunities for the region. HEYSUN deserves the credit for bringing these issues to the forefront of a qualified debate, with the ambition of building a solid industrial and training sector, especially for Southern Italy. SiciliaFiera aims to be the home of this debate, a place where ideas, expertise, and investments converge to shape the energy transition. The presence of national institutions and key players in the sector confirms that we are on the right path: making Sicily a leading energy and technology hub at the European level.

The value of the event was also highlighted by Pietro Piccinetti, president of the AEFI Internationalization Commission, who indicated that trade fairs are the new places for discussion, where skills meet and strategic choices 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, 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 universities participating this year are those in Sicily –  Catania, Messina, Palermo, and Enna – who will present their educational offerings and opportunities for students. A program designed to guide choices, enhance skills, and strengthen the connection between universities and the manufacturing sector.

The delegate of the Rector 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 (Agenzia per l’ Promozione Abroad e l’Internazionalizzazione dell’Italia) (Italian Trade Agency).
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 foreign operators.

“ICE’s objective is to support the internationalization of the renewable energy sector and, in particular, to support the growth of Italian SMEs on foreign markets,” he explained. Luca Durante< Head of the Capital Goods Office at ICE. The international delegation will involve operators from, among others, Croatia, Spain, Saudi Arabia, several African countries, Argentina, and Mexico. Particular 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 initiative is also supported by the Sicilian Region, through the Regional Department of Productive Activities, along with a significant presence of local companies active in the energy, innovation, and energy transition-related services sectors. The Region’s Energy Manager was also present.  Roberto Sannasardo. HEYSUN thus confirms its role as a forum for discussion between institutions, businesses, stakeholders, and trade associations. Representatives of the 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 programme 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 requires 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.