The smarter E Europe 2026: Renewables 24/7 – Renewables as a Cornerstone of Energy Supply
Munich — The energy industry is showing confidence: at The smarter E Europe 2026 in Munich, more than 2,650 companies from 52 countries presented solutions for a round-the-clock power supply from renewable sources. The guiding theme of this year's trade fair alliance was "Renewables 24/7".
Electricity from Renewables Now Significantly Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels
A central message of the fair: renewable energies are economically competitive. In Germany, roughly 60 percent of electricity already comes from renewable sources, while fossil fuel imports cost the country approximately EUR 80 billion per year, according to the organizers. The special exhibition "Renewables 24/7 – Secure Energy for a Changing World" was one of the top highlights of the fair. It illustrated clearly that the energy system of the future is an entirely different one: more electric, more decentralized, more digital, and more flexible. Concrete examples showed the role that buildings, electric vehicles, and intelligent grid management can play in this transition.
"The smarter E Europe and the Renewables 24/7 special exhibition showed that the energy transition above all needs one thing: flexibility. Only if we store electricity intelligently, manage it smartly, and use it precisely when it is particularly cheap and green, will we create an energy system that is affordable for customers and still beneficial for the grid," said Bastian Gierull, CEO of Octopus Energy Germany GmbH. He also pointed to the growing importance of electric vehicles and bidirectional charging as flexible storage assets within the power system.
Political Backing and Economic Context
The fair also drew significant political representation. Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, emphasized in a keynote address that the expansion of renewable energy in Germany is no longer solely a matter of climate protection, but also one of approximately 440,000 jobs, economic resilience, and national security. Bavarian State Minister Hubert Aiwanger opened the inaugural Hydrogen Dialogue Summit.
"Fossil fuels are a model in decline — renewables clearly own the future. Over the three days of the fair, we demonstrated with practical examples and scientific evidence that they stand for reliability, resilience, and efficiency, and that they make economic sense," said Markus Elsässer, founder and managing director of Solar Promotion GmbH.
Energy Transition: Broad Societal Acceptance in Place
A panel discussion at the fair addressed the question of whether the energy transition is failing only in people's minds. The panel's conclusion: across large parts of society, the transformation of the energy system is already accepted and desired. The risk of a blockade currently stems less from the public, but rather from "parts of the political and economic decision-making structures." Dr. Tim Meyer, an energy expert and author who has spent years studying the transformation of the energy system, guided visitors through the special exhibition. He warned of the consequences for Germany as a business location: "We cannot stop this revolution and must seize all the opportunities that the exhibitors have shown us. Otherwise, Germany as a business location will be overtaken by international competition."
The next edition of The smarter E Europe is scheduled to take place from June 8 to 10, 2027, at Messe München.
Source: IWR Online, 26 Jun 2026
