Top Utilities Events in 2025: Must-Attend Conferences, Webinars, and Networking Opportunities

If you’re looking to keep up with the latest in the utilities sector, 2025 is packed with can’t-miss utilities events. Whether you’re interested in renewable energy, smart grids, hydrogen, or just want to meet others working in the field, there’s something on the calendar for you. Some events are huge, drawing thousands from around the world, while others are more focused, but all offer a great chance to learn and connect. Here’s a quick look at some of the top utilities events for 2025 you might want to check out.

Key Takeaways

• 2025 is loaded with major utilities events covering everything from hydrogen to smart energy and renewables.
• Attending these conferences is a solid way to meet people, swap ideas, and see what’s new in the utilities world.
• Events like World Hydrogen Summit and DISTRIBUTECH bring together experts from across the globe.
• If you’re looking to learn about new tech or policy changes, these events are the places to be.
• Don’t forget—many of these conferences also have webinars and online sessions, so you can join in even if you can’t travel.

1. World Hydrogen Summit

The World Hydrogen Summit is where the hydrogen industry comes together every year, and 2025 is shaping up to be its biggest one yet. This event will run from May 20-22 at Rotterdam Ahoy in the Netherlands, right in the middle of Europe’s energy innovation corridor. People in the hydrogen business talk about this as the most important international meeting for anyone serious about green energy.

Here’s what you’ll find at the 2025 summit:

• Over 15,000 attendees from all parts of the world—these range from industry experts and startup founders to big investors and government officials.
• More than 600 exhibitors, all displaying the newest hydrogen gear and tech solutions.
• A heavy focus on real-time industry progress: speakers will talk frankly about whether we’re actually meeting emissions targets, or just spinning our wheels.
• Loads of networking sessions—if you want to shake hands or swap cards with decision-makers, this conference is packed with opportunities.

The conversations aren’t just technical, either. People here get into what it really takes to launch new projects in this fast-changing market: funding, regulations, partnership deals, and the nuts and bolts of rolling out hydrogen infrastructure. Deals often get made on the spot, and every year new alliances are announced that impact what happens next in the sector.

If you’re only picking a few events to show up at, this is one you probably don’t want to skip, just because of the sheer crowd and level of discussion. It always feels like you’re right in the thick of what’s next for hydrogen.

2. RE+

If you care about renewable energy in the US, you can’t miss RE+. Set for September 8-11, 2025, in Las Vegas, this event brings together folks from all corners of the energy world—solar, wind, storage, hydrogen, electric vehicles, you name it. RE+ might just be the largest and most diverse clean energy event in the country this year.

There’s a staggering number of people—around 40,000 expected attendees from 115+ countries, including over 14,000 C-suite execs. The floor is packed with 1,300 exhibitors and you get your pick from more than 360 sessions. Walking the expo is a bit overwhelming at first, there’s so much going on: demos, panels, workshops, startup showcases. There’s even a special program just for emerging tech and startups, which is honest-to-goodness where you’ll spot some of the coolest ideas.

A few things you can expect at RE+ 2025:

• Updates on solar, wind, energy storage, plus everything in between
• Real-world talks about policies and market trends
• Networking lounges (where you’ll run into pretty much everyone)
• Workshops for professional development—whether you’re new or a regular

Here’s what last year’s numbers looked like (and 2025 is shaping up to be even bigger):

*estimated

If you’re in clean energy and don’t go to RE+, it’s like being a baseball fan and skipping opening day. People from utilities, startups, finance, tech, and government all seem to find something worth their while here. Whether you’re looking for the next big thing or just want to shake hands with industry insiders, you can’t get much better than RE+.

3. Intersolar Europe

If you’re even a little bit interested in solar energy, it’s almost impossible not to have heard of Intersolar Europe. Running for over three decades, this event is a true heavyweight in the renewables world. It’s the go-to gathering for solar professionals, from start-ups to industry titans, all coming together to talk business, tech, and the future of energy.

Hosted at Messe München in Munich from May 7-9, 2025, Intersolar Europe isn’t just a conference—it’s a massive show, with:

• Over 110,000 attendees expected
• 1,450+ exhibitors lined up
• 105,500 square meters of exhibition space
• 1,800 technology suppliers taking part

Seeing those numbers helps the scale hit home:

Besides the technical presentations and product launches, a big part of the conference is about building connections. Here’s what people usually get out of it:

• Spotting new trends in photovoltaic (PV) technology and storage
• Finding fresh business partners and clients
• Learning where solar financing and policy are headed
• Picking up hands-on tips from case studies and real-world projects

While the main event is in Munich, Intersolar also does companion conferences in the Americas, but there’s something special about the Munich show. It’s fast-paced, noisy, and packed with energy. If you can handle the crowd, it’s one of those events you walk away from with a notebook full of ideas and probably a mile of new LinkedIn connections.

4. Smart Energy Week

If you’re in the energy world, Smart Energy Week should be on your radar for 2025. It’s not just a single event; in fact, it’s held three times a year—February, September, and November—in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. Each time, the exhibition centers buzz with people hungry for the latest on renewable energy tech.

This isn’t your usual industry mixer—it’s a marketplace for just about every renewable energy solution under the sun.

Here’s what you can expect at Smart Energy Week:

• Exhibits cover hydrogen, fuel cells, solar power, smart grids, energy storage, wind, and even zero-emission and biomass tech.
• It attracts huge numbers—industry pros, researchers, investors, and government folks all show up to trade ideas and find business partners.
• There are focused zones or mini-expos for different specialties, making it easy to zero in on exactly what interests you (for instance: battery tech or new solar modules).
• Big-name sponsors like Jera and Kraken help bring in new technologies and real-world project stories, so it doesn’t feel theoretical or out-of-reach.

Curious how much the event has grown? Take a glance at this quick summary:

Each gathering is packed with networking, keynotes, product demos, and tons of problem-solving. So if you want the pulse of renewables in Asia—and to walk away with both updates and new contacts—this is the ticket.

5. CLEANPOWER 2025

Mark your calendar for May 19-22, 2025—CLEANPOWER 2025 is taking over the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. This event is a staple for anyone working in utility-scale renewables, from developers to policy experts. The focus this year is on real, practical impacts of big federal policies like the bipartisan infrastructure law and the Inflation Reduction Act, taking on how these laws are reshaping the U.S. electricity grid in ways we haven’t seen before.

A few things make CLEANPOWER 2025 stand out:

• It draws thousands of professionals across wind, solar, storage, and transmission under one roof.
• The agenda is heavy on sessions that go straight to the heart of current industry challenges—think conversations about project delays, supply chain headaches, and how tax credits are changing business.
• Networking isn’t just talked about, it’s built into the conference with tons of mixers, meetups, and even chances for spontaneous hallway chats.

If you like keeping tabs on policy and tech shifts, here’s a quick look at last year’s stats—attendance always gives you a good sense of energy levels:

CLEANPOWER 2025 feels less like a formal sit-down and more like a community, where you catch up, swap stories, brainstorm, and figure out what comes next for U.S. renewables. If there’s only one utility-scale renewables conference you make it to next year, this is probably the one.

6. CERAWeek

CERAWeek is one of those conferences where it feels like the entire energy world descends on Houston every March. It’s famous for bringing together top leaders, experts, and thinkers from across utilities, oil and gas, renewables, finance, and government. You’ll hear people talk about the real issues behind the headlines—energy security, investment, global policy shakes, digital tech, and what the future might actually look like beyond the usual buzzwords.

What makes CERAWeek different is the mix of perspectives. You get executives from utility companies sitting next to government officials, oil industry insiders, clean energy startups, and money folks from investment firms. People are honest—sometimes brutally so—about what’s working, what isn’t, and where the pressure points are in the energy transition.

If you’re thinking of attending, here’s what usually stands out:

• Dozens of panels and talks that actually dig into the financial, political, and operational realities of the energy sector
• Networking on a huge scale—you could bump into a CEO at breakfast or chat with a Wall Street analyst about carbon credits over coffee
• Direct updates on tech innovations, market swings, and policy from people actually driving change

Here’s a quick look at what the event usually covers:

Most people walk away from CERAWeek a little overwhelmed but with a head full of new contacts and a better idea of what’s real in the utility space versus what’s just hype. If you want a sense of what the industry is really worrying (and excited) about in 2025, this is the spot.

7. Enlit Asia

Enlit Asia is back in 2025, and it’s set to be huge. For anyone in power or utilities across Southeast Asia, this event in Bangkok, Thailand, from September 9–11 is basically a must. Enlit Asia joins together what was once POWERGEN Asia and Asian Utility Week, making it a major stop for power generation, grids, and digital transformation in the region. If you care about how energy is changing in Asia — it’s a place you’ll be talking about for months.

With around 12,000 attendees and 250 exhibitors, this isn’t just another expo — it’s a gathering packed with ideas, demos, and debate. People show up to check out fresh tech, compare notes on policies and projects, and hash out what’s coming next for Asia’s power systems. The lineup usually leans heavy on practical talks, so if you’re someone who likes details over vague buzzwords, you’ll feel at home.

Here’s what stands out about Enlit Asia:

• Intense focus on issues for the ASEAN region — think regulation, renewables, and system resilience.
• A packed floor of companies showing off the latest in grid automation, clean generation, and efficiency.
• Over 200 speakers covering everything from smart infrastructure to the ground-level realities of the energy transition.

For anyone trying to meet partners, hear from utility operators, or just get a sense for where the industry is heading, Enlit Asia delivers on all fronts. The crowds can be big and the days can be long, but the connections you make go a long way in the region. If you can only make it to one big industry event in Asia this year, this is likely the one.

8. ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit

The ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit is honestly one of those events where people get surprisingly excited to talk about things that might sound dull until you’ve been there—think fresh energy tech, oddball ideas with real shot at changing the game, and a room full of brains from everywhere you can imagine. Every year, engineers, business leaders, and scientists mix with policymakers in Washington, DC, hashing out how to move the U.S. energy system forward, even if the odds (and the red tape) are stacked pretty high.

If you’re considering going, here’s why it stands out:

• It’s not just for huge companies or government types; startups and small inventors can shine here, too.
• You hear a lot about what’s stumbling blocks and real-world challenges—not just shiny, impossible future plans.
• "Networking" actually means having regular conversations with people who’ve built, researched, or invested in the next round of energy technologies.

A quick look at what you might see at ARPA-E:

The atmosphere is way less buttoned-up than you might expect for a DC energy conference—folks genuinely want feedback on wild concepts, and sometimes that leads to actual funding. If you want to see where U.S. energy might be headed (for real, not hype), this is the summit to check out.

9. World Hydrogen Week

World Hydrogen Week is back on the calendar from October 6–10, 2025, setting up shop at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark. This event is seen by many as the biggest annual meetup for people working in hydrogen. You’ll find over 3,500 professionals there, including researchers, engineers, business leaders, and government reps—all focused on figuring out how hydrogen can fit into tomorrow’s energy mix.

This conference is all about practical solutions, surprising partnerships, and hands-on knowledge sharing. The energy is always pretty high, probably because hydrogen is still a hot topic, and there’s a lot on the line when it comes to reaching net-zero goals.

A few reasons industry folks put World Hydrogen Week on their must-attend list:

• Dedicated forums for policy updates, new tech, and investment opportunities.
• Mainstage talks from government leaders, scientists, and innovators actually working on hydrogen pilots and scale-ups.
• You can network with not only the usual suspects (like utilities and fuel suppliers), but also with unexpected players—think ports, airlines, and logistics companies.

If you’re curious about the industry’s momentum, here’s a quick table from last year’s event:

*Numbers projected by organizers.

The program usually mixes up technical workshops with investment sessions, so you can get the lowdown on electrolyzer costs one hour and then chat up a tech VC the next. If you’re serious about hydrogen—whether you’re old school in energy, just launching a startup, or a policymaker getting your bearings—it’s the one week to block off in the fall.

10. DISTRIBUTECH

DISTRIBUTECH is where the utility sector shows off what’s next for power delivery, infrastructure, and digital transformation. If you want a sense of where the grid is headed, this is the spot—think massive expo halls, live demos, and discussions that get pretty technical (but not dull).

This event is all about practical ways to shape a smarter, more dependable grid. You’ll find sessions and tech covering grid automation, distributed energy resources, renewables integration, cybersecurity, and real-world uses for artificial intelligence in day-to-day operations.

A few reasons folks keep coming back year after year:

• Packed with hands-on workshops and solution showcases from hundreds of vendors.
• Unmatched networking—whether you’re there for the after-hours mixers or just trading business cards at the coffee booths.
• The speaker lineup includes utility execs, engineers, regulators, and technology providers you won’t bump into anywhere else.
• Topics cover the gritty details: grid modernization, outage management, DERMS, data analytics, and keeping up with regulatory changes.
• Q&A sessions are lively and honest—don’t be shy, someone will ask the tough questions.

Here’s a quick snapshot from recent years:

*2025 data is estimated based on current trends.

SHOW TIP: Comfortable shoes are a must—seriously, it takes half a day just to loop the exhibit floor. But stick it out, because nearly every major update or surprise announcement about grid tech seems to drop at DISTRIBUTECH first. If you’re chasing what’s next in the power sector, missing this one isn’t an option.

Conclusion

So, that’s a wrap on some of the biggest utilities events coming up in 2025. Whether you’re into renewables, grid tech, policy, or just want to meet others in the field, there’s something for everyone on the calendar. These conferences and expos aren’t just about sitting through talks—they’re a chance to swap ideas, see what’s new, and maybe even solve a few problems together. If you’re thinking about which ones to attend, pick the ones that match your interests or challenges at work. And hey, even if you only make it to one, you’ll probably walk away with a few new contacts and a better sense of where the industry is headed. Here’s to a busy, interesting year ahead in utilities!