Hannover Messe: European Energy Innovation Points the Way Forward

I just got back from Hannover Messe, one of the biggest manufacturing shows in the world, and it left me thinking hard about how we manage energy in Canada. Europe’s approach is ahead in ways that North American businesses can learn from, and quickly.

The opening ceremony made it clear that this wasn’t just a trade show. Senior government officials from Germany and Canada, manufacturing CEOs, and academics spoke about how energy and carbon are now inseparable from industrial competitiveness. Europe is treating energy as a strategic priority, and it shows.

A Different Way of Thinking About Energy

What stood out right away was how integrated their thinking is. Siemens’ CEO talked about the need for an “energy operating system”, a framework that brings together people, technology, and strategy to manage costs and emissions. It echoed what we’ve been saying and building at 360 Energy with our own platform, 360 ECOS.

We had great conversations at our booth all week with people from Turkey, Poland, the Netherlands, Germany. Some were potential customers, others channel partners. A few commented-on Canada’s stance globally, and there was genuine interest in working together.

They’re Not Curious—They’re Committed

This wasn’t just casual interest. Europe’s energy prices are still three to four times higher than ours. That pressure has driven a level of commitment and innovation we don’t see often in North America. Their goals are tied to energy independence, affordability, and carbon reduction all at once.

Two topics came up constantly: hydrogen and AI. Hydrogen is gaining traction because of their renewables-heavy grid and limited gas supply. And AI is being used in real, day-to-day energy management to optimize load, costs, and emissions in ways that go beyond pilot projects.

Energy Isn’t Just Electricity

Another big difference: they don’t separate electricity and natural gas when talking about energy. Everything is bundled together, often measured in megawatts. It’s a small detail but says a lot about how they approach the problem holistically.

The level of knowledge was impressive. People understood market dynamics, usage patterns, pricing structures. And because of that, they’re not managing energy once a year, instead they’re doing it every day.

What This Means for Us

Everything we’ve been working on at 360 Energy since 1995 including data, systems, and active management is exactly what Europe is focused on now. We’re excited about the opportunities that came from the show and what they might mean for our work in both Europe and North America.

We’ve always believed that managing energy is a leadership issue, not a technical one. What we saw in Hannover reinforced that. There’s a lot we can bring to Europe, but just as importantly, there’s a lot we can bring back.