COPA-DATA UK launches flagship Innovation Unlimited Conference for the energy sector
Posted on 18 August 2026
Energy professionals will come together in London this October for Innovation Unlimited 2026, COPA-DATA UK's new flagship conference exploring the technologies, challenges and ideas shaping the future of critical energy infrastructure.
Taking place at IET London: Savoy Place on 6 October 2026, the free-to-attend event has been created to give professionals working across energy, automation, engineering and operational technology an opportunity to step away from the day-to-day and hear how others are approaching some of the industry's biggest challenges.
As energy infrastructure becomes increasingly digital and interconnected, organisations are having to balance modernisation with reliability, resilience and cybersecurity. Innovation Unlimited will bring those conversations together, with a strong focus on practical experiences and approaches that attendees can take back to their own organisations.
From digital substations to software-defined automation
The dedicated Energy track will explore areas including digital and virtual substations, IEC 61850, OT cybersecurity, SCADA modernisation and software-defined automation.
Rather than focusing solely on what's possible in theory, the conference will look at how new approaches are being applied to real projects, what organisations are learning along the way and what the next generation of energy automation could look like.
A speaker from Siemens Energy is already confirmed, with further customer and industry speakers due to be announced ahead of the conference.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to put questions directly to speakers and technical specialists, as well as compare experiences with other professionals responsible for developing and operating critical energy infrastructure.
A day built around useful conversations
Alongside the conference sessions, Innovation Unlimited will provide dedicated time for networking and informal discussion.
The aim is to create an environment where attendees can have useful conversations with peers facing similar challenges – whether they're currently planning a modernisation project, considering new approaches to substation automation, addressing OT cybersecurity or looking at how their architecture needs to evolve over the coming years.
The choice of venue also reflects the theme of the day. IET London: Savoy Place is home to the 100 Engineering Ideas That Changed the World exhibition, providing a fitting backdrop for a conference focused on what could come next.
Innovation Unlimited takes inspiration from COPA-DATA's international zenonIZE event in Salzburg, while creating a dedicated UK forum shaped around the priorities and challenges facing the local Energy and Life Sciences industries.
Register for Innovation Unlimited 2026
Innovation Unlimited 2026 takes place on Tuesday 6 October at IET London: Savoy Place.
Attendance is free, but places are limited and advance registration is required.
