Two major investments linking research, technology and innovation with productive growth are taking shape in Western Macedonia, as the region undergoes Greece’s energy and economic transition.
Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence Minister Dimitris Papastergiou and Deputy Development Minister responsible for Research and Innovation Stavros Kalafatis visited Kozani and Ptolemaida to inspect the projects, which aim to create new opportunities for research, businesses, investment and employment.
The ministers first visited the Western Macedonia University facilities in Kozani, where Rector Theodoros Theodoulidis briefed them on the site that will host Greece’s new supercomputer.
The €38 million supercomputer will provide specialised infrastructure for Artificial Intelligence applications, with a particular focus on energy and agri-food. The government will finance the investment through national resources under the Just Development Transition Programme.
The tendering process for the purchase of the new supercomputer will begin in October 2026.
Its installation at the University of Western Macedonia will directly connect the infrastructure with the region’s research and education ecosystem. Researchers and young scientists will gain access to advanced computing capabilities, while start-ups and small and medium-sized businesses will have opportunities to use the computing power and AI capabilities to develop and test new applications, services and products.
The government also expects the supercomputer to act as a catalyst for a broader technology ecosystem connecting high-performance computing infrastructure, data centres and AI Factories.
The project could also support the emergence of a new ecosystem of start-ups and SMEs around AI infrastructure, encouraging investment, specialised employment and the development of highly skilled workers across northern Greece.
Authorities aim to strengthen Western Macedonia’s position as a strategic node in the European high-performance computing infrastructure network, with particular importance for the Balkans and southeastern Europe.
The National Infrastructures for Research and Technology (GRNET), operating under the Ministry of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, coordinates the project in cooperation with the university and the Region of Western Macedonia.
The new facility will also operate in synergy with Greece’s national “DAEDALUS” supercomputer and the “PHAROS” AI Factory, which form the two main pillars of the country’s national AI ecosystem.
Hydrogen hub targets real-world applications
Earlier, Papastergiou and Kalafatis visited the Hydrogen Innovation Hub that the National Centre for Research and Technology-Hellas (CERTH) is developing at the Ptolemaida Industrial Park.
The €19.8 million investment covers 20 acres and will create an integrated environment for developing and testing hydrogen technologies.
The hub will include an initial hydrogen production facility capable of producing 100 kilograms per day, with the capacity to expand to 400 kilograms. It will also feature a 1 MW photovoltaic station, storage facilities and a hydrogen refuelling station.
The project will support applications with direct practical benefits.
The hydrogen station will supply two waste collection trucks operated by the Municipality of Eordaia, allowing the municipality to carry out cleaner and quieter waste collection without emissions in the city.
The project also includes plans for a pilot inductive road with integrated photovoltaic panels that could wirelessly charge electric vehicles while they travel.
Authorities also plan to use the heat generated by the facility to heat buildings.
The hub will simultaneously provide researchers, businesses and emerging technology teams with a real-world testing environment, allowing innovative solutions to move from laboratories to practical applications and eventually into the market.
During their visit to Ptolemaida, Papastergiou and Kalafatis also visited Eordaia Town Hall, where they met Mayor Panagiotis Plakentas and discussed issues affecting the area and its development transition.
The ministers later met Western Macedonia Regional Governor Giorgos Amanatidis at the regional administration headquarters. Their discussions focused on cooperation over the development of the new supercomputer in Kozani and the broader use of technology and innovation as drivers of the region’s new development path.
Government: Western Macedonia is changing course
Papastergiou said Western Macedonia was “turning a new page” and taking on a new role in the economy of the future.
He said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had set a clear objective for the region’s transition: creating genuine opportunities, attracting new investment and generating quality jobs.
“With planning and targeted interventions, we are investing in the potential of the region and its people, so that Western Macedonia can play a leading role in the new era,” Papastergiou said.
Kalafatis said Western Macedonia was “changing level” and highlighted CERTH’s role in creating an innovation hub designed to move research beyond laboratories and turn it into practical solutions for citizens.
He pointed to investments in cleaner and quieter neighbourhoods, heating for the Bodosakeio Hospital and stronger district heating systems in the region’s cities.
The two investments, the government says, strengthen Western Macedonia’s transition toward a new productive model built around technology, research, innovation and high-value investment.
