The Green Tank voted in favor during the tenth written evaluation process conducted by the Hellenic Managing Authority (EYDAM) under the 2021–2027 Just Transition Development Program (JTDP). The submitted dossier included two projects.
The first project concerns energy upgrade works for public and municipal buildings in the North and South Aegean regions, with a total budget of €10 million (€6.854 million for the North Aegean and €3.154 million for the South Aegean). Eligible actions, which together aim to reduce the buildings’ carbon footprint by at least 30% compared to 2021 emissions, include:
- Works on the building envelope, such as adding insulation and replacing or upgrading windows and glazing with new, high-energy-efficiency materials;
- Energy upgrades to electromechanical systems for heating, cooling, and domestic hot water (DHW) production;
- On-site electricity generation from renewable energy sources with storage;
- Installation of high-efficiency combined heat and power (CHP) units, excluding fossil-fuel-based CHP;
- Replacement of heating systems with air-source or geothermal heat pumps, along with auxiliary systems to support DHW supply;
- Upgrades to natural and artificial lighting systems;
- Installation of automation and energy management systems;
- Costs for consulting and engineering services.
The second project, with a total budget of €5 million, will fund the creation of an Innovation Hub to support tourism and cultural development in Western Macedonia. Under this initiative, digital tools and applications will be developed to serve as channels for information, customer service, and business-market connectivity. These infrastructures will facilitate access to data, educational content, and promotional materials, strengthening cohesion and collaboration within the tourism ecosystem.
With the inclusion of these two projects, the allocations under the 2021–2027 JTDP now reach €1.353 billion, or 83% of the program’s total €1.629 billion budget. As a result, the room for funding initiatives with immediate local impact is narrowing. Such initiatives include citizen energy communities and small- and medium-sized enterprises, heat pump installations, and support for new businesses in transition regions—measures that could prevent outmigration, particularly from the country’s lignite-dependent areas.
