PRESS RELEASE

The future of the energy sector is increasingly shaped by algorithms and the management of vast amounts of data, alongside physical infrastructure. This was the central message of the “AI in Energy 2026: Innovation, Smart Grids and Sustainable Cities” conference, organized by the Hellenic Association for Energy Economics (HAEE) in collaboration with the Decision Support Systems Laboratory (DSS Lab) of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA).

The conference brought together Public Officials, Academics and Business Representatives from the energy and technology sectors. It highlighted the pivotal role of Artificial Intelligence in transforming Greece’s energy model, developing smart grids and reshaping the labour market.

In his opening address, Mr. Haris Doukas, Mayor of Athens, highlighted the importance of improving Artificial Intelligence through a focus on the quality of primary data. He also referred to the establishment of the citizens’ energy community “Phaethon” and the operation of the Energy Poverty Observatory.

Labour market challenges were a central theme of the discussions. Ms. Niki Kerameus, Minister of Labour and Social Security, emphasised the need to bridge the skills gap through targeted reskilling and upskilling programmes. She also highlighted the importance of initiatives to counter brain drain, noting that the integration of Artificial Intelligence and new technologies into the energy sector is creating new, specialised, high-value-added jobs for Greece’s highly skilled professionals.

Mr. Kostas Vlasis, Deputy Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, subsequently underlined the crucial role of education and stronger links between higher education institutions and industry in enabling Greece’s scientific community to lead developments in smart grids. Mr. Christos Theodoropoulos, Deputy Regional Governor for Institutions, Transparency and e-Governance, Region of Attica, highlighted the regional dimension of green policies, stressing the importance of decentralised management and digital tools in reducing energy costs.

The conference continued with contributions from representatives of the energy and technology sectors, who outlined their perspectives on the way forward. Mr. Ioannis Moraitis, Director of Research, Technology & Development, IPTO, noted that, as the energy grid becomes increasingly complex, integrating Artificial Intelligence into real-time operations is becoming essential for system stability. He also stressed that critical thinking, transparency and human oversight remain the cornerstone of grid security.

Ms. Thalia Valkouma, Chair of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, Faria Renewables S.A., highlighted how innovative energy management solutions can optimise the performance and sustainability of individual projects and entire portfolios. Ms. Eleni Bairami, President and Chief Executive Officer, ECO HELLAS, emphasised the critical need to incorporate environmental criteria through digital applications, connecting Artificial Intelligence with the principles of the circular economy.

Discussions also addressed European policies on energy digitalisation, the regulatory framework of the AI Act, the management of data centre energy consumption and the development of research projects such as AI.Grids and EnerTEF.

Particular emphasis was placed on modernising energy infrastructure through the use of Digital Twins, the large-scale deployment of smart meters, the establishment of Digital Maintenance Centres and the transition towards real-time grid forecasting and management.

The conference reached a shared conclusion: achieving the energy transition will require more than the installation of additional “green” megawatts. It will also depend on the effective use of knowledge, data and synergies between technology, public institutions and industry.

For further insights, presentations and audiovisual material from the conference, you can watch the recording here, in Greek language.

We warmly thank the Sponsors, Participants and Partners who contributed to the success of the event.