The Aragonese economy is on the verge of a historically significant transformation. The recent report from the Basilio Paraíso Foundation reveals that the massive arrival of data centers to the community will generate an impact equivalent to ten percent of its current GDP, with an annual contribution ranging from 4 billion to 5 billion euros. With over 47 billion euros committed by 2035, Aragon is preparing to compete head-to-head with major European hubs in London and Frankfurt, already surpassing projections of tech capitals like Paris and Dublin.
The foundation, linked to the Zaragoza Chamber of Commerce, has quantified a phenomenon that was previously only hinted at in announcements from giants such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, or Blackstone. According to their calculations, the region will rank third in Europe in installed capacity, with more than 2,500 megawatts dedicated to data processing, a volume that positions it as a major player in the new digital economy.
For every million euros invested in data centers contracted directly to Aragonese companies, approximately 1.35 million euros of total economic activity are generated in the region.
The impact will not be immediate but will unfold in two distinct phases. During the construction phase, which will extend until 2035, Aragon will experience an unprecedented capital injection, with a peak of investment between 2026 and 2029 that could reach 16.8% of the regional GDP in a single year. Just in this period, the construction of infrastructure will generate between 7.9 billion and 10.8 billion euros of new wealth, involving sectors such as engineering, metallurgy, and materials construction.
The second stage will arrive with the full operation of the centers. It is at this point when the region will consolidate a structural engine of activity capable of contributing steadily up to 982 million euros annually to the GDP and maintaining operational expenditures close to 2.4 billion, of which approximately two-thirds could be absorbed by Aragonese companies. At this stage, the multiplier effect is evident: for every million euros invested or spent in Aragon, 1.35 million euros of economic activity are generated in the region.
One of the most debated elements since the announcement of the investments has been the ability of these infrastructures to create jobs. Contrary to initial skepticism, the report demonstrates that the magnitude of the phenomenon is considerable. During the construction phase, labor demand could reach between 136,000 and 187,000 full-time equivalent jobs over the next decade, with peaks of over 20,000 positions in the years of highest intensity. Once operational, the centers will provide direct employment for between 3,150 and 4,500 highly qualified professionals—engineers, IT technicians, installation specialists—with an average gross salary of 42,000 euros. This will also add to the economic ripple effect, which will allow the total figure to rise to 9,000 stable jobs.
The investment transforms Aragon from being a major exporter of renewable energy to becoming a significant producer and self-consumer of renewable energy, consolidating its status as an energy hub.
The public coffers will also be strengthened. The study estimates that in the next ten years, the Aragonese administrations will collect between 860 million and 1.2 billion euros thanks to these investments, while the municipalities involved could raise up to 392 million, mainly through property taxes. With these additional resources, Azcón emphasized, “it will be possible to build hospitals, schools, or affordable housing that improve the quality of life for citizens.”
However, it is not all positives. The report clearly highlights the challenges that must be faced to ensure that this wave of investment does not derail. The most urgent challenge is to guarantee access to the electrical grid. Although Aragon produces nearly double the energy it consumes and leads in renewables, the connectivity capacity is limited, and state processing is progressing slowly. Azcón himself acknowledged that the viability of the projects depends on the Ministry of Ecological Transition accelerating investment in electricity transport.
The projected energy consumption is between 2,900 and 3,400 megawatts, which is equivalent to half of the regional electric demand expected for 2030. Nevertheless, the commitment to renewable supply contracts and the integration of new solar and wind plants allow for a feasible scenario, where the community will cease to be simply an energy exporter and transform into a significant self-consumer of renewables. Water, another sensitive issue, will have an impact equivalent to between 7.6% and 22.9% of Zaragoza’s annual consumption. To mitigate this, developers plan to use efficient cooling technologies and recycled water, placing Aragon at the forefront of sustainability in this sector.
On an international level, Aragon’s strategy is already being compared to established hubs like Virginia’s «Data Center Alley,» the Frankfurt cluster, or the Irish model. All of these demonstrate how a concentration of digital infrastructure can reconfigure a territory’s economy, attracting companies in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, or fintech. Aragon aspires to replicate this “gravitational effect” and reverse the historical decline of its ICT sector, which has lost 40% of its national market share since 2000.
The Basilio Paraíso Foundation proposes measures to consolidate this path: from the creation of an independent observatory to monitor development, to the establishment of an investment fund fueled by the tax revenues from the centers, along with a master plan that defines the long-term strategy.
In conclusion, Aragon has decided to take a leap that transcends economic matters to position itself as a key node of European digital sovereignty. The challenge is monumental, but so is the opportunity. The region, previously known as a logistics hub in southern Europe, is set to become one of the global capitals of data.
