Bhubaneswar: Principal Secretary, Energy & E&IT, Vishal Kumar Dev has appealed to investors to explore the renewable energy potential in Odisha and invest for a cleaner and greener future of Odisha.
Shri Dev was addressing at the Odisha Solar Investor Conclave, organized by GRIDCO and iFOREST (International Forum for Environment Sustainability and Technology) here on 23 December.
“Odisha is on the cusp of a transformative energy transition. The demand for clean and affordable energy has never been more important to address the global challenge of climate change. Renewable energy including solar power especially floating solar is the key potential Odisha has,” Shri Dev said.
The State government has set an ambitious target to add another 10 gigawatt of renewable energy by 2023, he said, adding, “The government is fully committed to unlock the full potential of solar energy and this conclave is a testament to our commitment to clean energy.”
The policies and initiatives of the State aimed towards ensuring ease of doing business facilitating required infrastructure and necessary support to the investors, Principal Secretary Shri Dev said.
The Principal Secretary Energy urged the stakeholders, investors, developers and financial institutions to explore the future investment opportunities in Odisha.
“Together we can and we must build a cleaner and greener future of Odisha,” he said in a positive note.
Shri Dev appealed to the investors to come forward and collaborate with the state government in achieving the renewable energy target.
Solar power currently accounts for 21% of Odisha’s total 2,938 MW renewable energy capacity, including hydro. This includes 508 MW of ground-mounted, 58 MW of rooftop, and 42 MW of off-grid solar capacity.
Top districts for solar potential include Sundargarh (15.23 GW), Angul (14.06 GW), Balangir (11.62 GW), Jharsuguda (11.45 GW), and Dhenkanal (9.70 GW). These are also Odisha’s key industrial hubs.
The event underscored the state’s commitment to achieving 7.5 GW of solar capacity by 2030, as part of the state’s larger vision to add 10.95 GW of renewable energy capacity by the same year.