THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, JULY 30, 2026
The Energy Department of the Government of Odisha on Thursday
signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Center for Study
of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), a premier non-profit policy research
think tank, to strengthen the state's clean energy transition through
data-driven policy planning, digital modelling and farmer-centric renewable
energy deployment.
The strategic partnership establishes a state-wide technical
collaboration aimed at advancing Odisha's energy sector by developing
scientific tools for long-term planning, enhancing institutional capacity and
accelerating the adoption of innovative renewable energy solutions.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister
and Minister for Agriculture & Farmers' Empowerment and Energy, Kanak
Vardhan Singh Deo.
The event was attended by Additional Chief Secretary (Energy)
Vishal Kumar Dev, GRIDCO Managing
Director Dr Satyapriya Rath, along with senior officials from the Energy
Department, Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC), Odisha Hydro Power
Corporation (OHPC) and GRIDCO.
Under the agreement, the Energy Department and CSTEP will
jointly develop, technically enhance and build institutional capacity around
CSTEP's SAFARI (Sustainable Alternative Futures for Agriculture and Renewables
Integration) model and its interactive dashboard. The platform will enable
state line departments and power utilities to undertake evidence-based,
long-term power sector scenario planning and informed policy decision-making.
The collaboration also envisages strategic promotion,
technical design and field implementation support for Agrivoltaics (AgriPV)
across Odisha, integrating solar power generation with agricultural land use to
maximise land productivity while expanding renewable energy capacity.
Highlighting the significance of the initiative, Singh Deo
said Agrivoltaics combines solar energy generation directly with agricultural
activities, creating a livelihood-linked renewable energy model that can
supplement farmers' incomes while supporting the state's clean energy
ambitions.
He said the partnership would institutionalise evidence-based decision-making across state energy agencies, strengthen grid integration strategies and accelerate Odisha's transition towards a clean, reliable and affordable power system.
Officials said the collaboration is expected to provide a robust technical framework for future energy planning, improve policy formulation through digital modelling and support the large-scale deployment of sustainable renewable energy solutions in the state.
