THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, OCTOBER 29, 2026

Odisha has strengthened its global clean energy partnerships by signing four memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with international technology and energy companies and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, to accelerate research and innovation in renewable energy, artificial intelligence (AI), battery storage, smart grids and green hydrogen.

The agreements were signed at the Asia Clean Energy Summit (ACES), held as part of Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) 2026 from October 27 to 29, marking a significant step in the state's efforts to attract global expertise and develop advanced solutions for its clean energy transition.

Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo lauded the Energy Department's initiative, saying international partnerships would play a crucial role in building a future-ready and sustainable energy sector.

"Odisha is committed to building a future-ready and sustainable energy sector through innovation, research and global collaboration. These MoUs will strengthen our partnerships with leading international institutions and technology companies, enabling us to explore advanced solutions in energy storage, artificial intelligence, smart grids and green hydrogen," Singh Deo said.

Such collaborations would support the state's renewable energy ambitions, enhance energy security and help Odisha emerge as a key destination for clean energy investment and innovation, he added.

The four agreements cover a range of emerging technologies with potential applications across the state's energy ecosystem. Under the MoU with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Singapore, the partners will undertake joint research on digitalisation and AI-enabled workbench solutions for smart governance and consumer services.

The agreement with Singapore-based VFlowTech will focus on advanced research in flow battery technologies aimed at strengthening grid resilience and improving energy storage capabilities.

The MoU with PHENOGY, Singapore, provides for research on sodium-ion battery-based battery energy storage systems (BESS) for grid applications, while the agreement with Finland's DANFOSS Drives Oy will focus on next-generation microgrids, smart grid integration and green hydrogen production.

The latest agreements build on a research collaboration initiated in January 2023, when the Odisha Energy Department signed an MoU with NTU Singapore and IIT Bhubaneswar to advance research in renewable energy technologies.

The new partnerships expand the scope of that collaboration by bringing global industry expertise into joint research and technology development, with a greater emphasis on emerging technologies and their practical applications in the energy sector.

Dr Debidutta Tripathy, Special Secretary in the Odisha Energy Department, and Prof Madhavi Srinivasan, Executive Director of the Energy Research Institute at NTU (ERI@N), signed the MoUs on behalf of the state government and NTU, respectively.

Dr Satya Priya Rath, Managing Director of GRIDCO Ltd, Debasish Das, Director (Commercial) of GRIDCO, and Prof Subhransu Ranjan Samantaray, Dean (PG and Research) at IIT Bhubaneswar, were also present at the summit.

On the sidelines of the event, Energy Department officials met Singapore Minister of State for Trade and Industry Siow Huang Gan and representatives of Singapore's Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry, including Permanent Secretary (Energy and Trade) Augustin L.

The Odisha delegation briefed the Singaporean representatives on collaborative initiatives being pursued by GRIDCO, IIT Bhubaneswar and NTU Singapore, highlighting opportunities for deeper cooperation in clean energy research and technology development.

The state government expects the partnerships to strengthen industry-academia collaboration, facilitate technological advancement and improve the resilience of its power grid while supporting long-term energy security and sustainable development.

The agreements underscore Odisha's efforts to leverage international research capabilities and private-sector innovation to support its renewable energy transition and prepare its energy infrastructure for emerging technological challenges.