Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has successfully installed rooftop solar projects with a combined capacity of 17,705 kilowatts (KW) on 1,232 public buildings across the state, Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo announced in the State Assembly on Wednesday.
Singh Deo, who also holds the Energy portfolio, shared that the Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) has installed rooftop solar units with a total capacity of 8,317.69 KW on 825 government offices and 5,387 KW on 342 educational institutions over the past five years.
Additionally, the Green Energy Development Corporation of Odisha Ltd (GEDCOL) has set up solar plants on 65 government offices, educational institutions, and hospital buildings in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, with a combined capacity of 4,000.55 KW.
In a separate statement, Singh Deo revealed that 2,740 individuals in Odisha have benefited from the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSG: MBY), with central government assistance amounting to Rs 13.75 crore distributed among beneficiaries. The state government has allocated Rs 1,800 crore in its budget for the scheme’s implementation over the next three financial years (2024-25 to 2026-27).
As of the last fiscal year, Odisha’s total installed renewable energy capacity, contracted by GRIDCO, stood at 595 MW, excluding large hydroelectric projects. The Energy Department has set an ambitious target of generating 10,960 MW from renewable energy sources by 2030, which would constitute approximately 57% of the state’s total energy mix.
Singh Deo highlighted that the Odisha Renewable Energy Policy, 2022 (OREP, 2022), introduced by the state government, offers various incentives to encourage individuals, businesses, and industries to adopt renewable energy. This policy aligns with India’s commitment under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to reduce GDP emissions intensity by 45% by 2030 (from 2005 levels) and generate 50% of electricity from non-fossil fuel sources by the same year.
The state’s renewable energy targets are in sync with both national and global climate goals, reinforcing Odisha’s commitment to sustainable development and environmental conservation.
