Odisha Proposes Target Of 30 GW RE Output By 2030

With Odisha set to draft its new Renewable Energy (RE) policy for 2022-30, the International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iFOREST) on Tuesday initiated a dialogue on preparing the roadmap with a focus on the generation of green energy and jobs.

The present RE policy introduced in 2016 will lapse by the end of this year. Though the present policy had set a modest target of installing 2,750 MW of RE capacity by 2022, only 617 MW was installed, which is less than 25 per cent (pc) of the target, by end of March.

Largely reliant on coal to meet its energy requirement, Odisha has been importing renewable energy, like solar and wind power, from other states to meet its Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) set under Central government guidance.

So far, Odisha has been importing renewable energy like solar and wind power from other states to meet its Renewable Purchase Obligation set under the Central government guidance. The RPO target of Odisha for 2022-23 is 11.5%. This means that 11.5% of electricity consumed in Odisha in 2022-23 has to be renewable energy. This target will increase to 43.33% by 2029-30.

President and CEO of iFOREST Chandra Bhushan said, “There is a general misconception that Odisha doesn’t have RE potential. An analysis shows that the State has large RE potential that needs an innovative policy to unlock. The new RE policy should be 30 GW renewable energy by 2030.”

“Odisha should involve farmers and landowners in RE development. Generation of green energy should be encouraged on water bodies and wastelands like abandoned mines besides rooftop solar and distributed renewable energy to generate income and jobs,” said Programme Lead (Energy and Climate Change), iFOREST Mandvi Singh.