Odisha Makes Significant Strides in Renewable Energy Generation

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) has made significant strides in generation and use of renewable energy in the State with more than 4,00,000 installations serving around 5.5 million people.

This was known from a high level review meeting held on digital mode under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra from Lokseba Bhawan recently wherein Principal Secretary Energy Nikunjabiharee Dhal outlined the issues for discussion.

Reviewing the progress made so far, Chief Secretary directed the agency to come up with cost effective proposals for promoting the domestic and private use of solar power in the State. Mahapatra directed to poularise the devices like solar water heater, solar lights, solar fencing in farms and agricultural fields, solar based agricultural equipment through intensive awareness, demonstration and promotional activities. Chief Secretary also directed to explore the possibilities for incentivizing the domestic and private use of solar power.

Presenting the updates, Chief Executive Dhananjaya Swain said by end of July- 2021 OREDA with 4,00,000 different types of renewable energy installations, was able to reduce emission of more than 30 MT carbon dioxide per year. Its major installations included 1163 number of roof top solar projects having the total capacity of 12.3 MW power. Besides, it installed 2.44 lakh biogas plants, 13, 219 solar powered drinking water projects, 1,687 solar irrigation pumps, and 18,122 improved solar cook stoves. The agency also helped in electrification of 2,903 villages with 84,858 households and has distributed 82,033 solar lanterns.

The new technologies like solar cold storage, solar drinking water kiosks, solar-powered Lok-seba Kendras, solar sewing machines, solar rope making machines, solar millet processing units, solar silk reeling units, solar dryers for vegetables, grains, fishes, spices in most hygienic manner etc were discussed in the meeting.

Considering the potential use of the new technologies in Odisha, Mahapatra directed to frame a work plan for enhancing the use of solar-powered machines and devices in domestic, private and Government sectors. For the purpose, a committee was constituted under the Chairmanship of the Development Commissioner Pardeep Kumar Jena involving the departments of energy, science and technology, agriculture, horticulture, health and family welfare, panchayati raj and drinking water, water resources, fisheries and animal resource development, handloom and handicraft and finance.

Principal Secretary Dhal appraised that in the meanwhile the customer care service of OREDA had been automated for providing seamless services like creation of preliminary data prior to installation, installation, technical support, maintenance of assets, follow-up corrective measures and attending to the complaints through phones, mails and messages. The toll-free number-1800-345-7135 and mobile numbers 9438016007/9438016008 were operating through the automated system.