Odisha, CSTEP Sign Five-Year Pact to Boost Clean Energy Planning and Agrivoltaics

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Friday signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) to strengthen data-driven energy planning, promote renewable energy adoption and support evidence-based policymaking across the state’s power sector.

The agreement between the Energy Department and the Bengaluru-based policy research think tank was signed in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo. Senior officials, including Additional Chief Secretary of the Energy Department Vishal Kumar Dev, GRIDCO Managing Director Dr. Satyapriya Rath, and representatives from the Odisha Hydro Power Corporation, Odisha Power Generation Corporation and the Energy Department, attended the event.

The partnership aims to establish a collaborative framework for modernising Odisha’s energy sector through digital modelling, long-term power scenario planning and farmer-centric renewable energy initiatives.

As part of the agreement, CSTEP will provide technical support for the joint development, enhancement and capacity building of its SAFARI (Sustainable Alternative Futures for Agriculture and Renewables Integration) model and interactive dashboard. The platform will enable state departments and power utilities to undertake data-driven planning and make informed policy decisions for the energy sector.

A key focus of the collaboration will be the promotion of Agrivoltaics (AgriPV) across Odisha. The initiative seeks to integrate solar power generation with agricultural land, allowing farmers to generate clean energy while continuing cultivation, thereby creating an additional source of income.

Speaking on the occasion, Singh Deo said the partnership would help accelerate Odisha’s transition towards clean, reliable and affordable energy while improving the livelihoods of farmers through renewable energy-based interventions.

Officials said the collaboration would also strengthen grid integration strategies and institutionalise evidence-based decision-making across state energy agencies, supporting Odisha’s long-term clean energy and sustainability goals.