Odisha govt asks green energy development agency to promote solar power

Chief Secretary SC Mohapatra has directed the Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency to explore options for incentivising private use of such green power, it said. 

In a virtual review meeting, the chief secretary told officials to prepare a plan for promotional activities and popularise use of solar-based agricultural equipment, water heater, lights and green-powered machines. 

New solar technologies in the fields of cold storage, drinking water, millet processing, sewing and rope-making were also discussed in the meeting, according to the statement issued on Saturday. 

The agency has 4 lakh renewable energy installations till July and has been able to reduce emission of more than 30 tonne of carbon dioxide per year, OREDA''s Chief Executive Officer Dhananjaya Swain said. 

The OREDA executed 1,163 rooftop solar projects with a total capacity of 12.3 megawatt and 2.44 lakh biogas plants. 

It also developed 13,219 solar-powered drinking water projects and distributed 1,687 irrigation pumps and 82,033 green lanterns, he said.