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Energy Department, Govt. of Odisha and CSTEP Partner to Accelerate Clean Energy Transition and Farmer-Centric Agrivoltaics*

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BHUBANESWAR, July 2026— The Energy Department, Government of Odisha, and the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), a premier non-profit policy research think-tank, have formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to execute a state-wide technical partnership.

The strategic 5-year agreement establishes a collaborative framework aimed at advancing Odisha’s energy sector through data-driven policy planning, digital modeling, and farmer-centric renewable energy deployment.

The MoU was officially signed in the esteemed presence of Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Energy, Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo.

The occasion was graced by senior government officials, including Shri Vishal Kumar Dev, Additional Chief Secretary, Energy Department, Managing Director, GRIDCO, Dr Satyapriya Rath, Senior Officers from Odisha Hydro Power Corporation, Odisha Power Generation Corporation, and the Energy Department.

The MoU includes, Joint development, technical enhancement, and capacity-building support for CSTEP’s SAFARI (Sustainable Alternative Futures for Agriculture and Renewables Integration) model and interactive dashboard. It helps to enable state line departments and utilities to conduct evidence-based, long-term power scenario planning and policy decision-making. This also includes strategic promotion, technical design, and field implementation support for Agrivoltaics (AgriPV) across Odisha.

Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister Shri Singh Deo highlighted that, it integrates solar power generation directly with agricultural land use, driving livelihood-linked renewable energy deployment and supplementing income for farmers.

This will also help in Institutionalizing evidence-based decision-making across state energy bodies, strengthens grid integration strategies, and accelerates the state’s transition toward clean, reliable, and affordable power.