Bhubaneswar: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), in collaboration with the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA), organised a pre-event conference for Global Wind Day here, Wednesday.
The speech of MNRE joint secretary Lalit Bohra was read out by IREDA director (Finance) BK Mohanty as he was unable to attend the conference in person. Bohra emphasised the rapid development of renewable energy across the country and highlighted the measures taken by both state and central governments. According to the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), India’s onshore wind potential is estimated at 1,164 GW at 150 meters above ground level, with Odisha’s potential of 12 GW. In his keynote address, IREDA CMD Pradip Kumar Das highlighted the state’s significant green energy potential and the promising opportunities within the state. He pointed out Odisha’s potential to lead in green hydrogen projects, stressing the state’s critical role in advancing sustainable energy initiatives.
Till March, 2024, IREDA has disbursed cumulative loans totalling Rs 1,25,917 crores in renewable energy, with Rs 26,913 crores disbursed to wind power projects nationwide. Specifically, Rs 1,637 crores loan has been disbursed by IREDA towards renewable energy projects in the state. Das also underlined Odisha’s Renewable Energy Policy 2022, which aims to drive investments in clean energy, with a special focus on RE manufacturing and emerging technologies such as green hydrogen, green ammonia, and floating solar. He reaffirmed the vital importance of harnessing renewable energy for sustainable national development and encouraged renewable energy developers to seize the expanding opportunities in Odisha and other states.