Bhubaneswar, Sep 3: In a major step towards strengthening Odisha’s renewable energy research and innovation ecosystem, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar and GRIDCO Limited have entered into an implementation agreement for establishing the Centre for Renewable Energy Research & Studies at the IIT Bhubaneswar campus.
The agreement was signed between IIT Bhubaneswar and GRICO Ltd, in the presence of Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar and Dr. Satyapriya Rath, Managing Director, GRIDCO Limited. The agreement has been built on the MoU signed by GRIDCO and IIT Bhubaneswar in July 2025 to promote renewable energy research and development and facilitate the commercialization and adoption of renewable energy technologies in Odisha.
Envisaged under the Odisha Renewable Energy Policy (OREP) 2022, the centre will serve as a collaborative platform bringing together academia, the power sector, industry and government for advanced research, technology demonstration, capacity building and policy support in renewable energy.
GRIDCO will serve as the implementing agency on behalf of the Energy Department while IIT Bhubaneswar will be the host-cum-academic partner.
The CRRS will undertake research across emerging and strategic areas including solar and wind energy, green hydrogen, energy storage, smart grids, renewable energy integration, EV infrastructure, alternative energy generation, advanced materials and sustainable battery systems.
On this occasion, Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar said, “The CRRS will create a strong bridge between cutting-edge research and real-world energy challenges. Through this partnership, we aim to develop innovative and scalable technologies that can contribute meaningfully to Odisha’s clean-energy transition.”
Dr. Satyapriya Rath said, “The CRRS will strengthen Odisha’s capacity to develop and adopt renewable energy solutions through a research-driven approach. Our partnership with IIT Bhubaneswar will help connect innovation with the practical needs of the State’s evolving power sector.”
On the occasion of the agreement signing ceremony, amongst others, Prof Vijay Shankar Pasupureddi (Dean-Sponsored Research & Industrial Consultancy), Directors of GRIDCO Debashis Das and Kshirod C Nanda, Principal Investigator (PI) Prof Subhransu R. Samantaray, Co-PI Prof Umaprasana Ojha and Coordinator from GRIDCO Rutupurna Mansingh were present.
As part of the collaboration, IIT Bhubaneswar will provide infrastructure, laboratories, academic resources and research expertise, while GRIDCO will facilitate funding, government coordination and industry linkages. The centre will also pursue additional research support through government schemes, international agencies, CSR and industry partnerships.
The proposed facilities include a central research laboratory, testing and certification facilities, pilot demonstration plants, a training center and a renewable energy data centre for resource assessment and forecasting.
