Bhubaneswar: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar and GRIDCO Limited have signed an Implementation Agreement for establishing the Centre for Renewable Energy Research & Studies (CRRS), Odisha.
The campus, to come up at the IIT Bhubaneswar campus, will go a long way in strengthening Odisha’s renewable energy research and innovation ecosystem.
The agreement was signed between IIT Bhubaneswar and GRIDCO Ltd on Wednesday in the presence of IIT Bhubaneswar Director Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar and GRIDCO MD Dr Satyapriya Rath, IAS.
The agreement is based on the MoU signed by GRIDCO and IIT Bhubaneswar in July 2025 to promote renewable energy research and development, and facilitate commercialisation 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 and bring 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 Odisha government’s 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.
“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,” said Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar.
Dr 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.”