BHUBANESWAR: Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) has initiated steps for setting up of small power grids in the State to enable uninterrupted power supply as many villages here are still difficult to approach or connect with the main grid. Speaking at joint workshop on ‘Greening India Through Renewables’ conducted jointly by Utkal Chamber of Commerce and Industry Limited (UCCIL) and IREDA, CMD of IREDA Pradip Kumar Das said the agency has sanctioned Rs 693.15 crore and disbursed Rs 354.47 crore in the State so far.
UCCIL president Brahma Mishra said the State is the largest producer of Steel and Aluminum and that has resulted in fast depleting coal stock. This makes Odisha the second-largest carbon-emitting state in the country. The State has produced 40 million tonne steel, 3.4 million tonne aluminium by 2021-22. The production target is 1000 million tonne steel and 10 million tonne aluminium by 2030.
“At this rate greenhouse gas emission or release would be three times higher and the requirement of electricity would go up by three times. It is an urgent requirement that the carbon release to be reduced considerably by shifting focus to and by giving topmost priority for viable use of renewable energy,” Mishra pointed out. Director (Technical) of IREDA Chintan Navinbhai Shah and Vice President (Commerce) of UCCIL Ashok Kumar Sharda also spoke.