Odisha govt to introduce land lease policy to boost renewable energy projects

Bhubaneswar, Dec 12 (PTI) The Odisha government is working on a policy to lease land for renewable energy (RE) projects, as part of its push to meet ‘Net Zero’ commitments, a senior official said.

Satyapriya Rath, Managing Director of GRIDCO Ltd, said land acquisition has emerged as a major hurdle for projects across states, prompting Odisha to frame a dedicated land lease policy to facilitate smoother allotment for renewable ventures.

GRIDCO Ltd (formerly the Grid Corporation of Odisha Ltd) is the state-designated entity responsible for bulk power procurement on behalf of the DISCOMs in Odisha.

“The policy is in draft stage. After stakeholder vetting, it will be implemented in the next two months,” Rath told reporters on Thursday at a workshop organised by the International Forum for Environment Sustainability and Technology (iFOREST).

Under the proposal, land parcels will be leased to RE developers for 25 years at a nominal rate, he said.

Rath said the state is promoting a broad spectrum of clean-energy projects —solar, hydro, green hydrogen and green ammonia — to meet Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPOs).

Of the state’s over 9,000 MW installed power capacity, more than 2,150 MW comes from hydro, while another 500-600 MW is sourced from hydro projects in other states, he said.

Odisha has also identified more than 160 sites for small hydro projects.

He said subsidies are being offered for rooftop solar systems under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, while floating solar and agro-PV projects are also being encouraged. PTI BBM RBT