GELS 2025, designed as India’s first COP-style platform for interstate coordination, concluded with a high-level press briefing led by key delegates, including Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister (Energy, Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment) of the Government of Odisha; Shri Vishal Dev, Principal Secretary for Energy and Electronics & IT; and Shri Vivek Agarwal, Country Head of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
Over the course of two days, GELS assembled a distinguished group of leaders, policymakers, industry CEOs, global experts, and researchers for a series of structured closed-door discussions, thematic panel conversations, technical deep dives, and knowledge-sharing sessions. These engagements addressed critical issues such as AI-enabled grid security, carbon markets, advanced financing, clean-tech innovation, and institutional reforms. Collectively, these discussions have established a foundation for a long-term collaborative platform aimed at guiding India’s energy sector toward a clean, resilient, and innovation-driven future.
MoUs Signed to Advance Innovation, Institutional Strengthening, and Renewable Energy Deployment
A significant outcome of GELS 2025 was the signing of four strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at accelerating research, pilot projects, and clean-energy deployment across Odisha. These agreements demonstrate the Summit’s commitment to long-term cooperation, innovation, and institutional development.
1. **Pilot Projects in Renewable Energy** – A trilateral MoU was signed between Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, GRIDCO, and IIT Bhubaneswar to collaborate on advanced renewable energy pilot projects and applied research.
2. **Green Hydrogen Centre of Excellence** – This MoU establishes a Green Hydrogen Centre of Excellence in Odisha, involving GRIDCO, ReNew, IIT Bhubaneswar, and Avaada. It supports research and development, demonstrations, and capacity building as part of India’s green hydrogen mission.
3. **Renewable Energy Development Partnership** – A tripartite MoU was signed between NLC India Renewables Ltd (NIRL), the Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA), and GEDCOL to jointly develop renewable energy projects across Odisha.
4. **Clean-Energy Deployment Framework** – A multi-agency MoU was signed among the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC), Green Energy Development Corporation of Odisha (GEDCOL), and OREDA to accelerate renewable energy development and integrated planning.
Launch of the Draft Puri Declaration
Following extensive discussions during a two-day session, and with input from the Union Power Ministry and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, a draft of the Puri Declaration was presented. This marks a significant step toward establishing a lasting cooperative framework for India’s clean energy transition. The draft Puri Declaration has already been circulated among states for consultation and consensus-building, ensuring that the final declaration is genuinely co-authored and collectively owned.
Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo expressed gratitude to the visiting dignitaries and shared optimism about the future of the Puri Declaration, stating, “The process of building consensus for the Puri Declaration is underway. Once completed, it will be a collective acknowledgement that no state can achieve its goals alone and a commitment that no state will have to.”
Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, congratulated the Odisha government for leading a summit of such scale and significance. He encouraged the hosts to make this summit an annual event, assuring them that participation and engagement would increase as states recognise the value of this collaborative platform.
Shri Vishal Dev emphasised that GELS 2025 “demonstrated a clear appetite among states and institutions for coordinated action and shared frameworks.” He added that the outcomes of the summit reflect a consensus on the structural reforms needed over the coming decade. Offering a vote of thanks, Professor Anoop Singh noted, “GELS has fulfilled its promise as a platform where leaders don’t just discuss challenges; they co-create solutions.”
GELS 2025 also reaffirmed its strong commitment to sustainability. The summit was organised in accordance with ISO 20121 – Event Sustainability Management Systems, and a comprehensive carbon footprint assessment was conducted by an external sustainability partner. All greenhouse gas emissions generated during the event were measured, verified, and neutralised through monitored local afforestation initiatives, positioning GELS as one of India’s first major energy conferences designed for carbon neutrality. It is also the first event in Odisha to successfully achieve carbon neutrality. The total carbon footprint of the event was calculated at 45.33 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, covering the full range of activities, including international flights. Carbon neutrality was achieved through the planting of 1,130 trees in Nuapada, which commenced today.
As GELS 2025 came to a close, leaders reaffirmed that this is only the beginning. The Puri Declaration will serve as the guiding framework for ongoing working groups, interstate coordination mechanisms, and annual follow-ups, ensuring that the momentum generated at Puri translates into sustained national action. With Odisha spearheading these efforts, India is poised to advance a coordinated, collaborative, and inclusive clean energy transformation that supports the nation’s long-term development and Net Zero ambitions.
