Bhubaneswar: Tata Power, one of India’s largest integrated power companies which also manages the power distribution in Odisha in partnership with the state government, while participating in the Make in Odisha conclave, announced its vision to transform Odisha into a clean energy hub through its clean and green energy solutions and offerings.
The company has already marked its presence across the entire clean energy value chain in the state comprising EV Charging points, Solar Rooftop, Solar Pumps, Floating Solar, Pumped Hydro and Microgrids.
To promote clean mobility, Tata Power plans to install 1,000 charging points across the state in the next five years. It has already set up 50 EV charging points while 97 additional charging points are under various stages of installation and commissioning. The company is presently facilitating the EV charging ecosystem through various initiatives like chargers at NH 16 which is an essential part of the golden quadrilateral, key tourist corridors and interstate highways connecting Odisha. Tata Power is also working with the Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) in deploying charging infra at Multi level Car Parking Lots and Public Utilities like Hospitals, Universities, Malls, and at important city hubs.
Tata Power is working towards the solarization of the agriculture sector in association with the state government. It has already installed over 700 solar pumps in addition to 1200 dual pump for community drinking application across the state. It has planned to install 1,00,000 solar pumps over the next five years.
While speaking at the Make in Odisha Conclave 2022, Dr.Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power, said, “Tata Power is committed to ensuring Udyog Ru Pragati by offering high-quality and affordable power supply to enable a conducive environment for industrial development. Our clean and green energy products and solutions in e-mobility, decentralised generation, agriculture, and demand side management will further ensure an all-round sustainable development of the State.”
Considering Odisha’s huge potential to harness the renewable energy Tata power would like to participate in the renewable and clean energy growth in the state.
In the Rooftop Solar space, the company has over 25 MW of installations across the state which is equivalent to 7.07 lakh tonnes of CO2 emission reduction and planting 11.31 lakh trees. The Company’s Rooftop Solar offering has been availed by various industries which include Cashew Processing units, Oil Mills, Handloom, Steel and Manufacturing Industries et al. With better coverage of households, commercial and industrial establishments in the state to adopt rooftop and ground mounted solar systems, there is opportunity for installation of about 1000 MW of rooftop solar in the State.
Odisha’s nine districts in the south-west region can become forerunners in harnessing solar power. Taking only 25% of the available wasteland in these districts into account, about 44 GW solar power plants can be installed.
Additionally, the Floating Solar capacity is estimated to be around 5000 MW across the various water reservoirs of Odisha and Tata Power would like to utilize its expertise in setting up such plants.
Dr Sinha welcomed Odisha Government’s Renewable Energy Policy 2022, which was unveiled at the Make in Odisha conclave today. The incentives under Renewable Energy Policy like waivers on Electricity Duty, Wheeling charge, Cross Subsidy Surcharge, State Transmission Utility charge are very encouraging and will lead to aggressive deployment of clean and green energy solutions.
Tata Power would also like to utilize its expertise in running Pumped Storage Power Stations (PSPS) to help meet the peak power demand of the state and will work closely with OHPC for the development of Pumped storage hydro projects.
The company is working on the electrification of remote villages, with the support of Energy Department and OERC, by setting up Microgrids. A technical feasibility study has been carried out in several villages in the Mayurbhanj District to set up Microgrids for the transformation of the rural/ tribal economy.
In order to ensure sustainable energy consumption, Tata Power Discoms are also offering Smart IoT based solutions for its residential, commercial and industrial customers. This offering aids in load balancing in the case of Rooftop Solar installation. Further, the company also offers digital motion sensors and sensor-based LED lighting, which help save about 80 % power for industrial consumers’ factories, warehouses, cold storages etc.
Besides this, Tata Power is transforming the power distribution scenario in the State by committing Rs. 6000 crore capex investment in Distribution Business in the next 5 years. To support Ease of Doing Business in the state, Tata Power Discoms have launched several initiatives for industrial consumers including MSMEs viz – integrated power system control centers, cyclone resilient network, new connections through online mediums (Whatsapp and e-mail), missed call and with minimal documentation, mobile apps, GIS Mapping for accurate visibility of infrastructure for maintenance and augmentation of the network and Smart Metering.
Discoms are also providing an option for 100% renewable energy adoption to the industrial segment. To provide customised energy solutions to industrial consumers, Discoms have also appointed client-relationship managers in key industrial belts.
Tata Power is also creating job opportunities for local youth in the operations, maintenance, and metering work of the Discoms. Since the takeover of the erstwhile Discoms in the state, around 2000 job opportunities have been provided over and above existing 11,000 employees working with the 4 Odisha Discoms. Through new investments and clean and green energy solutions and product offerings, this number may touch 5,000 in the next 5 years.
Through its Discoms and green energy solutions, Tata Power is well poised to power the juggernaut of progress in Odisha and looks forward to synergizing its efforts with Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik’s vision for the State’s economic and social growth.
Going by the ethos of serving the society in which it operates, Tata Power is focusing on Employability, Employment, Education, and Essential Services. The company has engaged Women Self-Help Groups under its Abha Shakti program for billing and collection activities of Discoms at their local Gram Panchayats, which resulted in their social and economic empowerment.
Vocational Training Centers have also been established by Odisha Discoms for providing necessary skills to the local youth and making them job-ready. The company has also set up Women Literacy Centers and started mobile health dispensaries in the state to support healthcare infrastructure in rural areas.
To promote the ethos of optimal use of energy, the Club Enerji program has also been started by Odisha Discoms in schools. Tata Power has also initiated biodiversity conservation initiatives in Odisha. The Company is working with the Govt. of Odisha to protect and conserve the elephant movement corridors across forest areas.
