Bhubaneshwar: Odisha aims to emerge as a “green energy hub” by 2036, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said, underlining the state’s efforts to strengthen its energy supply chain.
Majhi announced after inaugurating the three-day Global Energy Leaders’ Summit 2025 (GELS 2025) in Puri on Saturday.
He said the state plans to substantially reduce reliance on fossil fuels by 2036, and highlighted investments in the energy sector to ensure an uninterrupted supply of electricity in rural areas, describing power as critical infrastructure for self-reliance and youth empowerment.
Majhi said that before 2014, the supply of uninterrupted power to domestic consumers and industries was a major challenge across India due to insufficient generation. Power shortage led to frequent outages, impacting industrial and commercial activities. However, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the vision of the Power Ministry, India has seen rapid growth in energy generation over the past decade, driven by increased capacity, infrastructure development, and support for traditional and renewable energy.
He said adequate energy is crucial for sustained development. Along with power generation, infrastructure development for distribution is equally important. Currently, thermal sources contribute 51 per cent of India’s power, which is expected to decline further. The state has crafted a unique strategy for sustainable growth in energy, he said.
“Our government has set a long-term goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070 and is committed to fulfil this responsibility. Odisha’s industrial policy prioritises power generation, especially renewable energy, treating it as a key domestic industry,” he said.
Majhi said the summit being organised in partnership with Tony Blair Institute (TBI) and IIT-Kanpur, aims to unite governments, industries, researchers and global energy experts to chart a sustainable energy roadmap for India.
Highlighting India’s historic clean energy expansion, Joshi said the country has recorded its highest-ever addition of non-fossil capacity in the current financial year at 31.25 GW, including 24.28 GW of solar.
He also announced the approval of a consumer-owned utility-led aggregation (ULA) model under PM Surya Ghar for installing 1.5 lakh rooftop solar systems of 1 kW each in Odisha. It will benefit nearly seven to eight lakh people, especially from economically weaker households, he said.
Joshi lauded Odisha for demonstrating strong clean energy adoption. With over 3.1 GW of installed renewable capacity, clean energy now accounts for more than 34 per cent of the state’s total installed power capacity. Under PM Surya Ghar Yojana, 1.6 lakh households have applied for rooftop solar, over 23,000 installations have been completed and more than 19,200 families have received subsidies exceeding `147 crore in their bank accounts, he said.
Former PM of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair, addressed the ceremony through video conferencing and congratulated Odisha for organising the summit. Power ministers of Delhi and Rajasthan, Ashish Sood and Heera Lal Nagar, were present among others.
