Odisha to collaborate with Chicago University for improving energy efficiency

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has initiated a partnership with the India Center of the prestigious University of Chicago to improve energy efficiency and pollution control.

A high-level meeting to this effect was held under the chairmanship of chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi here. An expert group from the University made a presentation at the meeting here to discuss the possibilities of collaboration between the two sides.

“The government is working on pollution control and energy saving measures for some years. We would like to have an independent study of the approaches adopted so far by the state and bring in international practices for making those more effective at the field level,” said Padhi.

Development commissioner R. Balakrishnan said, “We are holding preliminary talks with India Center of the University. The state will gain from their worldwide knowledge and expertise on monitoring of  pollution control and improve energy efficiency in the state.”

The areas of collaboration in the matters of training and capacity building are also being explored with the team, said Balakrishnan.

Country Director of Energy Policy Institute at Chicago (EPIC), Anant Sudarshan said the objective of EPIC  is to bring economic research to the forefront of solving energy and environment challenges.

Presently, the varsity is working with the government of India and various states in reducing power theft, increasing energy efficiency, emission trading to control industrial air pollution, water quality monitoring, exploring new decentralized opportunities, crop burning, electricity reform, access to electricity and its distribution, Sudarshan said.

EPIC would like to have a collaboration with state government and Pollution Control Board to bring about qualitative as well as quantitative improvement in the initiatives of the state, he added.