Odisha signs 4 clean energy MoUs in Singapore at SIEW 2026
Synopsis
Odisha is going global with its clean energy agenda. At Singapore International Energy Week 2026, the state's Energy Department signed four MoUs covering AI, flow batteries, sodium-ion BESS, and green hydrogen — bringing TCS Singapore, VFlow Tech, PHENOGY, and DANFOSS into a growing research framework anchored by NTU Singapore, and signalling Odisha's ambition to be India's clean energy innovation hub.
Key Takeaways
The Odisha Energy Department signed 4 MoUs at the Asia Clean Energy Summit in Singapore on 29 October 2026 .
Partners include TCS Singapore (AI/digitalisation), VFlow Tech (flow batteries), PHENOGY (sodium-ion BESS), and DANFOSS Drives Oy, Finland (microgrids and green hydrogen).
Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore serves as the knowledge partner across all agreements.
The agreements build on an earlier January 2023 MoU between the Energy Department, NTU, and IIT Bhubaneswar .
Deputy CM Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said the MoUs will support Odisha's emergence as a clean energy investment and innovation hub.
The Odisha Energy Department signed four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) at the Asia Clean Energy Summit (ACES) in Singapore on 29 October 2026, deepening international research partnerships in renewable energy, artificial intelligence, battery storage, smart grids, and green hydrogen. The agreements were executed during Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) 2026, held from 27 to 29 October 2026, with Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore serving as the knowledge partner.
The Four Agreements at a Glance
The MoUs were signed with four organisations spanning technology, energy storage, and industrial drives. Under the agreement with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Singapore, both parties will pursue joint research on digitalisation and AI-enabled workbench solutions for smart governance and consumer services.
The pact with VFlow Tech, Singapore centres on advanced flow battery technologies to bolster grid resilience and energy storage capacity. Meanwhile, the agreement with PHENOGY, Singapore targets research into sodium-ion battery-based Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for grid-scale applications. The fourth MoU, with DANFOSS Drives Oy, Finland, focuses on next-generation microgrids, smart grid integration, and green hydrogen production.
The documents were signed by Debidutta Tripathy, Special Secretary of the Odisha Energy Department, and Prof. Madhavi Srinivasan, Executive Director of the Energy Research Institute @ NTU.
What the Deputy CM Said
Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo lauded the initiative, stressing the role of cross-border partnerships in accelerating the state's clean energy transition. 'Odisha is committed to building a future-ready and sustainable energy sector through innovation, research and global collaboration. These MoUs will strengthen our partnerships with leading international institutions and technology companies, enabling us to explore advanced solutions in energy storage, artificial intelligence, smart grids and green hydrogen,' Singh Deo said.
He further noted that such collaborations would support renewable energy ambitions, enhance energy security, and position Odisha as a key destination for clean energy investment and innovation.
Building on the 2023 NTU Collaboration
The new agreements expand upon a research partnership initiated in January 2023, when the Energy Department signed an MoU with NTU, Singapore and IIT Bhubaneswar to advance renewable energy research. The latest round broadens that foundation by incorporating global industry players, shifting focus toward practical technology applications and joint development — not merely academic exchange.
Notably, this is the first time private-sector companies including TCS Singapore, VFlow Tech, and PHENOGY have been formally drawn into Odisha's international clean energy research architecture.
Strategic Significance for Odisha
The Odisha delegation also held meetings with senior Singapore government representatives, briefing them on the state's ongoing clean energy initiatives. Through these collaborations, the Energy Department aims to leverage global expertise to support technological advancement, improve grid resilience, and contribute to the state's long-term energy security. This comes amid India's broader push to scale up non-fossil energy capacity and achieve its net-zero commitments, where state-level partnerships with global research institutions are increasingly seen as a force multiplier.
Point of View
At least on paper, is the inclusion of private-sector companies with specific technology mandates rather than broad-scope academic agreements. The focus on sodium-ion batteries and flow batteries is forward-looking, addressing storage technologies that could reduce India's dependence on lithium imports. However, the gap between research collaboration and grid-scale deployment in an Indian state context is wide, and no timelines or investment figures were disclosed. Odisha's bet that it can translate these partnerships into tangible energy infrastructure gains — rather than conference-room optics — is the real story to watch.
NationPress
30 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What MoUs did Odisha sign at Singapore International Energy Week 2026?
The Odisha Energy Department signed four MoUs at SIEW 2026 in Singapore on 29 October 2026, covering AI-enabled digitalisation (with TCS Singapore), flow battery research (VFlow Tech), sodium-ion BESS development (PHENOGY), and smart grids and green hydrogen (DANFOSS Drives Oy, Finland). Nanyang Technological University serves as the knowledge partner.
Why is NTU Singapore a partner in Odisha's clean energy research?
NTU Singapore has been Odisha's research partner since January 2023, when the Energy Department first signed an MoU with NTU and IIT Bhubaneswar for renewable energy research. The new agreements expand that existing relationship by adding global industry companies to the collaboration framework.
What technologies are covered under the new Odisha clean energy agreements?
The four MoUs collectively cover digitalisation, artificial intelligence, flow battery energy storage, sodium-ion battery BESS, smart grid integration, next-generation microgrids, and green hydrogen production — spanning both near-term grid applications and emerging storage technologies.
Who signed the MoUs on behalf of Odisha?
The agreements were signed by Debidutta Tripathy, Special Secretary of the Odisha Energy Department, and Prof. Madhavi Srinivasan, Executive Director of the Energy Research Institute at NTU Singapore.
How does this move fit into Odisha's broader clean energy strategy?
Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo has stated that the collaborations are aimed at positioning Odisha as a key destination for clean energy investment and innovation. The MoUs follow a 2023 research partnership with NTU and IIT Bhubaneswar, indicating a phased, multi-year strategy to build international research depth ahead of scaling up renewables deployment in the state.
