Odisha will set up a Green Energy Centre of Excellence at the World Skill Center campus in Bhubaneswar, the state government announced on Monday.

The Odisha Hydro Power Corporation and the World Skill Center signed an MoU for the facility. It will come up at Kaushal Bhawan on the Mancheswar campus, spread over about 3,000 square feet. The Rs 1.48-crore project is funded through OHPC’s CSR programme.

The centre will train about 300 young people a year in rooftop solar, floating solar and solar-tracker systems. It will also teach PLC, SCADA, industrial IoT and energy management, preparing trainees for jobs like solar technicians, maintenance engineers and energy auditors.

Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said the World Skill Center will raise its annual sponsored intake from 60 to 100 students. New branches are proposed in Berhampur and Sambalpur.

The MoU was signed at Kaushal Bhawan in Bhubaneswar in the presence of senior officials. The centre will house modern labs for practical training in solar installation and maintenance. Officials said courses will also cover energy auditing, a growing field as industries cut power costs. The first batch is expected to begin once equipment installation is complete.