Accelerating India%E2%80%99s Energy Transition through Industrial Clusters 2025

CASE STUDY 2 Gopalpur Industrial Park (GIP) Gopalpur Industrial Park (GIP), developed by Tata Steel Special Economic Zone Limited, is emerging as a centre for green hydrogen and clean energy in India. Strategically located in Odisha, GIP offers modern infrastructure and strong connectivity, attracting renewable energy investors. Its proximity to Gopalpur Port, enhanced by a dedicated utility corridor, ensures efficient export operations, a critical advantage for industries focused on green hydrogen production and distribution. GIP has built an ecosystem to support green hydrogen production and export through: –Infrastructure development: GIP’s infrastructure development is necessary for establishing a green hydrogen hub and a renewable ecosystem. By facilitating and collaborating with key stakeholders for a power supply and efficient water resources, GIP aims to eliminate critical operational bottlenecks for green hydrogen production. GIP also plans to integrate green hydrogen pipelines and Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs). GIP collaborated with the Odisha government (IDCO) to connect to the Gopalpur Port via a direct route, a dedicated utility corridor, which will reduce the distance from GIP to Gopalpur Port from 14 km to 3 km, streamlining exports/imports. –Strategic policy collaboration: GIP’s collaboration with central and state entities has effectively attracted investments, driving Odisha’s vision to become a leader in green hydrogen production. The State Government’s Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR) 2022, providing a 30% capital subsidy post-production and attractive Goods and Services Tax (GST) incentives, helps attract investors. Additionally, GIP’s proactive engagement with the Odisha government to extend IPR 2022 benefits from Domestic Tariff Areas (DTA) to Special Economic Zones (SEZ) significantly strengthens its value proposition. –Workforce development: GIP is building a skilled workforce to support the rapid growth of the green hydrogen and renewable energy ecosystem. The J N Tata Technical Education Centre (JNTTEC), located within the park and established by Tata Steel in collaboration with the Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF), currently has a capacity for 600 students. JNTTEC offers a three-year diploma programme in Mechatronics Engineering and Smart Factory, with the potential to develop tailored, industry-specific courses. This initiative not only addresses the industry’s demand for specialized skills, but also promotes socioeconomic growth in the region. Moreover, GIP intends to collaborate with the Ministry of Skill Development, through the Skill Council for Green Jobs (SCGJ), to ensure that workforce training is aligned with the emerging needs of the green energy sector. –Sustainability initiatives: GIP invests in innovative technologies to strengthen its commitment to environmental responsibility. As part of its efforts, the industrial cluster operates on a zero-liquid discharge system, ensuring the recovery and recycling of all water by-products to eliminate wastewater. Additionally, GIP is planning to develop a reverse osmosis-based desalination plant to secure a sustainable and reliable water supply. GIP is emerging as an industrial hub aligned with India’s clean energy transition, supported by infrastructure development, enabling policies and sustainability initiatives. The cluster has secured early investments in green hydrogen and solar cell and module manufacturing, with further projects under review. Ongoing collaboration among stakeholders highlights the region’s growing role in advancing sustainable industrial development. Source: Courtesy of the cluster