Radio Outreach Runs Entirely on Green Energy, Sets New Benchmark for Community Radio in Odish-Outreach 90.8 FM

Bhubaneswar: Radio Outreach 90.8 FM, a community radio station operating from Jagatsinghpur district, has emerged as a unique example of sustainable broadcasting by powering its entire radio station with green energy.

The station is currently operating with 100 per cent renewable energy as its power source, making Radio Outreach the only radio station in Odisha to adopt such a completely green-energy-based operational model, according to the station.

From the studio and transmission infrastructure to its office operations, Radio Outreach has shifted to renewable energy, with solar power forming the backbone of its energy system. The initiative reflects the station's effort to reduce dependence on conventional power and integrate environmental sustainability into its everyday broadcasting operations.

For a radio station, uninterrupted power is critical. Studio equipment, computers, transmission systems and other broadcasting infrastructure require a continuous and reliable supply of electricity. Adopting renewable energy for these operations therefore presents both an environmental commitment and an operational challenge.

"Radio has always been about serving society. We believe that our responsibility should also reflect in the way we operate our station. If we talk about environmental protection and sustainable development through our programmes, we should also practise it within our own premises," said Subrat Kumar Pati, Station Director of Radio Outreach 90.8 FM.

Radio Outreach has been actively involved in community-oriented broadcasting, with programmes focusing on health, education, agriculture, environment, sanitation, disaster preparedness and other grassroots issues. The station also gives considerable space to local culture and folk traditions, regularly featuring folk artists and traditional forms of Odisha.

The green-energy initiative is particularly significant in the community radio sector, where stations generally operate with modest infrastructure and resources. Radio Outreach's experience demonstrates the possibility of incorporating renewable energy into the functioning of a community-based media organisation.

The station has also maintained an environmentally conscious approach within its campus, including extensive plantation and other green initiatives.

At a time when renewable energy is increasingly becoming an important part of India's energy transition, Radio Outreach's decision to run its broadcasting operations on green energy presents a distinctive example from the media sector.

By combining community broadcasting with renewable-energy-based operations, Radio Outreach 90.8 FM is positioning itself not only as a voice of the local community but also as an example of environmentally responsible broadcasting in Odisha.