Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu assured that possibilities for setting up of floating solar power plants in various water reservoirs in the state would be explored.

For this, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the government of Himachal Pradesh and Oil India Limited (OIL) to establish a framework for cooperation in harnessing and developing new and renewable energy sources (NRES) in the state, in the presence of Chief Minister here on Wednesday.

The MoU was signed by Director, Energy, Harikesh Meena on behalf of the state government and Director (operations), Pankaj Kumar Goswami on behalf of the company.

The chief minister said that the company would explore the possibilities of setting up floating solar power plants in various water reservoirs in the state, besides establishing ground mounted solar power projects.

He said that the OIL can also set up a plant for producing green hydrogen and green ammonia on a pilot basis.

The chief minister said that Himachal Pradesh has abundance in green energy and opportunity in producing green hydrogen and the state government has taken various initiatives to harness this potential.

He asked the officers of the company to send a team of experts next week to inspect the sites for implementing these projects.

A review meeting would be held on 26 May, 2023 to discuss the progress of the proposed projects, he informed.

The Chief Minister asked the Company to avoid unnecessary delays in establishing these projects.

He said that this was a milestone in making Himachal Pradesh the first Green Energy State in India by March 31, 2026.

Sukhu said that the collaboration between the Government of Himachal Pradesh and Oil India Limited will focus on developing various New and Renewable Energy Sources (NRES) technologies, including solar energy, green hydrogen, compressed biogas, geothermal energy and wind energy.

The partnership would also facilitate the setting up of new projects in the State, which would create job opportunities and contribute to the overall economic growth of the region, he added.

The Chief Minister hoped that this MoU would significantly boost the development of the state’s energy sector and help in achieving the state’s energy goals.

He appreciated the efforts of Oil India Limited in supporting the government’s vision of a cleaner and greener state.

He further elaborated that the partnership presents an exciting opportunity for mutual convergence and collaboration. It would help in deploying new and innovative renewable energy technologies in the state, promote research and development and create a sustainable and resilient energy system, said the Chief Minister.

He said that the signing of this MoU was a significant step towards promoting sustainable development in Himachal and achieving the goal of making it the first Green Energy State of the country.

The convergence of strengths between the two partners can create new avenues for the growth and progress of the state.