Himachal govt, Oil India sign MoU to harness renewable energy sources

Shimla(Himachal Pradesh) [India], April 26 : A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between 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 Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here on Wednesday, said the Chief Minister's office.

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 could also set up a plant for producing green hydrogen and green ammonia on a pilot basis.

He said that Himachal Pradesh has abundant green energy and the opportunity to produce 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. He said that a review meeting would be held on 26th May 2023 to discuss the progress of the proposed projects.

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.

The Chief Minister 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.

Industries Minister, Harshwardhan Chauhan, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Sunder Singh Thakur, CMD, Oil India Limited, Dr. Ranjit Rath, and Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister, Ram Subhag Singh were also present on the occasion.