category Regional, shimla, , tags Regional, shimla, , DW BUREAU Shimla To explore the state s solar potential, the Himachal Pradesh government on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with Oil India Ltd to establish a framework for cooperation in harnessing and developing new and renewable energy sources in the state. The pact was signed by Harikesh Meena, Director (Energy), on behalf of the state government, and Pankaj Kumar Goswami, Director (Operations), Oil India Ltd, in the presence of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu. The Chief Minister said the company would explore the possibilities of setting up floating solar power plants in water reservoirs, besides establishing ground mounted solar power projects. He said the Oil India can also set up a plant for producing green hydrogen and green ammonia on a pilot basis. 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, the Chief Minister said, as he asked Oil India to send a team of experts next week to inspect the sites for implementing these projects. Sukhu said that a review meeting will be held on May 26 to discuss the progress of the proposed projects. The Chief Minister also asked Oil India to avoid unnecessary delays in establishing these projects, an official statement said. Sukhu said this will be a milestone in making Himachal Pradesh the first green energy state in the country by March 31, 2026. He 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, Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister, Ram Subhag Singh, Chief Secretary, Prabodh Saxena, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Bharat Khera, Secretary, MPP Power, Rajiv Sharma, OSD to the Chief Minister, Gopal Sharma, Director Personnel Finance, HPPCL, Dr. Amit Kumar Sharma, CEO Himurja, Shubh Karan Singh and other officers of Oil India Limited were also present on the occasion. (editor dailyworld.in)