Guwahati: Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Norway-based Tidal Sail AS for the implementation of a 500 kW River Kinetic Energy Demonstration Project, which aims to establish India’s first river kinetic energy demonstration plant in the state.
The agreement was signed between the Centre for Earth Sciences & Himalayan Studies and Tidal Sail AS under the India-Norway Green Partnership.
The project is supported by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Innovation Norway. It will demonstrate a technology that generates electricity directly from river currents without the need for major civil infrastructure, offering what officials described as an environmentally sustainable and cost-effective renewable energy solution.
Arunachal Pradesh Science and Technology Minister Dasanglu Pul, who attended the signing ceremony, termed the agreement a milestone in the state’s clean energy transition. She said the partnership reflected a shared commitment to innovation, sustainability and international cooperation.
Pul noted that Arunachal Pradesh’s extensive river systems offer significant renewable energy potential and expressed confidence that the project would strengthen energy security while ensuring environmentally responsible utilisation of natural resources.
She also thanked the MNRE, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Royal Norwegian Embassy, Innovation Norway, Tidal Sail AS and other partner institutions for supporting the initiative.
Norwegian Ambassador to India May-Elin Stener said Arunachal Pradesh’s river systems make it an ideal location to demonstrate river kinetic energy technology, which could complement existing renewable energy sources and improve long-term energy security.
She said the project reflected growing cooperation between Norway and Arunachal Pradesh in areas such as geothermal energy, geotechnical engineering and sustainable infrastructure, and reaffirmed Norway’s commitment to promoting green technologies and knowledge partnerships.
CES&HS Director Tana Tage said the demonstration project would help diversify the state’s renewable energy portfolio and explore decentralised power generation for remote and inaccessible regions.
According to Tage, successful implementation of the technology could reduce dependence on fossil fuels, lower carbon emissions, preserve river ecosystems and position Arunachal Pradesh as a leader in next-generation renewable energy innovation.
He also highlighted CES&HS’s expanding collaboration with Norwegian institutions, including the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, in geothermal energy and sustainable infrastructure development.
Officials said the MoU marks a new phase in India-Norway cooperation in renewable energy and is expected to facilitate the deployment of advanced river kinetic energy technologies in Himalayan river systems, contributing to sustainable development and long-term energy security in Arunachal Pradesh.