Shimla: To move closer to the goal of making Himachal Pradesh a green energy state, the state government on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for exploring geothermal energy potential in the hill state.
The MoU was signed by the government of Himachal Pradesh and M/s Geotropy India Pvt. Ltd. in the presence of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi and Ambassador of Iceland to India Benedikt Hoskuldsson were also present on the occasion.
The MoU was signed by Chief Engineer, Directorate of Energy D.P. Gupta on behalf of the government of Himachal Pradesh and Chairperson of Iceland-based GEOTROPY ehf., Tomos Otto Hansson.
Reaffirming the state government’s strong commitment to sustainable energy, the Chief Minister said that the government was actively working to harness green energy sources in Himachal Pradesh, and geothermal energy is one such clean and environmentally friendly option. He stated that the state has significant geothermal potential, which must be utilised to reduce dependence on conventional energy sources.
The Chief Minister highlighted that one of the major advantages of geothermal energy is its availability round the clock. He directed the company to begin exploration work immediately so that the geothermal potential of the state could be harnessed at the earliest.