Arunachal Pradesh has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Norway’s Tidal Sail AS to implement a 500 kilowatt (kW) river kinetic energy demonstration project aimed at establishing India’s first river kinetic energy demonstration plant in the state. The agreement was concluded between the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, and Tidal Sail AS under the India-Norway Green Partnership. The signing marks a government supported collaboration to test technology that harnesses river currents for electricity generation.

Supported by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Innovation Norway, the project will demonstrate a technology that generates electricity directly from river currents without requiring major civil infrastructure, offering an environmentally sustainable and cost effective renewable solution. The approach is intended to enable decentralised power supply in remote and inaccessible areas while limiting disruption to river ecosystems. Officials listed institutional partners including the Ministry of External Affairs and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in backing the initiative.

The Science and Technology Minister described the agreement as a milestone in the state’s clean energy transition and highlighted the extensive river systems as presenting considerable renewable energy potential that could strengthen long term energy security. The Norwegian Ambassador to India noted that Arunachal’s rivers make it an appropriate site to demonstrate river kinetic energy technology, and said the project could complement existing renewable sources while advancing knowledge partnerships. CES&HS emphasised expanding collaboration with Norwegian institutions in areas such as geothermal energy and geotechnical engineering.

The CES&HS director said the demonstration project would diversify the state’s renewable energy portfolio, explore decentralised generation and potentially reduce dependence on fossil fuels while preserving river ecosystems. Officials indicated 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 for sustainable development and long term energy security in Arunachal. The partnership was acknowledged as reflecting a shared commitment to innovation, sustainability and international cooperation.