SHIMLA - 29 August, 2024 -Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today presided over a meeting with senior officers of the Energy department to review the progress of the 1 MW capacity green hydrogen plant under construction in Nalagarh of district Solan.

He directed the officials to expedite the construction process and ensure that the tender for the project was awarded at the earliest and set a deadline for the completion of the plant by the end of 2025.

The Chief Minister said that the state government was committed to make Himachal Pradesh a Green Energy state by 31 March, 2026. He said that this green hydrogen plant would be a significant milestone in achieving this ambitious goal. The demand for green hydrogen was rising across various industries as it offers a clean alternative to fossil fuels, particularly in sectors like transportation, manufacturing and energy storage. By producing green hydrogen with zero carbon emissions, the project would play a crucial role in de-carbonizing industries and energy systems thereby contributing to environmental conservation, he added.

Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that green hydrogen significantly reduces the emission of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx) and particulate matter, which improves air quality and protects ecosystems. He reiterated that the current state government prioritizes environmental conservation and within just 20 months of its tenure, it implemented several initiatives to make Himachal Pradesh a cleaner and greener state.

The Chief Minister said that he had laid the foundation stone for a pilot project of the Green Hydrogen Mobility Station in Chamba to be completed with an estimated cost Rs 14 crore. Furthermore, a 32 MW solar power plant had already been established at Pekhubela in district Una and two more solar power plants were expected to become operational in the next six months. He directed the department to intensify efforts to enhance solar energy harnessing across the state.

Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Principal Advisor to Chief Minister Ram Subhag Singh, Advisor Infrastructure Anil Kapil, Principal Secretary Devesh Kumar, Secretary to the Chief Minister Rakesh Kanwar, Managing Director, HP Power Corporation Harikesh Meena, Director, HP Power Corporation Shivam Pratap Singh and other senior officers were present in the meeting.