The Arunachal Pradesh government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Norway’s Tidal Sail AS to set up a 500 kW River Kinetic Energy Demonstration Project, marking the first plant of its kind in India. The project will generate electricity directly from the natural flow of river currents without requiring dams or large civil infrastructure. It represents a significant step in applying innovative Norwegian technology to India’s clean energy transition under the India-Norway Green Partnership.
What Is River Kinetic Energy Technology?
River kinetic energy technology, also known as hydrokinetic or zero-head power generation, works by capturing the natural kinetic energy of flowing water to produce electricity. Unlike conventional hydropower projects that rely on building dams to create a height difference, or head, hydrokinetic turbines function much like underwater wind turbines. They are placed directly in the path of flowing rivers, where the moving water spins the turbine blades, which in turn drive a generator.
The key difference from traditional hydropower is the absence of any major civil engineering works. No reservoirs are created, no large stretches of land are submerged, and no diversion tunnels or penstocks are needed. This makes the technology particularly suitable for ecologically sensitive regions like the Himalayan river systems, where large dams face significant environmental clearance challenges and community resistance.
Tidal Sail AS, the Norwegian company behind this project, has developed a patented technology called BeamReach. It uses sail-like structures combined with advanced chain systems to extract energy from slow-moving water currents. The company claims its technology can deliver full rated power at current speeds as low as 3 knots, whereas competing technologies generate only 10 to 15 percent of their rated output at the same speed. The modular design allows systems ranging from 100 kW to 10 MW to be deployed in rivers, tidal channels, and coastal currents, with the equipment fully submerged and operating silently with minimal ecological impact.
Tidal Sail AS was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Haugesund, Norway. The company has been developing and testing its sail-based energy technology for over two decades, including prototype deployments in Skjoldastraumen, Norway.
The India-Norway Green Partnership
The river kinetic energy project is being implemented under the India-Norway Green Partnership, a framework that was formally established in May 2026 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Oslo. This was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Norway in over four decades. During the visit, the two countries elevated their bilateral relationship to a Green Strategic Partnership and signed 12 agreements and initiatives covering climate action, renewable energy, green maritime solutions, digital health, space cooperation, and sustainable development.
The partnership is built on the convergence of India’s large-scale development needs and rapid economic growth with Norway’s world-class expertise in green technologies, offshore energy, carbon management, and ocean-based industries. Norway, home to the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund (the Government Pension Fund Global, valued at over $1.7 trillion), has committed to investing in India’s green transition as part of the broader India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which was signed in March 2024 and took effect in October 2025. TEPA commits $100 billion in investments and the creation of 1 million direct jobs over 15 years.
The Green Partnership has already resulted in multiple collaborative initiatives. These include a Green Maritime Partnership focusing on clean shipping and hydrogen-powered vessels, an MoU between ISRO and the Norwegian Space Agency for space cooperation, and partnerships in digital health, artificial intelligence, and geothermal energy. The Arunachal river kinetic energy project is the first concrete energy infrastructure project to emerge from this partnership framework on Indian soil.
Innovation Norway, the Norwegian government’s business enterprise agency, is supporting the project alongside the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) on the Indian side. Innovation Norway helps Norwegian companies access global markets and has been instrumental in facilitating technology transfer and knowledge partnerships between Norwegian clean-tech firms and Indian institutions.
Why Arunachal Pradesh?
Arunachal Pradesh, the largest state in northeast India by area, is home to some of the country’s most powerful river systems. The state contains eight major river basins: the Kameng, Tawang, Subansiri, Siang, Dibang, Tirap, Lohit, and Noa-Dihing, all part of the Brahmaputra drainage system. The Siang River, which is the name given to the Yarlung Tsangpo after it enters India from Tibet, is one of the highest-volume rivers in the country with immense untapped energy potential.
The state’s estimated hydropower potential stands at over 50,000 MW, the highest among all Indian states, but actual development has been slow due to a combination of factors. These include the region’s challenging terrain, seismic sensitivity, dense forest cover, ecological concerns about large dams, and the strategic sensitivity of the China border region. Many proposed mega-dam projects, including the 11,000 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, have faced prolonged protests from local communities over displacement and environmental fears.
This is precisely where river kinetic energy technology offers a compelling alternative. Since the technology does not require dams, reservoirs, or large-scale land submergence, it can be deployed in fast-flowing Himalayan rivers without the environmental and social costs associated with conventional hydropower. The modular, low-impact nature of hydrokinetic turbines makes them particularly suited for decentralized power generation in remote and inaccessible villages of Arunachal Pradesh, many of which remain off the grid or depend on diesel generators.
Norwegian Ambassador to India May-Elin Stener noted that Arunachal’s river systems make it an ideal location to demonstrate this technology, which could complement existing renewable energy sources and enhance long-term energy security for the state. The project also builds on existing Norway-Arunachal cooperation in geothermal energy and geotechnical engineering, areas where the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) has been working with the state government since 2024.
Key Institutions Involved
The MoU was signed between the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CES&HS) on behalf of the Government of Arunachal Pradesh and Tidal Sail AS from Norway. Several institutions are playing distinct roles in the project.
| Institution | Role | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| CES&HS | State-level implementing agency | Established on 13 October 2021, autonomous body under Arunachal’s Department of Science and Technology, headquartered in Itanagar. Director: Tana Tage. Focuses on earth science research, seismology, climate studies, and renewable energy in the Eastern Himalaya |
| Tidal Sail AS | Technology provider | Founded in 2004, headquartered in Haugesund, Norway. Privately held company with patented BeamReach sail-based hydrokinetic technology. Founder and CEO: Are Borgesen |
| MNRE | Government of India funding and policy support | Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, nodal ministry for all renewable energy projects in India |
| Innovation Norway | Norwegian government funding and facilitation | Norwegian government’s business development and export promotion agency, helps Norwegian companies access international markets |
| Royal Norwegian Embassy | Diplomatic facilitation | Norwegian Ambassador to India May-Elin Stener has been actively involved in deepening India-Norway ties |
CES&HS Director Tana Tage said the demonstration project will diversify the state’s renewable energy portfolio and explore decentralized power generation for remote and inaccessible regions. He noted that successful implementation 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.
Significance for India’s Renewable Energy Mix
India has set a target of 500 GW of installed renewable energy capacity by 2030 and has committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070. As of 2026, the country’s installed renewable capacity stands at over 275 GW, dominated by solar and wind power. However, both solar and wind are intermittent sources that depend on weather conditions, creating challenges for grid stability.
River kinetic energy offers several advantages that make it a valuable addition to India’s renewable energy portfolio. Unlike solar and wind, river currents flow round the clock, providing a predictable and consistent power supply that can serve as a base load. The technology is also scalable, with modular units that can be deployed in arrays to meet varying power demands.
Decentralized power generation is perhaps the most significant benefit for a state like Arunachal Pradesh, where many villages are located in remote, mountainous terrain far from the main transmission grid. Small hydrokinetic installations can provide local electricity without the enormous cost of extending transmission lines through difficult terrain. This aligns with the government’s focus on off-grid renewable energy solutions for remote and tribal areas.
From an environmental perspective, the technology addresses many of the criticisms leveled against large hydropower. Mega-dams in the Brahmaputra basin have been opposed on grounds of seismic risk (the region lies in Seismic Zone V, the highest risk category), displacement of indigenous communities, loss of forest cover, and impact on aquatic biodiversity. Hydrokinetic turbines, being fully submerged and dam-less, eliminate most of these concerns. The Norwegian ambassador noted that the technology is designed to safely coexist with marine life, operates silently, and has no visual impact on the landscape.
The 500 kW capacity of the demonstration plant is modest, but success here could lead to larger deployments across not just Arunachal but other Himalayan states such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and the northeastern states, all of which have fast-flowing rivers suitable for the technology.
The Way Forward
The demonstration project is expected to begin deployment in 2027, with the first year focused on validating the technology under real river conditions in Arunachal Pradesh. Based on the outcomes, the project could serve as a template for scaling up river kinetic energy installations across the Himalayan region.
Tidal Sail AS has indicated that the Arunachal project is part of a broader strategy that also includes a pre-project in Skarnsundet, Norway, supported by ENOVA (the Norwegian government’s energy efficiency and renewable energy agency) and SkatteFUNN (Norway’s R&D tax incentive scheme). Together, these projects form a pathway from pilot demonstration in India to larger commercial scale-up in Norway, showcasing how India-Norway cooperation can drive mutual benefits in clean energy technology.
For India, the project demonstrates a pragmatic approach to balancing energy development with environmental conservation. As the country pursues its ambitious renewable energy targets, technologies that can tap into river energy without the heavy footprint of conventional dams offer a politically and ecologically sustainable middle path. The success of this collaboration could also encourage other Nordic clean-tech companies to bring their technologies to India, leveraging the India-EFTA TEPA framework and the broader Green Strategic Partnership.
Key Takeaways
- The Arunachal Pradesh government signed an MoU with Norway’s Tidal Sail AS to set up India’s first River Kinetic Energy Demonstration Plant with a capacity of 500 kW.
- The project uses hydrokinetic technology (zero-head turbines) that generates electricity directly from river currents without requiring dams or major civil infrastructure.
- It is being executed under the India-Norway Green Partnership, which was elevated to a Green Strategic Partnership during PM Modi’s visit to Oslo in May 2026.
- The implementing agency on the state side is the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CES&HS), an autonomous body established in October 2021 under Arunachal’s Department of Science and Technology.
- The project is supported by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) on the Indian side and Innovation Norway on the Norwegian side.
- Tidal Sail AS, founded in 2004 and headquartered in Haugesund, Norway, uses its patented BeamReach sail-based technology capable of generating power at current speeds as low as 3 knots.
- Arunachal Pradesh has the highest hydropower potential among Indian states at over 50,000 MW, but the river kinetic technology offers a low-impact alternative that avoids displacement, submergence, and ecological damage associated with conventional dams.
