The Chief Minister's Office of Bihar announced on Thursday, 9 July 2026 that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has directed officials to conduct a detailed study of floating solar project potential across the state and to begin work on a new Green Hydrogen Policy for Bihar. The official post, shared from the Chief Minister's Office account, stated in Hindi: 'माननीय मुख्यमंत्री जी ने बिहार में फ्लोटिंग सोलर परियोजनाओं की संभावनाओं का विस्तृत अध्ययन कर नई योजनाएं तैयार करने तथा राज्य की ग्रीन हाइड्रोजन नीति के निर्माण की दिशा में आवश्यक कार्रवाई प्रारंभ करने के निर्देश भी दिए।' — translated: 'The Honourable Chief Minister has directed a detailed study of the potential of floating solar projects in Bihar to prepare new schemes, and has also ordered the initiation of necessary action towards framing the state's Green Hydrogen Policy.'

Context

Floating solar projects involve installing photovoltaic panels on the surface of reservoirs, ponds, and water bodies, rather than on land. This approach addresses two of Bihar's key constraints: limited available land for large-scale ground-mounted solar farms and water loss through evaporation from irrigation reservoirs. The state's extensive network of water bodies — fed by rivers originating in the Himalayas — makes it a natural candidate for this technology. Bihar had previously set out solar targets under its Bihar Solar Power Policy 2017, which focused primarily on grid-connected and off-grid installations. The new directive signals a significant upgrade in ambition, moving toward next-generation renewable infrastructure.

Policy Backdrop

The push for a state-level Green Hydrogen Policy mirrors the template established by the National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched by the central government in 2023, which aims to scale up green hydrogen production capacity across India to support industrial decarbonisation and energy security. Several Indian states have moved to draft their own complementary frameworks since then. Bihar's 2022-23 budget had already included incentives for new and renewable energy projects, laying a fiscal foundation for expanded clean-energy investment. The Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency (BREDA), the state's nodal body for solar and renewable implementation, is expected to play a central role in conducting the feasibility studies now ordered by the Chief Minister. India's broader commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 has accelerated state-level policy activity. Floating solar and green hydrogen are widely seen as the next wave of clean energy development after conventional ground-mounted solar, addressing both land scarcity and the need for industrial-grade clean fuel.

Stakeholders and Impact

The directive has direct implications for renewable energy developers eyeing Bihar as an emerging market, as well as for the state's irrigation and water resource departments, which manage the reservoirs and ponds that would host floating solar installations. A successful floating solar roll-out could simultaneously boost power generation capacity and reduce water evaporation losses — a dual benefit for an agrarian state heavily dependent on irrigation. For the industrial sector, a formal Green Hydrogen Policy would provide the regulatory clarity needed to attract investment in hydrogen production, storage, and end-use infrastructure. This could eventually support cleaner processes in Bihar's fertiliser, small-scale manufacturing, and transport sectors.

What's Next

The immediate next steps will involve BREDA and relevant state departments completing the detailed feasibility study on floating solar potential, followed by the preparation of new project schemes. Simultaneously, the policy drafting process for Bihar's Green Hydrogen framework is expected to get under way. Stakeholders will be watching for the release of a draft Green Hydrogen Policy and tender notifications for pilot floating solar projects on the state's major reservoirs. The pace of these developments will signal how seriously Bihar intends to position itself as a clean-energy leader in eastern India.