Refinery sector must balance energy security with net-zero push: industry experts at The Hindu Sustainability Summit
Industry experts at The Hindu Sustainability Summit discussed the challenge of balancing India's growing energy demand with the transition to net-zero emissions. Leaders from the refining sector emphasized that while fossil fuels remain necessary for the near future, operational efficiency and cleaner technologies are key to long-term sustainability.
Why it matters
It addresses the complex global challenge of energy security versus climate change mitigation in developing economies.
India's refining and energy sector will have to balance growing energy demand and energy security with the transition towards net-zero emissions, industry leaders said at a panel discussion at the The Hindu Sustainability Summit 2026 in Chennai.
At a discussion on the topic of ‘Fossils to Net Zero: Transforming India’s Refinery and Energy Landscape’, S.G. Venkatesh, Director (Technical), Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL); Nandakumar Velayudhan Pillai, Director (Refinery), Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL); Santosh K. Singh, Chief Sustainability Officer, Larsen & Toubro; and D. Senthil Kumar, Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Petroproducts Limited, spoke about the challenges facing the sector. The session was moderated by Srinivasan Ramani, Deputy National Editor, The Hindu .
Mr. Venkatesh said achieving net zero for a refinery involved reducing the energy required to produce the same quantity of finished products and progressively shifting to cleaner energy sources and technologies.
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