Houston (USA): The Gastech Opening Ceremony commenced with a thought-provoking Ministerial Panel addressing the pressing issue of "From mitigation to adaptation: Navigating volatile geopolitics in a fragmenting global order."
The event featured senior representatives from the United States, India, Türkiye, Egypt, and Nigeria, focusing on the critical need for collaborative strategies to enhance global energy security.
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri emphasised the importance of addressing the energy trilemma of availability, affordability, and sustainability amid geopolitical uncertainties.
"We need to ensure that we address the trilemma of availability: to have energy available, address affordability, and during that turbulence, manage a quantum leap in the green transition," he stated. The panel included notable officials like Geoffrey Pyatt, Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources, and ministers from Türkiye, Egypt, and Nigeria.
The discussion underscored how emerging markets are reshaping the global energy landscape, with predictions that nearly 80 per cent of the increase in global energy demand by 2045 will originate from these economies.
Puri remarked, "Without India's proactive approach, the world could have faced an even more severe energy crisis."
As one of the fastest-growing large economies, India's energy consumption is expected to grow at an annual rate of 3% until 2040 and potentially double by 2050. The country is actively enhancing domestic production and diversifying energy supplies, while also accelerating the adoption of low-carbon technologies such as biofuels and hydrogen.
At the event, the India Pavilion showcased innovative solutions from Indian companies, reflecting the nation’s commitment to energy transition and collaboration.
Puri highlighted initiatives like the International Solar Alliance and the Global Biofuels Alliance as examples of how global partnerships can accelerate clean energy deployment. In a follow-up engagement, Puri met with Geoffrey Pyatt to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy sector. They reviewed ongoing energy collaborations and explored new opportunities to enhance the partnership between India and the United States.
