The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), on the first day of the 25th Energy Efficiency Summit 2026, brought together policymakers, industry leaders, technology providers and sustainability experts to discuss India’s transition towards a Net Zero economy. Organised by the CII-Green Business Centre at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre, the Summit is being held under the theme “Accelerating the transition to a Net Zero economy through energy efficiency, clean technologies, and sustainable practices.”
The inaugural day also featured the 22nd Power Plant Summit 2026 and the 20th PaperTech 2026, creating a common platform for discussions on energy efficiency, clean technologies, industrial decarbonisation, resource conservation, digitalisation and sustainable manufacturing. The Power Plant Summit examined the future of thermal power through efficiency, flexibility, sustainability and artificial intelligence, while PaperTech 2026 focused on technology, innovation, sustainability and operational excellence in the Indian pulp and paper industry.
Addressing the inaugural session, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Deputy Chief Minister, Government of Telangana, highlighted energy efficiency as an important component of economic competitiveness. He said, “Energy efficiency is not merely an environmental obligation; it is an economic competitiveness strategy. For a rapidly growing state like Telangana, the answer is not to slow down economic activity, but to make every unit of energy support more economic activity.”
Tejpreet Singh Chopra, Chairman, Energy Efficiency Summit 2026 and Founder & CEO, BLP-Industry.AI, highlighted the role of technology in improving energy efficiency. He said, “Energy efficiency is often called the ‘first fuel.’ It brings down demand, cuts costs, and creates room for cleaner sources of power to grow faster. I do believe AI and digital tools are becoming a catalyst for everything this Summit stands for.”
Ajay Sharma, Chairman, Power Plant Summit 2026 and Executive Director (Operation Services), National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd., said that India’s energy transition must focus not only on capacity addition but also on efficient operations and renewable integration. He highlighted the need for efficient and flexible thermal power alongside renewable energy, storage and digital intelligence.
Ganesh Bhadti, Chairman, PaperTech 2026 and Executive Director (Operations and Projects), Seshasayee Paper & Boards Limited, said energy efficiency and decarbonisation would play an important role in the future sustainability of industry, adding that the Indian paper sector has a strong foundation based on renewability, recyclability and biodegradability.
The inaugural session also saw the release of three publications: The Energy Efficiency Imperative: Lessons from the Past, Leadership for the Future; the CII Thermal Power Plant Benchmarking Report 2026; and Best Practice Manual in Paper Sector – Volume 14, featuring 11 replicable energy and resource-efficiency practices. The first day also marked the 27th edition of the CII National Award for Excellence in Energy Management, with 263 industries across more than 15 sectors presenting best practices, technologies and approaches to energy efficiency.
The event attracted more than 1,600 policymakers, industry leaders, technology providers, researchers, academics, energy professionals and startups, with over 60 national and international speakers. An exhibition featuring more than 75 innovative technologies and solutions further highlighted opportunities in energy efficiency, clean technology and sustainable industrial growth.
