'It is not possible to stop the use of fossil fuels suddenly', the minister said

On Tuesday, India talked about the subtle global understanding of the 'energy transition' and said that the step of shifting from polluting fossil fuels to clean sources should be taken only when cheap energy is available to meet the needs of developing countries.

Speaking at the opening session of India Energy Week, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that it is not possible to suddenly stop the use of any fuel completely during the energy transition. This can be done only on the basis of priority.

Developing countries like India meet most of their energy requirements with the help of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. On the other hand, the requirement is to shift from polluting to clean sources of energy. India believes that this cannot be achieved overnight. He clarified that coal and even oil and gas will continue to meet the energy requirement during the transition to clean sources.

He said, "The concept of energy transition needs to be understood correctly. You cannot replace one energy source with another overnight, it can be done on the basis of priority. Change does not mean eliminating hydrocarbons overnight, but strategically taking advantage of them while increasing renewable energy to reduce emissions."