The India Energy Hour Presented by 101Reporters Hard to Abate, Harder to Ignore: Decarbonizing India’s Heavy Industry | ft. Girish Sethi
Aug 21, 2025
Girish Sethi, Senior Director at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), shares his immense expertise in decarbonizing energy-intensive sectors like steel and cement. He discusses the critical transition from coal dependence, emphasizing the collaborative roles of finance, policy, and innovation in achieving climate goals. Sethi highlights the potential of green hydrogen and alternative fuels, contrasts India's progress with global standards, and explores challenges in adopting sustainable practices. His insights shed light on the intricate journey of India's heavy industry toward a net-zero future.
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From Cement Lab To TERI Leadership
- Girish Sethi began his career at the Cement Research Institute and spent decades working on energy in industry.
- He later joined TERI and returned to focus on cement and heavy industry decarbonization.
TERI Furnaces Transformed A Glass Cluster
- Girish described a 15-year project improving small-scale glass furnaces near Agra that became widely adopted.
- That cluster now uses what people call a TERI furnace and remains a career highlight for him.
India's Efficient, Blended Cement Industry
- India’s cement industry is almost entirely private and among the world’s most energy-efficient.
- About 75-80% of Indian cement is blended using SCMs, lowering clinker intensity compared to many countries.