National Oil & Energy R&D Alignment Meet 2026 Held at HP Green R&D Centre
Bengaluru, February 2026: The HP Green R&D Centre, Bengaluru successfully hosted the National Oil & Energy R&D Alignment Meet – 2026, chaired by Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG). The conclave brought together CMDs, Directors, and senior leadership from leading public sector undertakings including HPCL, IOCL, BPCL, ONGC, MRPL, GAIL, OIL, EIL, CHT, and other key stakeholders in the energy sector.
Theme and Focus Areas
Under the overarching theme “Transforming Research – Excellence to National Impact,” the meet aimed to align PSU R&D initiatives with national energy priorities while accelerating the commercialization of indigenous technologies. Key focus areas included:
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Technology self-reliance and rapid deployment
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Measurable and outcome-driven R&D projects
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Minimizing duplication of research efforts
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Mission-mode programs for hydrogen, sustainable fuels, bio-CBG, digital twins, and AI applications in energy
Participating organisations showcased their R&D capabilities, infrastructure, and commercialization strategies, resulting in consensus on structured collaboration frameworks and mission-mode execution to fast-track national energy innovation.
Secretary’s Visit to HPCL Advanced Facilities
Dr. Mittal toured HPCL’s state-of-the-art facilities, including:
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HTL (Seaweed-to-Bio Crude) Pilot Plants
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Hydrogen Energy Corridor
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Hydroprocessing Pilot Plants
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Engine Testing Laboratories
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Battery Research Facilities
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2G–ARC/CBG Pilot Plants
The Secretary appreciated HPCL’s efforts in advancing green hydrogen, biofuels, battery technologies, and sustainable energy solutions, highlighting their critical role in India’s energy transition.
Significance of the Conclave
The conclave marks a major step towards a coordinated, outcome-driven national R&D ecosystem, fostering innovation-led energy leadership in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat. It underlines the commitment of PSUs and MoPNG to accelerate indigenous technology adoption, strengthen energy self-reliance, and enable scalable, commercially viable solutions across the sector.