As stated by a top executive at energy giant Shell, India will become a significant location for sourcing energy transition equipment in five years, and the country will also have the biggest number of Shell employees anywhere in the world in five years as the companies develop.

Shell employs 11,000 people in India throughout its gasoline retail, petrol, lubricant, and technology divisions, with personnel at the IT centre developing digital twins of the company's remote assets and many others engaged in remote asset monitoring.

"In five years, India will be our greatest employer," said Huibert Vigeveno, Shell's director of renewables and downstream, in an interview.

As the company's investments in the Indian energy sector develop and chances for worldwide partnerships expand, India will exceed the United States, which now has the most Shell personnel.

"We will have grown a lot in greener electrons and greener molecules in five years," he said. Shell is making advances into green energy in India, purchasing renewables companies and cooperating with a number of clients to assist them in their decarbonization efforts. Last year, it paid $1.55 billion for the renewable energy platform Sprng Energy. It also installed its first EV charging station last year and plans to install 10,000 fast charging stations by 2030.

As the company's investments in the Indian energy sector develop and chances for worldwide partnerships expand, India will exceed the United States, which now has the most Shell personnel.

"We will have grown a lot in greener electrons and greener molecules in five years," he said. Shell is making advances into green energy in India, purchasing renewables companies and cooperating with a number of clients to assist them in their decarbonization efforts. Last year, it paid $1.55 billion for the renewable energy platform Sprng Energy. It also installed its first EV charging station last year and plans to install 10,000 fast charging stations by 2030.

Shell's interest in the refinery industry has waned as it expands its position in the low-carbon sector. "We used to have 55 refineries about 20 years ago. We had 16 refineries in early 2020, and we are now focused on five refineries, which I am transferring to energy and chemical parks "According to Vigeveno.

Shell did not make a proposal for Bharat Petroleum Corp. (BPCL), a state-run refinery in India that the government intended to sell to the private sector. Due to a lack of investor interest, the government cancelled the selling proposal last year.

Shell does not require refineries to support its fuel sales network, according to Vigeveno. "To be a highly successful mobility provider, you don't actually need a refinery. What you require is really good logistics. Terminals, depots, pipelines, and trading capabilities are required "He stated.

Shell maintains around 350 petrol retail outlets in India, a negligible portion of the country's 86,000 pumps. "I don't believe there is a lack of ambition," Prasad remarked. "This is more than simply a rebranding exercise. There is a building cycle. A station takes three years to build." Shell has expanded its footprint to 128 cities and villages, up from only a few a few years ago.

Shell is interested in green hydrogen but is waiting for ideal demand to arise before investing in this field in India. "We are working with the government to return and put mechanisms in place that will generate demand use cases, whether in mobility, steel, ammonia, or other industries," Prasad added.