Crude oil distillation is one of the most energy-intensive processes in petroleum refining, consuming up to 20% of total refinery energy. Improving the energy efficiency of crude distillation units (CDUs) is essential for reducing costs, lowering emissions, and achieving sustainable refining. Current studies often examine energy savings, operational flexibility, or renewable energy integration separately. This review brings these aspects together, focusing on heat integration, advanced control systems, and renewable energy options such as solar-assisted preheating and green hydrogen. Advanced column designs, including dividing-wall and hybrid systems, can cut energy use by 15–30%, while AI-based optimization improves process stability and flexibility. Solar-assisted preheating can reduce fossil fuel demand by up to 20%, and green hydrogen offers strong potential for decarbonization. Our findings highlight that integrated strategies, including advanced simulation tools and machine learning, significantly improve CDU performance. We recommend exploring hybrid algorithms, renewable energy integration, and sustainable technologies to address these challenges and achieve long-term environmental and economic benefits.