China's smart energy push to enhance global ties

CHENGDU — As artificial intelligence and other digital technologies usher the global energy sector into a new era, China's rapid advances in smart energy are creating new opportunities for international cooperation.

These prospects took center stage at the 2026 China Smart Energy Conference, which recently concluded in Chengdu, Sichuan province, where policymakers, researchers and industry representatives from around the world gathered to discuss new pathways for energy cooperation in the digital era.

China's smart energy industry has moved beyond pilot projects into large-scale commercial deployment, said conference attendee Shi Yubo, chairman of the China Energy Research Society.

AI is already being applied to areas such as renewable power forecasting, while digital technologies are reshaping every stage of the energy value chain, from production and transmission to consumption, Shi added.

Already a global leader in clean energy, China is leveraging its strengths in digital technologies to accelerate the smart transformation of its energy sector, establishing an integrated smart energy ecosystem spanning power generation, transmission, distribution and consumption.

For many conference delegates, China's experience offered less a blueprint than a set of practical tools that could be adapted to very different national circumstances.

"China is far ahead in smart technologies and the use of AI in the energy sector. This forum provides a valuable platform to learn from China's experience," said Hussain Abid, senior economist at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).

He said that as renewable energy accounts for a growing share of electricity generation, mountainous countries have an increasing need for smarter grids, stronger cross-border energy connectivity and wider application of digital technologies.

Abid added that the ICIMOD hopes to bring more experts from member countries to China for future exchange visits, allowing them to see these technologies firsthand and implement what they have learned in their own countries.

China ranks first in power technology innovation worldwide, and has the world's largest installed clean energy capacity, according to research by the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization. It also ranks among the top five globally in overall power development.

China's smart energy solutions are also attracting growing interest from emerging economies seeking to meet rising electricity demand while accelerating the transition to renewable energy.

Among others seeking inspiration was Kiwi Aliwarga from Indonesia's UMG IdeaLab, who frequently stopped at the booths of Chinese energy companies to ask about digital platforms, energy management software and AI applications.

"The implementation of AI is so massive in China," he said. "Companies, State-owned enterprises and government agencies are all applying AI at different levels."

With Indonesia's digital economy expanding rapidly and demand for stable, low-carbon electricity continuing to rise, China's technologies could be a good fit for Indonesia at this stage of its energy transition, he added.

Engr Asad Mahmood, director of Global Tech Innovation and Consortium Lead, ESG Nexus, said he hopes to deepen cooperation with Chinese partners.

"I would be interested not only in imports, but also in how we can start manufacturing together," he said.

XINHUA-CHINA DAILY