At the World Internet of Things Convention (WIOTC) 2025 in Beijing on the Chinese mainland from November 28 to 29, experts spotlighted how digital technologies are steering the energy sector toward peak efficiency, sustainability and intelligence.
They described a four-pillar ecosystem:
- Big data for transparent, real-time monitoring
- AI-driven cognitive and decision-making capabilities
- Blockchain-enabled trusted transactions
- IoT connectivity tying it all together
Pointing to smart microgrid deployments in Southeast Asia, Wang Yongjie of the Energy Working Committee of the China Information Association showed how remote communities now access renewable power while boosting equipment exports from the Chinese mainland. “More than 130 nations have pledged carbon neutrality goals, and the erosion of market boundaries is enabling digital energy solutions to flow from developed to emerging markets, including Belt and Road regions,” he noted.
A policy document on AI-driven, high-quality energy development issued by authorities on the Chinese mainland in September 2025 sets a roadmap: an integrated energy-AI innovation system by 2027 and world-leading AI applications in energy by 2030.
Han Xiaoyan, president of BOE Energy Technology CO., Ltd., shared case studies: AI-powered forecasts of power generation and consumption, intelligent dispatch for better returns, automated fault diagnosis in renewable plants, and large model-based Q&A systems boosting operational efficiency. “These practical deployments demonstrate AI's leap from theory to industrial backbone,” she said.
Yet challenges persist: legacy systems that can't mesh with modern sensors, data security risks in cross-border energy exchanges, and lengthy investment cycles that dampen returns in some regions.
To bridge these gaps, experts called for open tech platforms to share AI tools and digital twins, coordinated international standards for technical interoperability, and an innovation ecosystem that empowers small and medium-sized enterprises on a global scale.
The WIOTC's theme, "Intelligently Interconnected New Economy, Smart Society in the New Era," united officials, scholars and entrepreneurs from over 80 countries and regions to chart a sustainable path for the digital transformation of the global economy.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
