BEIJING: China is stepping up efforts to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its energy sector, leveraging cutting-edge technology to drive industrial modernisation, boost operational efficiency and secure its energy future, according to industry reports and corporate milestones.
According to an action plan recently issued by the National Energy Administration (NEA), by 2030, the clean energy supply capacity for AI computing power infrastructure in China will be significantly increased, while the application of AI in the energy sector will also be considerably improved.
It also seeks to open up high-value application scenarios for AI in the energy sector, unlock the value of energy data, and strengthen AI model innovation within the energy field, it said.
According to the NEA, in 2025, China established 42 massive-scale intelligent computing clusters, pushing the total electricity consumption of national computing centers to 170 billion kWh.
Globally, data centre power consumption is projected to nearly double by 2030 compared to 2025, highlighting the urgent need for AI-driven optimisation.
While this surging electricity demand presents a formidable grid challenge, China’s robust energy infrastructure and rapid expansion of renewable capacity position the country uniquely to convert this power challenge into a global competitive advantage in the AI race, said Lin Boqiang, head of the China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy at Xiamen University.
According to the NEA, to manage this surging demand and streamline complex industrial operations, the domestic energy sector has successfully rolled out dozens of industry-specific large AI models. — China Daily/ANN
