“Electricity prices are cheaper in X minutes—so we recommend charging your car at that time for greater savings…” “This appliance is energy-efficient, helping you cut electricity costs by XX yuan each month.”

　　Here’s a possible translation of the text into English: "This is a suggestion that smart grids might offer you in the future—and it also reflects the industry’s vision for how the sector will evolve. Why not start exploring this exciting new chapter of energy right now? Recently, the 2017 Beijing International Wind Energy Conference & Exhibition and the 2017 China Photovoltaic Conference & Exhibition were held in Beijing, where the industry’s drive toward intelligent and digital transformation emerged as one of the key topics of discussion. Beyond exploring the disruptive possibilities of smart and digital technologies, the event highlighted the remarkable progress the industry has already made amid the broader energy revolution. For instance, thanks to LiDAR technology, wind turbines can now detect incoming wind speed and direction in advance, enabling them to implement even more effective and adaptive strategies."

　　Look, here comes the wind—now even wind turbines can "see" it for themselves.

　　Decoupling subsidies from wind and solar power has already become a growing trend, as the renewable energy industry now stands at a critical juncture—shifting toward independent sustainability and driving much-needed industry upgrades. At this pivotal moment, "digitalization" is emerging as a powerful tool that could help renewable energy sectors like wind and solar break through current cost barriers and significantly enhance the efficiency of the energy system. Even more intriguingly, industry insiders envision that a digitalized energy internet will enable energy service providers to transition from a "product-centric" model of "selling energy" to a more innovative "service-oriented" approach focused on delivering value-added solutions.

　　This trend is far from just theoretical—whole-machine and component manufacturers, including Trina Solar, Goldwind Technology (002202, SZ), and Sungrow Power Supply (300274, SZ), are already exploring digitalization. Meanwhile, third-party companies like Siemens, a traditional energy services provider, and Huawei, a leading telecom operator, have also begun positioning themselves in the renewable energy industry’s digital transformation.

　　Digitalization Powers Affordable Access to Renewable Energy

　　From October 17 to October 19, 2017, the Beijing International Wind Energy Conference & Exhibition and the China Photovoltaic Conference & Exhibition were held in Beijing. During the event, the topic of leveraging digitalization to reduce costs in wind and solar energy generation drew significant attention.

　　This year, the photovoltaic industry has defied expectations, with its momentum remaining strong even after the "June 30 installation rush." Wang Bohua, Secretary-General of the China Photovoltaic Industry Association, stated at the 2017 China PV Conference & Exhibition that the industry has experienced significant growth in manufacturing this year, while demand-side applications have expanded robustly. "I suspect none of you here could have anticipated such market development," he added.

　　Zhang Zhengling, Deputy Director of the Development Planning Department at State Grid Corporation, shared a set of data indicating that as of the end of June 2017, the cumulative installed capacity of wind power and solar power reached 154 million and 102 million kilowatts, respectively—both surpassing 100 million kilowatts. Additionally, this year, new energy sources have already become the largest power generation source in Gansu Province.

　　As the wind and solar industries have already grown to such a significant scale, effectively reducing costs and ultimately achieving grid parity has become the central focus for all stakeholders—driving digitalization, intelligent technologies, and the Internet of Things as a key strategic direction.

　　Currently, large-scale power plant operators have generally established their own data systems, which play a critical role in energy operations. But how exactly do these systems function?

Qiu Zhanwei, Chairman of Zhejiang Zhengtai New Energy Development Co., Ltd., told reporters that for ground-mounted power plants and industrial/commercial rooftop systems, the monitoring platform can predict abnormalities in advance, minimize losses, and effectively boost power generation.

　　Zeng Weisheng, Vice President of Huawei's Network Energy Product Line and General Manager of the China Region for the Smart PV Business Unit, explained that advancements in IoT technology, communication technology, information technology, and the internet will undoubtedly drive down costs and boost efficiency.

　　During an interview with reporters, Zhao Wei, Vice President of Sungrow Power Supply, also emphasized that digitalization enables more precise monitoring of power station equipment status, significantly enhancing the operation and maintenance of these facilities. In particular, as the grid increasingly demands full operational control from each power plant in the future, digitalization will provide the exact insights needed to keep plants running smoothly and efficiently.

　　There are even more exciting visions for the energy internet.

　　From corporate and enterprise users to individual households, and from the rudimentary application of simply reading electricity meters to more sophisticated smart grids capable of comprehensively monitoring the operational status of businesses or homes—Li Furong, Assistant General Manager at Goldwind Science & Technology's R&D Center, shares with much enthusiasm about the future applications of wind power, photovoltaics, and beyond. In his view, smart grids can now enable real-time detection of indoor voltage fluctuations and appliance usage patterns, even going so far as to recommend specific appliance brands to users.

　　In the eyes of people like Li Furong, who work in the wind and solar industries, every household’s rooftop could become a power-generating station, allowing everyone to participate in a decentralized energy system. Every device and every home would be interconnected, truly enabling the realization of an energy network that integrates power generation, storage, distribution, and consumption.

　　The capital side has long recognized the opportunity for new energy to "go online." At a recent industry conference, multinational companies—including established energy service providers like Siemens and internet/telecom firms such as Huawei—have already begun making strategic moves in this space.

　　Hongze Midao (Shanghai) Investment Consulting Co., Ltd. noted in its research report that traditionally, industrial giants such as GE, Siemens, and Schneider Electric have all offered efficiency management solutions. However, recently, a new wave of energy IoT startups has emerged, successfully entering the energy consumption management market and gaining significant market share.

　　Although digitalization has gradually permeated the wind and solar industries—from upstream equipment manufacturing to downstream power plant operations—there’s still a long way to go before reaching the envisioned digitalized scenarios.

　　Zhao Wei said, "Digitalization is just beginning—right now, power generation remains largely isolated and focused on basic tasks like maintenance and operational management at the equipment level. To truly unlock its potential, we need to move toward greater precision and integration. Looking ahead, as photovoltaic and wind energy systems are combined with energy storage, the unique characteristics of these renewable sources could eventually rival those of traditional thermal power. And digitalization will play a pivotal role in making this transition possible. According to Zhao, within about a decade, many of the envisioned applications for the energy internet will start to emerge."

　　Zhuang Yan, Chief Commercial Officer of Astronergy Solar Power Group, told reporters, "The energy internet is arriving faster than you might expect." He believes that as traditional energy sources face the massive impact of wind and solar power, the energy internet becomes essential—especially when wind and solar are combined with conventional thermal power to deliver a comprehensive solution for consumers.