The energy internet is a key element of China’s energy revolution.

The energy internet is a key element of China’s energy revolution.

Rifkin posits that the Third Industrial Revolution is driven by the convergence of energy and the Internet; in the future, the generation, distribution, and consumption of electricity will shift from traditional centralized models to intelligent, decentralized ones. Hundreds of millions of people will generate green energy on their rooftops and in their fields, trading it with one another via the energy internet. The energy powering economies across the globe will be produced at a marginal cost approaching zero.

Developing the energy internet is viewed as a key strategic focus for my country to boost its economy and drive transformational growth, with the potential to create an industry worth 20 trillion yuan over the next decade. What conditions are required to realize a global energy internet? What is the significance of developing the energy internet for my country, and what challenges lie ahead? A reporter interviewed He Jijiang, Director of the Policy Research Office at Tsinghua University’s Energy Internet Innovation Institute, to discuss these issues.

Reporter: What is your take on the new concept of the “energy internet”?

He Jijiang: The energy internet is a concept introduced by Jeremy Rifkin, author of *The Third Industrial Revolution*. In his vision, the energy internet integrates internet technology with renewable energy, transforming global power grids into energy-sharing networks and enabling a shift from centralized fossil fuel utilization to distributed renewable energy use.

Rifkin also discusses the possibility of intercontinental energy sharing: “When one half of the Earth is in darkness, surplus energy can be intelligently transferred via the internet to the other hemisphere, which is in daylight.” While many dismissed Rifkin’s theories as fanciful, Liu Zhenya, Chairman of the State Grid Corporation of China, has planned to put them into practice; in his new book published in February 2015, titled *Global…* …in *Global Energy Interconnection*, a comprehensive global blueprint for the concept of an energy interconnection was laid out. It envisions a robust, smart, and globally interconnected grid—spanning nations and continents—that relies on advanced ultra-high-voltage (UHV) and smart grid technologies. This grid would link wind power from the Arctic, solar power from the equatorial regions, and large-scale renewable energy bases across continents to major load centers, with the goal of establishing a globally interconnected system by 2050.

Reporter: What is the significance of the Global Energy Interconnection?

He Jijiang: The Global Energy Interconnection is a magnificent initiative. It not only proposes a clean energy solution for China but also contributes a comprehensive energy strategy for the world to address climate change, offering a tangible possibility from a technical perspective. Through this interconnection, renewable energy sources—such as wind, solar, and marine energy—can be efficiently transmitted to diverse users across the globe. By 2050, clean energy is projected to account for approximately 80% of total primary energy consumption, becoming the dominant energy source; at that stage, global carbon emissions would be only about half of 1990 levels, making it possible to achieve the goal of limiting the global temperature rise to within 2 degrees Celsius.

The significance of the Global Energy Interconnection extends beyond the long-distance transmission of clean energy. It also emphasizes the creation of a ubiquitous national smart grid capable of seamlessly integrating intermittent power sources (like wind and solar) and various distributed energy resources, while allowing energy-consuming devices to connect and operate instantly. Furthermore, it entails the integration of the grid with the Internet, the Internet of Things (IoT), and smart mobile terminals. This will enable the extensive collection of data regarding clean power generation and consumption patterns, which will [facilitate] the accounting of greenhouse gases… …providing technical support, it offers a potential pathway toward establishing a globally unified standard for carbon reduction MRV (Measurable, Reportable, and Verifiable). On the other hand, distributed generation and distributed energy storage achieve data integration through the energy internet; this ensures the collectability and authenticity of data from distributed emission reduction projects, significantly lowers project verification costs, and creates the technical possibility of aggregating distributed projects into CDM or Chinese CCER emission reduction projects—thereby offering new technical feasibility for boosting carbon markets and even advancing the creation of a global carbon market.

Reporter: What conditions are required to realize a global energy internet?

He Jijiang: For the global energy internet, the core objective is to prioritize the transmission of clean energy. Ultra-high voltage (UHV) technology represents a major technical innovation achieved by the State Grid in recent years; UHV transmission technology and energy internet technology together constitute the two pillars of the global energy internet—neither can do without the other.

Without energy internet technology, using UHV technology solely to achieve intercontinental grid interconnection would merely result in a global UHV power grid. If the electricity transmitted by such a grid comes primarily from large coal-fired power plants rather than clean energy sources like wind or solar power, it bears no relation to the energy internet concept described by Jeremy Rifkin. A true energy internet leverages internet technology to make renewable energy the dominant energy source. By connecting regional energy internets across the globe via UHV technology and truly enabling the sharing of global renewable energy, a global energy internet is genuinely formed.

Reporter: Currently, from… From a technical perspective, what bottlenecks does the Energy Internet still face?

He Jijiang: The core objective of developing the Energy Internet is to leverage internet technology to facilitate information exchange among various devices within a vast energy network—centered on the power system—thereby achieving a real-time balance between energy production and consumption. Current Ultra-High Voltage (UHV) projects have already demonstrated the capability for intercontinental power transmission. However, while the intercontinental grid envisioned by Jeremy Rifkin focuses on transmitting renewable energy, current UHV systems primarily transmit coal-fired power, supplemented by wind and solar energy. To transmit wind and solar power over long distances via UHV, it is essential to utilize internet technology to support long-distance, high-capacity demand response capabilities. In this context, the UHV grid serves not merely as a medium for power transmission; by integrating with the internet, the Internet of Things (IoT), and smart mobile terminals, it evolves into my country’s future Energy Internet platform, enabling the large-scale development and utilization of clean energy.

Wide-area coordination of massive numbers of distributed devices, combined with future “plug-and-play” distributed energy storage systems capable of bidirectional interaction, can provide long-distance, high-capacity demand-side response capabilities. For large-scale distributed energy storage equipment to operate efficiently within a global energy internet, dynamic pricing and a global electricity market are indispensable institutional supports. A sufficiently large price differential between peak and off-peak periods can incentivize investors and ordinary households to actively participate in the electricity market. Leveraging advanced internet technology, consumers can automatically adjust their electricity consumption patterns and the operating status of their energy storage devices based on real-time electricity prices.

In his 2015 Report on the Work of the Government, Premier Li Keqiang proposed the formulation of the “Internet Plus” action plan. “Internet Plus Smart Energy”… …documents from the National Energy Administration equate it with the “Energy Internet.” With the release of “Document No. 9” on power sector reform, the goals of “establishing a mechanism where the market determines electricity prices” and “building a power market system” will be gradually realized. This will implement Premier Li Keqiang’s “Internet Plus” initiative, drive the development of China’s Energy Internet, and propel the energy revolution in China and across the globe.

Reporter: What does the Energy Internet mean for my country? What role does it play in the transformation of the country’s energy structure?

He Jijiang: I believe the Energy Internet is the pivotal element of China’s energy revolution. To address the challenges of global climate change, global energy development must enter the era of the “third energy revolution,” which is centered on decarbonization. General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the energy revolution in June 2014. This revolution must effectively resolve issues regarding China’s energy supply, air quality, and climate change.

China’s revolutions in energy production and consumption should be largely achieved by 2050. The goal is to create a clean, low-carbon, safe, and reliable energy system that minimizes the share of fossil fuels, significantly increases the proportion of renewable energy in consumption, and gradually establishes a diversified, low-carbon, and secure supply system dominated by renewables. This entails fostering spatial patterns, industrial structures, production methods, and lifestyles that fully integrate energy conservation, the substitution of clean energy, and the utilization of renewable energy. Currently, the core of China’s energy revolution is to advance the shift toward clean energy… …clean alternatives, transforming the current high-carbon energy structure—dominated by coal—into a low-carbon structure centered on renewable energy.

As an effective solution for integrating high proportions of renewable energy, the Energy Internet represents a strategic choice for advancing my country’s energy revolution.

The development of the Energy Internet is not merely an extension of existing energy production, consumption patterns, and institutional frameworks; rather, it acts as a technological revolution that drives systemic changes in production, consumption, and institutional structures, as well as adjustments to the energy mix, thereby powerfully propelling my country’s energy revolution.

Advancing the energy revolution comprehensively goes beyond simply increasing supply or improving efficiency; it requires a holistic transformation to establish a brand-new energy flow system and innovative modes of energy application. The goal is to build an Energy Internet characterized by intelligent infrastructure, interactive production and consumption, and seamless information flow. This revolution will drive structural restructuring in sectors such as electric power and petroleum, as well as the functional unbundling of utility enterprises; it will reshape existing industrial structures and organizational models, spawning numerous emerging industrial opportunities and new drivers of economic growth. Through the widespread adoption of new energy sources, advanced power electronics, novel energy storage materials, and next-generation Internet technologies, deep integration between energy networks and information networks can be achieved. This integration enhances interactivity and flexibility between energy supply and consumption, significantly boosts the utilization rate of energy assets, resolves bottlenecks in renewable energy transmission and utilization, and serves the strategic imperatives of national energy security.