.Energy Internet – A Once-in-a-Century Opportunity The core of the fourth industrial revolution lies in the development of green new energy and the widespread application of big data technology. The ultimate outcome in the energy industry is the Energy Internet, a once-in-a-century opportunity and a chance difficult to replicate in one’s lifetime. The Energy Internet will establish the energy foundation for the realization of the fourth industrial revolution across all sectors of society. In turn, information and communication technologies, led by big data, provide necessary support for the development of the Energy Internet.
The Energy Internet is also a strategic high ground for future industrial development, a grand stage fiercely contested by countries worldwide and a battlefield for various heroes. Countries like the United States, Europe, and Japan have already laid out plans, taken action, and conducted pilot verifications. The Chinese government has issued several policy documents, guiding comprehensive efforts in the “Internet +” smart energy pilot work, sparking a nationwide initiative. Unlike other countries, China is concurrently addressing another core issue in the energy industry – implementing power system reform and establishing a modern wholesale and retail electricity market. This adds more intriguing content to the construction of the Energy Internet.
Just like the lyrics say, “Finally, in tears, I understand that some people, once missed, are gone forever.” The same goes for the Energy Internet. Opportunities like these are rare and must not be missed. In the updraft of the Internet, even pigs can fly. In a colossal updraft like the Energy Internet, seizing the opportunity allows everyone to find their stage in the tide of the era.
.Energy Internet – Contemporary Benefits, Long-term Gains The book “Measuring the Civilization” mentions four dimensions to measure the development of a civilization: energy acquisition, social organization, information technology, and war capability. Except for war capability, the Energy Internet is poised to have positive impacts in the other three dimensions.
Existing energy supply struggles to meet the demands of continuous economic growth. Traditional energy sources are depleting, and environmental pollution is a significant concern, making even the luxury of breathing freely scarce. The Energy Internet will facilitate the supply of new energy sources like wind and solar power, drive the development of new technologies such as microgrids, energy storage, and electric vehicles, ensuring abundant energy while making the entire process more environmentally friendly. It will reduce the pollution we face, providing a healthier environment for everyone.
New technologies like “cloud, big data, mobile, and AI” are continuously developing, mainly limited to the consumer and social sectors and have not profoundly transformed traditional industrial sectors. The Energy Internet, involving a vast geographical scope, numerous devices and stakeholders, and demanding stringent production control, necessitates achieving supply-demand balance and secure operation on a large system within seconds. The high requirements in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) will significantly advance its maturity through extensive application in the Energy Internet, promoting rapid development in other industrial sectors. It is foreseeable that in the future, “cloud, big data, mobile, and AI” will bring about ubiquitous transparency, automation, and intelligence. Society’s information will be immensely enriched, and an abundance of information will expose everything to transparent operation.
Under the traditional energy system dominated by government regulation, the invisible hand of the market is less apparent, significantly affecting the energy industry, particularly the power sector, with low efficiency and a pressing need for reform. The challenges posed by the development of new energy, demand-side response, and microgrids must be regulated through market mechanisms. Only through marketization and the guidance of price signals can we stimulate the enthusiasm of all resources. Only by mobilizing sufficient resources can we ensure the large-scale development and application of green new energy. The marketization of the power industry, a technically complex and long-term monopolistic industry, will undoubtedly promote the marketization level in other industries.
It is challenging to find a comparable venture or profession that allows society to have an ample supply of green energy, elevates transparency and decision freedom in information, and shifts economic operations from visible administrative planning to the invisible hand of the market. By focusing on doing our own work well, we can not only reap personal rewards but also benefit many related individuals and contribute to societal progress. It’s a win-win situation. Is there any job more interesting than this?
.Tailoring to Size – Start Light, Then Heavy, Gradual Progress, Focusing on Replicable Business Scenarios The outlook for the Energy Internet is vast and requires nationwide efforts for comprehensive coverage. Any company, whether an existing giant or a new entrepreneur, has limited financial strength and resource reserves. In such a capital-intensive field, it is impractical to scatter investments widely. However, one cannot be indecisive or superficial; it is essential to choose a favorable entry point based on one’s own capabilities. Following the spirit of “Huawei Company,” concentrating on one point is crucial for success and expansion.
The Energy Internet leans towards a heavy asset model with a focus on energy asset investment or a light asset model with an emphasis on Internet ICT technology investment. Currently, the energy sector is primarily monopolized by the state, requiring high capital investment, making it challenging for private enterprises to break through in this area. Thus, the business emphasis must be on the Internet, especially in the field of big data, where there are many value points to explore, given clear demands.
Whether it’s the application of new technologies like new energy, distributed energy, microgrids, electric vehicles, or the development of a diversified wholesale and retail electricity market, the core lies in constructing a bidirectional communication system that supports information collection, interaction, and flexible control. Timely and accurate action can only be taken with a targeted approach.
From the Internet perspective, data is considered the oil and gold of the 21st century. The value of data increases as its usage grows, and it does not deplete; it is an endless resource treasure. Mastering data means mastering users and gaining entry to the Energy Internet.
.Know Energy, Govern Energy Quantify first, then manage – this is common knowledge in management studies. An Energy Internet without information support is unimaginable and impossible to succeed. The Energy Internet needs to “know” before it can “act.”
Knowing energy and the source of energy – allowing users to understand energy through the cloud platform. “Knowing” is the source of all actions, and the monitoring and analysis information provided by the cloud platform can guide the implementation of offline business activities.
Knowing operation and the ability to repair and test – understanding the production and operation status and fault conditions of end-users, guiding maintenance workers to conduct reasonable inspections, timely repairs, and efficient testing of electrical work.
Knowing supply and demand and the ability to regulate – understanding the production and sales demands of end-users, optimizing the dispatching of resources for production and consumption, making energy consumption safer, more economical, and environmentally friendly.
Knowing characteristics and the ability to trade – understanding the consumption characteristics of end-users, creating user profiles, supporting power retailers in offering more reasonable electricity rate packages, and purchasing matching quantities at the most reasonable prices.
Knowing pain points and the ability to transform – understanding the problems in the production, operation, and consumption processes of end-users, identifying improvement needs, and facilitating related manufacturers and users to achieve win-win situations through new construction, technological upgrades, and project implementation.
Knowing performance and the ability to optimize – understanding the operational performance and issues of equipment, enabling equipment manufacturers to provide more maintenance value-added services, and timely identifying deficiencies in their equipment for continuous optimization and improvement.
Knowing direction and the ability to invest – understanding the demand and potential value in terms of construction, operation, and maintenance on the end-user side, along with the credit status of relevant parties, supporting financial institutions in better evaluating investment directions and making investment decisions.
Knowing behavior and the ability to regulate – understanding the actual operational performance of end-users in safety, environmental protection, and compliance, supporting various government departments and relevant units in conducting accurate and effective regulatory work(quotes from medcom).
The core value of the platform is to let ecosystem partners, including service providers and users, see their own business in terms of data generation, break through information barriers, improve data quality, reduce errors, and increase transparency. It allows for timely, accurate measures to be taken.