Data will shape future energy consumption

A better use of energy means leveraging existing and new technologies to enable energy efficiency and conservation at scale.

The peak of energy consumption can be reduced by the intelligent use of data and adapting behavior to a new model that is not only centered on individual needs but also collective consciousness and optimization.

Technology can also render current energy transmission systems far more efficient. Energy lost in long transmission lines can be reduced thanks to new technologies and because energy production and consumption are closer through distributed energy.

A different way of conceiving energy means changing how and what we measure in terms of energy.

Most energy systems focus on the supply side of the value chain, always ensuring sufficient energy, at any time, the critical factor being to deliver enough to meet the demand. Thanks to digitization, technology can now switch the focus to the benefits that energy provides rather than just the supply.

This is the great opportunity for China in a new era in which rapid technology innovation will have to be combined with a change in consumption behavior to deliver a fair and better society for everyone.

Can China innovate on both technology and behavior, bringing them together to boost the next phase of economic and social development? Any change China makes will certainly have a global impact, and the right combination will place it in a leadership position.