Towards the 15th Five-Year Plan:“U”-Shaped Path and Policy Recommendations for AI-Driven Energy Structure Transition
Pan Ziyan1, Gao Hanzhi2, Liu Siyuan3
1. School of Economics and Management,Xinjiang University,Urumqi 830046,China; 2. School of International Studies,Renmin University of China,Beijing 100872,China; 3. School of Population and Health,Renmin University of China,Beijing 100872,China
Abstract:Artificial intelligence(AI)significantly influences the global energy structure transition.Based on panel data from 61 countries over the period 1993 to 2023,this study systematically examines the nonlinear impact of AI on energy structure transition and the moderating roles of energy intensity,government R&D investment,and digitalization.The findings reveal a“U”-shaped nonlinear relationship:AI initially inhibits the transition but promotes it after surpassing a critical threshold.Heterogeneity analysis shows that this“U”-shaped pattern is primarily observed in developing countries and resource-based countries.Moderation analysis indicates that excessive energy intensity and government R&D investment can invert the“U”-shaped curve into an inverted“U”,whereas higher digitalization gradually steers the curve toward positive linearity.Based on these results,and in line with China's 15th Five-Year Plan,the study proposes policies such as orderly AI deployment,optimized government R&D funding,and enhanced digitalization to support high-quality economic development and the Beautiful China initiative.
潘紫燕, 高翰之, 刘思园. 面向“十五五”:人工智能驱动能源结构转型的“U”型路径与政策建议[J]. 中国科技论坛, 2026(6): 78-86.
Pan Ziyan, Gao Hanzhi, Liu Siyuan. Towards the 15th Five-Year Plan:“U”-Shaped Path and Policy Recommendations for AI-Driven Energy Structure Transition. , 2026(6): 78-86.
[1] 孙传旺,许帅.向零碳可再生能源转轨发展:公园城市建设的机理、挑战与路径[J].经济体制改革,2024(5):5-13. [2] 张锐,寇静娜.全球清洁能源治理的兴起:主体与议题[J].经济社会体制比较,2020(2):182-191. [3] 赵日晓,闫冬,周翔,等.人工智能支撑新型电力系统能源供给及消纳[J].全球能源互联网,2023,6(2):186-195. [4] JHA S K,JHA J,BILALOVIC A,et al.Renewable energy:Present research and future scope of artificial intelligence[J].Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,2017,77:297-317. [5] 司司,卡盖·索音图,庄明兴,等.人工智能在可再生能源材料研发领域的研究进展[J].稀有金属,2023,47(4):570-586. [6] DONG Z,TAN C,MA B,et al.The impact of artificial intelligence on the energy transition:The role of regulatory quality as a guardrail,not a wall[J].Energy Economics,2024,140:107988. [7] ZHANG W,ZHANG Y,LAN X,et al.“Green BRICS”:How artificial intelligence can build the explicit structure and implicit order of energy transition[J].Energy Economics,2025:108713. [8] LI J,WU H,JIANG J,et al.Digital finance and the low-carbon energy transition from the perspective of capital-biased technical progress[J].Energy Economics,2023,120:106623. [9] JONES N.How to stop data centres from gobbling up the world’s electricity[J].Nature,2018,561:163-166. [10] QIN M,HU W,QI X,et al.Do the benefits outweigh the disadvantages? Exploring the role of artificial intelligence in renewable energy[J].Energy Economics,2024,131:107403. [11] 李坤泽.人工智能对美国能源产业发展的影响[J].现代国际关系,2025(4):49-68,138-139. [12] LEE C C,YAN J.Will artificial intelligence make energy cleaner? Evidence of nonlinearity[J].Applied Energy,2024,363:123081. [13] ZHAO C,DONG K,WANG K,et al.How does artificial intelligence promote renewable energy development? The role of climate finance[J].Energy Economics,2024,133:107493. [14] TAO W,WENG S,CHEN X,et al.Artificial intelligence-driven transformations in low-carbon energy structure:Evidence from China[J].Energy Economics,2024,136:107719. [15] 王芳,董战辉.数字经济对我国碳排放的影响:基于省级面板数据的实证检验[J].改革,2023(3):76-90. [16] 汪小英,王宜龙,沈镭,等.信息化对中国能源强度的空间效应:基于空间杜宾误差模型[J].资源科学,2021,43(9):1752-1763. [17] WANG Q,ZHANG F,LI R,et al.Does artificial intelligence promote energy transition and curb carbon emissions? The role of trade openness[J].Journal of Cleaner Production,2024,447:141298. [18] ACEMOGLU D,RESTREPO P.Demographics and automation[J].Review of Economic Studies,2022,89(1):1-44. [19] ZHOU R,YANG J,FENG C.Does information alleviate energy poverty? A gobal perspective[J].Energy Economics,2023,126:106971. [20] XIA L,GAO S,WEI J,et al.Government subsidy and corporate green innovation-does board governance play a role?[J].Energy Policy,2022,161:112720. [21] 李晓敏,刘世哲,薛栋.可再生能源发展对碳排放的影响效应研究[J].软科学,2024,38(12):86-92. [22] HAANS R,PIETERS C,HE Z,et al.Thinking about u:Theorizing and testing u- and inverted u-shaped relationships in strategy research[J].Strategic Management Journal,2016,37(7):1177-1195.