Why Future Energy Leads the Way

The future of energy is here. This year’s government work report proposed cultivating and developing future industries such as future energy, quantum technology, embodied intelligence, brain-computer interfaces, and 6G. “Future energy” is not only included in the government work report for the first time but also ranks at the top among various cutting-edge sectors. Why does future energy take the lead? How important is it?

Many people ask, after so many years of development in new energy—solar, wind, electric vehicles—what exactly is future energy? Simply put, future energy is an upgraded, forward-looking, and disruptive version of new energy. It’s not just the familiar wind and solar power; it also encompasses controlled nuclear fusion, green hydrogen, long-term new energy storage, next-generation renewable energy, and a full-chain system integrating energy with digital technology. Its core is to use disruptive technologies to break traditional energy limitations, creating a clean, safe, sustainable, and intelligent new energy ecosystem. It is the key engine supporting a new energy system and nurturing new productive forces.

Placing future energy at the top of future industries is no accident but a strategic choice based on the present and aimed at the long term. On one hand, it safeguards energy security. Energy is the foundation of industry and the lifeblood of the nation; without energy, development is impossible. Although China’s energy self-sufficiency is steadily improving, resource endowments such as abundant coal but scarce oil and gas, along with high dependence on foreign oil and gas, remain concerns for energy security. Ensuring a stable energy supply is essential for steady progress amid complex international circumstances. Developing future energy means reducing over-reliance, building an independent, controllable, and diversified resilient supply system, and firmly holding the initiative in development.

On the other hand, it advances green transformation. Achieving the “dual carbon” goals and promoting ecological civilization depend critically on energy. The environmental pressures caused by traditional high-carbon energy sources require zero-carbon and low-carbon future energy solutions. Achieving green, low-carbon transformation cannot rely solely on existing technologies. For example, wind and solar power are intermittent and have relatively low energy density. Future energy can become the ultimate engine for deep decarbonization and green transformation of development modes by solving the “energy security, economy, and green” triangle.

More importantly, it aims to seize the global competitive high ground. Currently, the global energy landscape is shifting from resource-driven to technology-driven. Those who lead breakthroughs in core future energy technologies will dominate industry discourse and lay a solid foundation for other high-tech sectors like artificial intelligence and data centers. China is already a leader in photovoltaic, wind power, and energy storage, but these energy forms still have shortcomings. For example, nuclear fusion offers high energy density, abundant raw materials, low radioactive pollution, and high safety. If controlled nuclear fusion becomes practically available, it could provide nearly unlimited clean energy for humanity. Therefore, developing future energy is about transforming advantages into competitive strength, building world-class industrial clusters, cultivating new engines of economic growth, and leading global energy transformation with Chinese standards, Chinese technology, and Chinese equipment.

To cultivate and develop future energy, we must identify the right paths and make precise efforts, laying a solid foundation step by step.

Focusing on technological breakthroughs as the core, we must tackle tough problems. Concentrate on key areas such as controlled nuclear fusion, advanced energy storage, green hydrogen production, and high-end energy materials, and pool resources to overcome critical technologies. Support research institutions and leading enterprises in collaborative innovation, create high-level innovation platforms, and continuously generate original and pioneering technologies to strengthen the technological foundation for industry development.

Support the entire chain of development to strengthen the ecosystem. Follow the principle of establishing first and then breaking through, promote coordinated development of wind, solar, hydro, nuclear, hydrogen, and storage, accelerate the construction of large-scale clean energy bases, and improve supporting systems such as smart grids, energy storage facilities, and transportation networks. Integrate research, manufacturing, application, and service across the full chain, cultivate a batch of specialized, refined, and innovative enterprises and industry leaders, and form an industrial ecosystem with upstream and downstream integration and collaboration among large, medium, and small enterprises.

Ensure mechanism innovation to stimulate new vitality. Future energy technology R&D involves large investments, long cycles, and high risks. It is necessary to establish stable investment and risk-sharing mechanisms, make good use of industry funds, and encourage patient capital for long-term deployment. Open more application scenarios, drive technological iteration through demand, improve standards and policies, and foster an environment where innovation is willing to invest, industries can implement, and markets can thrive—safeguarding the development of future energy.

From the discovery of fire, coal, to embracing oil and gas, every leap in human civilization has been accompanied by energy revolutions. Whether future energy can nurture the future remains to be seen. (Source: Economic Daily, Author: Wang Yichen)