It is evident that IT has and will continue to
change household energy demand patterns. Currently, IT has made household energy use
increasingly convenient and diversified. In the
future, as information technologies like mobile
Internet, the Internet of things, cloud computing,
big data and blockchain are effectively integrated,
household energy consumption will evolve from
convenient to green and intelligent, and its role
will shift from passive one-way consumer to
active two-way prosumer. IT brings infinite possibilities to household energy consumption.
4.3 The Impact of IT on Business
Energy Consumption
IT applications show that extensive deployment
of modern information technologies can substantially improve the efficiency of capital,
technology and manpower, reduce energy consumption and costs, generate new business
models and drive business transformation, thus
changing energy production and consumption
patterns.
4.3.1 Changes in Business Energy Use
in the Age of IT
In the initial stage of IT in business, IT’s impact
on business energy consumption is mainly confined to energy management information systems
to improve energy use and make energy savings.
Its role is to improve the business efficiency of
individual companies.
As energy resources decline and energy
demand grows, the share of energy in a business’s
operating costs gradually increases. To lower
operating costs and sharpen competitiveness,
businesses have taken numerous measures to
make their use of energy more efficient. However,
before IT was widely deployed by businesses in
China, the country was confronted by various
challenges, including very high economic
growth, poor management, low use of IT software
and automation technologies, and inefficient
energy use. Poor management means incomplete
energy saving-related measurement, statistics and
assessment; low IT use; and severe loss and waste
of energy. Businesses were therefore in urgent
need of an integrated energy management and
control system. The energy management information system that evolved with Internet technology met this need. Its continuous
improvement and wide deployment are an effective means to improve businesses’ IT-based
energy management and energy efficiency.
An IT-based energy management information
system provides monitoring, analysis and control
of energy use—water, electricity gas, etc. With
such a system, businesses can: (i) develop an
energy procurement strategy to meet their production needs efficiently and cost-effectively;
(ii) monitor and analyse energy consumption in
their production processes; (iii) make timely
scheduling of water, electricity, gas and fuel
based on changing production and operational
parameters; and (iv) unlock energy saving
potential based on energy consumption data and
monitoring. According to Chen Yanfei of the
China Petroleum Planning and Engineering
Institute, with an energy efficiency management
system, energy-intensive industries like petrochemicals can monitor, analyse and assess plant
energy consumption. The system provides
IT-based visual management of energy use,
optimises energy consumption in the production
process and improves plant energy efficiency.
For energy-intensive industries like iron and
steel, non-ferrous metals, chemicals and cement,
energy management information systems are
especially important. Before these systems existed, businesses had to record energy use manually, which often led to incomplete and missing
data. Data plays a vital role in delivering energy
savings, so data errors or incompleteness cause
many problems. Despite their desire to save
energy, businesses often attempt to do so without
an energy-saving strategy. Without such a strategy, there is a risk of investing in popular
energy-efficient technologies without considering
their suitability. With an energy management
information system, businesses gain a better
understanding of their energy consumption and
can develop an energy-saving programme for the
weaknesses identified, thus improving energy
efficiency.
Special Report 2: Research on China’s Energy Demand Revolution
263
change household energy demand patterns. Currently, IT has made household energy use
increasingly convenient and diversified. In the
future, as information technologies like mobile
Internet, the Internet of things, cloud computing,
big data and blockchain are effectively integrated,
household energy consumption will evolve from
convenient to green and intelligent, and its role
will shift from passive one-way consumer to
active two-way prosumer. IT brings infinite possibilities to household energy consumption.
4.3 The Impact of IT on Business
Energy Consumption
IT applications show that extensive deployment
of modern information technologies can substantially improve the efficiency of capital,
technology and manpower, reduce energy consumption and costs, generate new business
models and drive business transformation, thus
changing energy production and consumption
patterns.
4.3.1 Changes in Business Energy Use
in the Age of IT
In the initial stage of IT in business, IT’s impact
on business energy consumption is mainly confined to energy management information systems
to improve energy use and make energy savings.
Its role is to improve the business efficiency of
individual companies.
As energy resources decline and energy
demand grows, the share of energy in a business’s
operating costs gradually increases. To lower
operating costs and sharpen competitiveness,
businesses have taken numerous measures to
make their use of energy more efficient. However,
before IT was widely deployed by businesses in
China, the country was confronted by various
challenges, including very high economic
growth, poor management, low use of IT software
and automation technologies, and inefficient
energy use. Poor management means incomplete
energy saving-related measurement, statistics and
assessment; low IT use; and severe loss and waste
of energy. Businesses were therefore in urgent
need of an integrated energy management and
control system. The energy management information system that evolved with Internet technology met this need. Its continuous
improvement and wide deployment are an effective means to improve businesses’ IT-based
energy management and energy efficiency.
An IT-based energy management information
system provides monitoring, analysis and control
of energy use—water, electricity gas, etc. With
such a system, businesses can: (i) develop an
energy procurement strategy to meet their production needs efficiently and cost-effectively;
(ii) monitor and analyse energy consumption in
their production processes; (iii) make timely
scheduling of water, electricity, gas and fuel
based on changing production and operational
parameters; and (iv) unlock energy saving
potential based on energy consumption data and
monitoring. According to Chen Yanfei of the
China Petroleum Planning and Engineering
Institute, with an energy efficiency management
system, energy-intensive industries like petrochemicals can monitor, analyse and assess plant
energy consumption. The system provides
IT-based visual management of energy use,
optimises energy consumption in the production
process and improves plant energy efficiency.
For energy-intensive industries like iron and
steel, non-ferrous metals, chemicals and cement,
energy management information systems are
especially important. Before these systems existed, businesses had to record energy use manually, which often led to incomplete and missing
data. Data plays a vital role in delivering energy
savings, so data errors or incompleteness cause
many problems. Despite their desire to save
energy, businesses often attempt to do so without
an energy-saving strategy. Without such a strategy, there is a risk of investing in popular
energy-efficient technologies without considering
their suitability. With an energy management
information system, businesses gain a better
understanding of their energy consumption and
can develop an energy-saving programme for the
weaknesses identified, thus improving energy
efficiency.
Special Report 2: Research on China’s Energy Demand Revolution
263