Improving industrial energy efficiency: global trends and Chinese practice

Preface

As global attention to the environment and sustainable development continues to deepen, improving industrial energy efficiency has become a common focus for policymakers and enterprises in major economies. Based on recent relevant reports, this article will explore the global trend of industrial energy efficiency improvement and China's practices and challenges in this field.

global trends

The rise of the absorption chiller market

According to Moomoo,The global absorption chiller market is expected to reach US$2.98 billion by 2036, this growth is mainly driven by the promotion of waste heat utilization and district cooling technologies. As a sustainable refrigeration technology, absorption refrigerators can not only effectively utilize waste heat generated in industrial production, but also significantly reduce electricity consumption, which is of great significance in combating climate change.

The report points out that Europe, North America and Asia are the main growth regions for the absorption chiller market. The prosperity of this market not only reflects the international community's focus on improving energy efficiency, but also heralds the trend of industrial manufacturing to develop in a greener and lower-carbon direction.

Adjustments to European industrial electricity prices

According to Taylor Wessing’s report,European Commission approves new industrial electricity price policy in April 2026. This policy aims to reduce overall energy consumption and carbon emissions by providing fairer electricity prices and encouraging industrial companies to invest in more energy-efficient equipment and technology. This electricity price adjustment is regarded as part of the European Green New Deal, demonstrating Europe's determination and actions in promoting industrial energy efficiency improvements.

China Practice

Exploring the next generation of energy-saving solutions

A report from China Science and Technology Network mentioned that China is actively developing and promoting next-generation energy-saving solutions. This includes technologies such as smart grids, high-efficiency motors, advanced thermal management systems, and more. The Chinese government and enterprises have realized that improving energy efficiency is not only an effective means to deal with energy shortages, but also a key path to achieve green development.

According to reports, China plans to significantly improve energy efficiency in the industrial sector through technological innovation and policy support in the next few years. These measures are expected to reduce energy consumption, reduce business operating costs, and reduce environmental pollution.

Policy Support and Corporate Action

On Earth Day, April 22, 2026, the Chinese government released the "Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction Work" document, further clarifying specific goals and policy measures for energy efficiency improvement and carbon emission reduction. The document emphasizes that various industries should increase investment in technology research and development, promote energy efficiency standards, and strengthen energy management to achieve the country's carbon neutrality goal.

At the same time, TCL Smart Home (002668) disclosed the company's progress in improving energy efficiency in its 2025 environmental, social and corporate governance report. The report shows that TCL Smart Home has implemented a series of energy efficiency improvement measures, including optimizing production processes, adopting energy-saving equipment and improving energy management efficiency. These measures not only help reduce energy consumption, but also bring significant economic benefits to the enterprise.

Challenges and prospects

Although the world and China have made significant progress in improving industrial energy efficiency, there are still some challenges. First, the cost of technological innovation and the speed of technology promotion are major obstacles. Secondly, some companies do not pay enough attention to improving energy efficiency and need to strengthen incentives through policy guidance and market mechanisms. Finally, international cooperation and exchanges are also particularly important to share best practices and technical experience to accelerate the pace of global energy efficiency improvements.

In the future, with the continuous advancement of technology and policy support, improvements in industrial energy efficiency will bring more opportunities and benefits to enterprises and society. Governments and enterprises of various countries should continue to increase the research, development and application of energy efficiency technologies and promote green transformation in the industrial field.