China’s energy transition is unfolding amid an unprecedented demographic shift, which features persistent low fertility, population decline and rapid aging, as well as a rapid scale-up of the digital economy and a policy pivot to green transformation. This article proposes and tests a D3 (Demography, Digitalization and Decarbonization) framework through three longitudinal case studies (2010-2025): (1) Urban building retrofits using digital twins and smart heating. (2) Electrified transport depots with intelligent charging and fleet scheduling. (3) Hydrogen-ready Direct Reduced Iron-Electric Arc Furnace (DRI-EAF) pilots in the steel industry with digitalized process control. Methodologically, we combine process-tracing of policy and technology timelines with sectoral statistics and vendor/agency documentation, and we report operational energy-efficiency metrics (savings, peak-load reduction, intensity proxies). We find: (1) Delayed retirement (effective 2025) complements digital tools by retaining skilled operators, raising O&M quality and stabilizing retrofits/commissioning. (2) Digital platforms routinely deliver 5%-20% energy savings in buildings and 15%-30% peak-clipping at depots, when measured against conventional “charge-when-arrive” operational baselines. (3) Hydrogen-ready DRI enables fuel-flexible process control, lowering intensity and strengthening energy security through diversification, while workforce retention reduces ramp-up risks. We discuss how population security (income/employment stability for aging workers) and energy security (reduced import exposure, grid stress) are co-produced by operational efficiency rather than capacity additions alone. Policy priorities fall into pricing, people/skills, and platforms/data.
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Share and Cite
Wang, Y., Sun, M. (2025) Demography, Digitalization and Decarbonization in China Operational Energy Efficiency under Low Fertility and Delayed Retirement. Scientific Research Bulletin, 2(5), 1-9.