Open Access

ARTICLE

Industrial Intelligence, Low-Carbon Transition and Implications for Offshore Renewable Energy: Evidence from Chinese Provinces

Pingzhen Xu, Xin Shen^*
School of Economics and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
* Corresponding Author: Xin Shen. Email:
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Bridging Renewable Energy Technologies and Marine Resources Toward Integrated Strategies for a Resilient Blue Economy)

Energy Engineering https://doi.org/10.32604/ee.2026.076327

Received 18 November 2025; Accepted 29 January 2026; Published online 21 February 2026

Abstract

In the context of global climate change, increasing energy security challenges, and marine ecological degradation, advancing the intelligent transformation of industrial systems and accelerating the development of marine renewable energy have become crucial pathways to achieving low-carbon growth and building a sustainable blue economy. Industrial intelligence plays a key role in supporting marine energy development through intelligent manufacturing and smart operation and maintenance technologies. Drawing on data from 30 provinces in China between 2011 and 2022, this study employs a structural equation model to systematically examine the impact mechanism of industrial intelligence on carbon emissions. The findings indicate that industrial intelligence significantly reduces carbon emissions. Furthermore, industrial structure upgrading serves as a mediating factor in this relationship, while green technological innovation positively moderates the emission-reduction effect of industrial intelligence. Multi-group analysis reveals notable regional disparities in the effectiveness of industrial intelligence in curbing emissions.These findings not only clarify the carbon reduction mechanisms of industrial intelligence within traditional industrial systems, but also offer valuable insights for enhancing the intelligence level of marine energy equipment manufacturing and reducing the development costs of marine renewable energy sources, such as offshore wind power.

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Keywords

Industrial intelligence; carbon emission reduction; industrial structure upgrading; green technology innovation; blue economy; marine renewable energy

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