The measurement of global energy transition success is increasingly focused on how efficiently renewable energy is utilized across the entire system, rather than merely on installed capacity, according to Dean Cooper, Global Energy Director at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
Cooper made these remarks during a video keynote at the "Energy Storage AI Innovation Forum," held as part of the 2026 Inclusion·Bund Summit. The forum brought together experts and industry representatives from research institutions, international organizations, and enterprises to discuss topics including energy storage value realization, new power system construction, and the application of meteorological AI technology in the energy sector.
WWF has long been dedicated to advancing the global transition toward a low-carbon, nature-positive, affordable, resilient, and secure energy system, Cooper noted. As global energy transition enters a new phase, the emphasis is shifting from the scale of renewable energy installations to whether the entire energy system can utilize renewables more effectively while generating positive economic outcomes. This signals a move from a generation-centric perspective to a system-centric approach, he explained.
Within this context, energy storage is evolving from a supporting technology for renewable projects to a critical component of power system infrastructure. Drawing on European examples, Cooper highlighted that energy storage can create value across multiple levels of the system simultaneously, providing frequency regulation, congestion management, backup services, and grid integration support for renewables. This system-value perspective offers important lessons for the next stage of China's energy transition, he said.
Forum participants also noted that as energy storage, grid operations, and meteorological AI converge, the industry is moving from single-technology optimization toward system-level collaboration. Weather forecasts need to be translated into quantifiable and predictable risk signals that can support grid dispatch and storage decisions. Meanwhile, the actual dispatchable capacity of energy storage must be made measurable, verifiable, and traceable.
At the same time, AI and energy storage are forming a deeper, mutually reinforcing relationship. AI capabilities such as intelligent sensing, predictive decision-making, optimized scheduling, and risk prevention are transforming energy storage from a passive responder into an active contributor to intelligent grid operations. Moving forward, the ability to build on trusted data and progress from accurate forecasting to sound decision-making, while unlocking both system and market value, will be a key direction for the energy storage industry.
Climate resilience and energy transition are becoming increasingly intertwined. Energy storage not only supports renewable energy development but also stabilizes grid operations, safeguards power supply to critical facilities, and accelerates system recovery during outages and extreme weather events. As climate risks intensify, future power systems must be not only cleaner and more efficient but also better equipped to withstand and recover from disruptions. The coordinated application of energy storage, virtual power plants, smart grid operations, and climate AI will provide vital support for building a more resilient new-generation power system.
China has already demonstrated global leadership in the large-scale deployment of clean energy technologies. The next opportunity lies in continuing to lead on building the power systems that can fully unlock the value of these technologies, while also strengthening international cooperation. WWF looks forward to working with governments, enterprises, grid operators, research institutions, and civil society partners to promote the coordinated development of renewables and power systems, and to jointly build a cleaner, safer, more resilient, and sustainable energy future.