From the Gobi Desert to Canada’s North: This Chinese language visionary is betting on AI to energy this nation’s future

[ad_1] Close to the sting of China’s Gobi Desert, large wind hubs managed by synthetic intelligence are churning out electrical energy at a fraction of the price of coal energy.

Now, the visionary behind the know-how says he is prepared to copy that mannequin in distant elements of Canada.

Lei Zhang is the billionaire founding father of Envision, a Shanghai-based inexperienced power big that is not too long ago grow to be the second-largest producer of wind generators on the earth.

For a lot of in China’s trade and abroad, Zhang carries a Steve Jobs-like aura — possessing a uncommon knack for producing pleasure for futuristic energy ideas and the economic muscle to show these visions into actuality.

Zhang not too long ago invited a CBC Information crew to Envision’s head workplace in China, the place he outlined proposals which have the potential to unravel Canada’s looming power crunch — however are additionally certain to gas fears that tapping into Chinese language AI tech might give its authorities a "kill change" over Canada’s energy grid.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Lei Zhang is the co-founder of Shanghai-based Envision Energy, the world's second largest producer of wind turbines. " srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/875150e1-6bb1-43c0-b6b3-180d945243c3,1775564147139/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C3654%2C2436%29%3BResize%3D796 796w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/875150e1-6bb1-43c0-b6b3-180d945243c3,1775564147139/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C3654%2C2436%29%3BResize%3D1083 1083w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/875150e1-6bb1-43c0-b6b3-180d945243c3,1775564147139/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C3654%2C2436%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) calc(100vw - 32px),730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/875150e1-6bb1-43c0-b6b3-180d945243c3,1775564147139/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C3654%2C2436%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.5" data-cy="image-img"/> Lei Zhang is the co-founder of Shanghai-based Envision Vitality, the world's second-largest producer of wind generators. (Lisa Xing/CBC) With the price of producing inexperienced power falling by greater than 90 per cent in latest many years, Zhang says China has handed a historic threshold: it's now cheaper to construct new photo voltaic and wind services than to maintain previous coal-fired crops working.

"Inexperienced electrons from renewables are literally ... outperforming fossil gas electrons," stated Zhang.

He says the shift has civilizational implications.

"I exploit the analogy similar to a thousand years in the past, with Chinese language paper-making know-how," stated Zhang. "By offering such know-how, we're capable of make the price of information very low and all people is ready to share that information."

He stated China's advances in renewable know-how "present new abundance for everybody, for each nation, for each firm to have entry to infinite, cheap renewable power."

WATCH | Zhang on his conversations with Mark Carney: Zhang on his conversations with Mark Carney

Lei Zhang, the billionaire founding father of Envision, a Shanghai-based inexperienced power big, says he spoke to Prime Minister Mark Carney about how his firm may also help resolve Canada's power challenges. It is a lofty, head-spinning idea that requires some unpacking. However Zhang says the important element that’s instantly made inexperienced power techniques each economical and practical is AI.

He says with out an AI mind directing the system, constructing an power superpower primarily based on usually intermittent wind patterns simply wouldn’t be potential.

"At the moment, we solely want one minute to have the outcomes of the following two weeks of climate patterns, to have higher forecasting. An AI agent is dispatching the power stream and balancing the grid at a millisecond degree — no human is in a position to try this," stated Zhang.

Envision’s signature undertaking is an off-grid, closed-loop facility in China’s Internal Mongolia area, north of Beijing. Sitting on the sting of the Gobi Desert, the plant, which was opened in July 2025, makes use of 1.4 gigawatts (GW) of wind generators to provide a whole bunch of 1000's of tonnes of net-zero hydrogen and ammonium yearly.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Envision Energy is a major global manufacturer of wind turbines." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/a19475ec-f05d-4cf9-8d5a-d674ca8d9693,1775152708396/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2950%2C1616%29%3BResize%3D796 796w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/a19475ec-f05d-4cf9-8d5a-d674ca8d9693,1775152708396/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2950%2C1616%29%3BResize%3D1083 1083w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/a19475ec-f05d-4cf9-8d5a-d674ca8d9693,1775152708396/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2950%2C1616%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) calc(100vw - 32px),730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/a19475ec-f05d-4cf9-8d5a-d674ca8d9693,1775152708396/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2950%2C1616%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.8254950495049505" data-cy="image-img"/> Envision Vitality is a significant international producer of wind generators. (Envision Vitality) Envision says a number of AI information centres in China are already tapping into the clear energy produced by the ability and there are plans within the works for an 800-kilometre pipeline to move the inexperienced hydrogen to bigger inhabitants centres. There, it may be used to generate clear energy whereas bypassing the present, growing older transmission grid.

"We undoubtedly … can replicate it in Canada," stated Zhang, noting that Canada’s huge wilderness creates limitless alternatives for related off-grid power crops that might energy the nation for many years to come back.

"So long as the wind is blowing, the reply is within the wind."

Zhang confirmed he mentioned his plans immediately with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on his go to to China in January. He additionally says he’s had superior discussions with different Canadian stakeholders in a number of provinces, though he received’t formally say who.

In his information convention in Beijing on the time, Carney stated Canada is open to such collaboration.

"Over the following 15 years, Canada intends to double our power grid by way of main investments in hydro, photo voltaic, nuclear and wind energy," he stated.

"That creates super alternatives for Chinese language partnerships in these investments, together with in power storage and offshore wind."

<img loading="lazy" alt="Transmissions lines in Hebei, outside of Beijing. Although green energy installations have surged in China, so have new coal plants which continue to make air quality poor on many days in the Beijing area." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/b257d770-9d51-4903-9168-6949fcacf1a9,1775567469710/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2858%2C1586%29%3BResize%3D796 796w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/b257d770-9d51-4903-9168-6949fcacf1a9,1775567469710/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2858%2C1586%29%3BResize%3D1083 1083w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/b257d770-9d51-4903-9168-6949fcacf1a9,1775567469710/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2858%2C1586%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) calc(100vw - 32px),730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/b257d770-9d51-4903-9168-6949fcacf1a9,1775567469710/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2858%2C1586%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.8020176544766708" data-cy="image-img"/> Transmission traces are seen in Hebei, exterior of Beijing. Though inexperienced power installations have surged in China, so have new coal crops, which proceed to make air high quality poor on many days within the Beijing space. (Andrew Lee/CBC) Regardless of Zhang’s confidence in renewables to generate power "abundance," China’s authorities continues to open new coal crops. In 2023, China was chargeable for 95 per cent of all new coal energy building worldwide. In 2025, the nation introduced greater than 78 GW of coal-fired power technology on-line — roughly the identical as what India commissioned over a complete decade.

Greenpeace says the nation stays hooked on coal as a safety blanket for energy shortages, even because it pushes renewables.

"China's power coverage right now is working on two parallel tracks," stated Grace Gao, Greenpeace East Asia's local weather and power undertaking director primarily based in Beijing.

"On one monitor, we are able to see the fast deployment and enlargement of renewable power. On the opposite monitor, we are able to nonetheless see the coal is getting accepted."

WATCH | Greenpeace director says China ought to part out coal: Greenpeace director says China ought to part out coal

Grace Gao, Greenpeace East Asia's local weather and power undertaking director, says China's power coverage is presently 'working on two parallel tracks': renewable sources and the continued use of coal. She stated sure Chinese language provinces, specific ones with heavy trade, have been reluctant to drag the plug on fossil fuels completely, fearing the potential financial dangers. She famous that the federal government of President Xi Jinping has to this point refused to set a deadline for the retirement of Chinese language coal crops.

"I do suppose China ought to take into account setting a transparent timeline for freezing out coal energy," stated Gao. "That may ship a way more clear sign not solely to the market but additionally to the native authorities to cease approving new coal initiatives sooner or later."

Greenpeace additionally isn’t bought on the distant mega-energy centre mannequin. The environmental advocacy group believes techniques nearer to the place folks stay are extra environment friendly — akin to China’s rooftop photo voltaic program, which Gao says has turned 300 million farmers into energy producers.

"The native farmers can use extra solar energy than they produce. And so they can even promote the provision of electrical energy to the grid to earn more money."

For potential collaborators, like Canada, the "AI mind" that makes Envision's system environment friendly is strictly what worries critics. If Canada adopts Chinese language-driven power techniques, it is not simply shopping for generators, it's putting in a Chinese language working system within the coronary heart of nationwide infrastructure.

"We’ve obtained to guard ourselves in opposition to the Communist Chinese language," Ontario Premier Doug Ford stated in mid-March concerning the danger of Canadian secrets and techniques falling into the fingers of international governments.

Ford has additionally referred to as Chinese language-made electrical automobiles potential "spy automobiles" as a result of the know-how within the automobiles could possibly be managed by somebody in Beijing — a declare Chinese language officers deny.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Envision Energy's green energy plant in Inner Mongolia. on the edge of the Gobi Desert." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/3f6bddaa-a0e2-43d2-985c-270ce3aa3d68,1775153780437/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2950%2C1622%29%3BResize%3D796 796w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/3f6bddaa-a0e2-43d2-985c-270ce3aa3d68,1775153780437/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2950%2C1622%29%3BResize%3D1083 1083w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/3f6bddaa-a0e2-43d2-985c-270ce3aa3d68,1775153780437/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2950%2C1622%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) calc(100vw - 32px),730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/3f6bddaa-a0e2-43d2-985c-270ce3aa3d68,1775153780437/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C2950%2C1622%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.8187422934648583" data-cy="image-img"/> Envision Vitality's inexperienced power plant in Internal Mongolia, on the sting of the Gobi Desert. (Envision Vitality) Envision’s Zhang advised CBC Information that Chinese language-made tech would pose no safety dangers to Canadian customers.

"In fact we have to work with native companions, we [are] working with native regulators, we're working for full transparency," he stated.

China’s embrace of inexperienced power is in distinction to america' full-barrelled retreat.

"I’ve by no means seen a Chinese language wind farm," U.S. President Donald Trump stated on March 4. "They promote them to suckers in Europe."

For Zhang, the shift to renewables isn’t a matter of political style or "sucker" offers — its inevitability is dictated by the legal guidelines of physics.