Abstract:In the era of the digital economy, the explosive growth of massive data and emerging technologies has brought new opportunities and challenges to the development of energy models. This study is grounded in the historical context and current trends of energy model development, revisits the basic connotations of energy models and their narrow and broad distinctions, and analyzes the latest research progress and technological frontiers of both types of models from a global perspective. Focusing on domestic practices, it clarifies the urgent needs for China’s energy model development in the digital economy era, including achieving independent innovation, aligning with national conditions, serving the “dual carbon” strategy, and accelerating the empowerment of digital technology. Meanwhile, this area also faces several challenges such as insufficient digital processing capabilities, barriers to data sharing that need to be overcome, and increased difficulty in model theoretical and technological innovation. From the perspectives of enhancing the integrated capability of energy models, constructing a discipline system of energy models with Chinese characteristics, improving the reliability, practicality, and flexibility of energy models, and accelerating talent cultivation and development in the energy model field, it is proposed that relevant suggestions for promoting the development and innovative application of China’s energy models in the context of the digital economy.