“PhD Talk” is a technology leadership dialogue column IP created by sunshine power supply. in the form of in-depth dialogue between doctors and experts, it focuses on core issues such as system value reconstruction, platform strategy and AI empowerment of energy storage, photovoltaic, hydrogen energy and other industries, and continuously transmits technological innovation ideas. During the ESIE 2026, the column was reopened, and this issue focused on the theme of “Scenario Innovation Value Reconstruction”, with an in-depth discussion of cutting-edge issues such as grid-based energy storage, AI empowerment, and full-dimensional security.
in the dialogue, dr. Cai Zhuang, general manager of the product management center of the solar power energy storage division, systematically disclosed the research and development system of the enterprise “defining technology by scene” for the first time. This system consists of a five-step closed loop: market demand insight, scenario model building, technology pre-research, product planning and design, and engineering iterative feedback. In order to support this system, Sungrow has set up a “scene laboratory” to simulate real power grid disturbances, load characteristics and market rules through digital twin technology, so as to realize the first verification of technical solutions in a virtual environment.
When talking about network-type energy storage, Dr. Cai Zhuang revealed that Sunlight Power began to lay out network-type technology more than ten years ago. Today, this capability has expanded from a single PCS function to a system capability for collaborative coupling of multiple power electronic devices such as wind power and photovoltaics. In the future, wind power and photovoltaic also need to have the ability to construct a network, through the EMS system co-ordination, fully consider the synergy between a variety of energy and equipment.
at the AI application level, dr Cai Zhuang introduced two core products of sunshine power supply: PowerBidder power trading auxiliary decision-making system, which can support spot, futures, auxiliary services, frequency modulation and other markets. the core is “understand trading rules and understand the whole life cycle of equipment”; PowerDoctor intelligent operation and maintenance platform, based on massive data and AI algorithms, accurately predicts and forewarns security problems in advance. Dr. Wei Qiuli added that the AI can also realize the unmanned production process, reduce costs and losses, and speed up the response speed of the management department.
Regarding energy storage security, Dr. Cai Zhuang proposed the security concept of “full dimension, full level, and full life cycle. Different scenarios have different emphases: people-intensive industrial and commercial scenarios require intrinsic safety and rapid isolation, while the Shagohuang power station or AI data center has fewer personnel, focusing on ensuring grid stability and asset security. Sunlight Power released the “White Paper on Full-dimensional Safety of Energy Storage” at the exhibition site, emphasizing that safety is not only a problem of batteries or parts, but also a full-level stability from the battery cell station to the power grid.
At the end of the dialogue, host Liu Wei concluded that the core competitiveness of energy storage enterprises in the future is no longer “volume price, volume capacity and volume parameters”, but “volume scene adaptation capability, volume technology value and volume system capability”. This requires enterprises to power electronics technology-based, full stack self-research as the support, in specific scenarios to polish the system capabilities. “PhD
Talk” is an important platform for sunshine power to continuously output this kind of technical thinking and industry insight.
