Xu Yingtong: "My dream is to build an enterprise that creates value for the industry"

Sige New Energy Chairman and CEO Xu Yingtong: Deep Integration of AI + New Energy Storage Enables Every Device to “Talk.”

At the critical stage of high-quality development in the new energy industry, manufacturing capability has long become the core competitiveness of enterprises. On March 13, the world’s largest single distributed energy storage factory—Sige New Energy Nantong Smart Energy Center—covering 136,000 square meters, with a total investment of 500 million yuan and an annual capacity of over 300,000 inverters and energy storage packs—was officially put into operation. Nearly 2,000 partners and industry guests from over 50 countries and regions gathered in Nantong, Jiangsu. During the event, Sige New Energy (hereinafter referred to as “Sige”) officially launched the “AI in All” strategy, integrating artificial intelligence deeply into products, software, manufacturing, and energy management systems, advancing energy systems from “able to operate” to a new stage of “able to think, collaborate, and continuously optimize.”

Why build a smart factory? What are the new highlights? What new changes will AI bring to intelligent manufacturing? How does the deep integration of AI + new energy storage solve industry pain points? With these questions, China Energy News interviewed Xu Yingtong, Chairman and CEO of Sige New Energy.

AI Redefines Standards for Energy Storage Intelligent Manufacturing

The smart factory is driven by “AI + automation” at its core, achieving a paradigm shift from “point automation” to “full-line intelligent collaboration,” redefining the standards for intelligent manufacturing in the energy storage industry.

“Traditional factories have assembly lines, test stations, and AGV logistics vehicles operating independently, but we aim to create a smart factory that ‘thinks and collaborates’.” Xu Yingtong explained that the core breakthrough of Nantong Smart Energy Center is relying on an independently developed intelligent manufacturing management system, breaking down information barriers in assembly, testing, logistics, and other links, and building a collaborative system with data connectivity across the entire industry chain. For example, MES (Manufacturing Execution System), WMS (Warehouse Management System), and EMS (Energy Management System) are deeply coupled through a data platform. After production plans are issued, material outbound, equipment adjustments, and process switching are all automatically driven by the system, enabling device interconnection, data sharing, and process mutual promotion.

Xu Yingtong said that the industrial internet allows every device to “talk.” When material consumption on the assembly line reaches a critical point, the system automatically issues instructions to the warehouse. Autonomous vehicles and suspended intelligent cranes respond simultaneously, achieving three-dimensional coordination of ground and aerial transportation, eliminating manual replenishment and process waiting in traditional factories. This self-feedback, self-optimization collaboration mode increases overall production efficiency by over 20%, enabling Nantong factory to produce a inverter every 21 seconds and an energy storage pack every 15 seconds.

The deep integration of AI technology further consolidates Sige’s manufacturing advantages. In the core SMT process, industry-leading production lines operate at high speed of 0.043 seconds per piece, with error control within 20-30 microns. Coupled with AI-AOI automatic optimization systems, Sige achieves a closed-loop control of “inspection—recognition—optimization,” reducing human labor by 80%. In the energy storage pack manufacturing process, automatic welding with CCD visual control can achieve a yield rate of 99.9%. In the DIP plug-in process, automation combined with lean production shortens process time by 50%. From incoming material inspection to finished product delivery, AI is integrated throughout the entire process.

More notably, Nantong Smart Energy Center is not just a simple production base but an innovation platform with deep coupling of R&D and manufacturing. Xu Yingtong said that in the future, a digital command center will realize “one screen managing globally,” synchronizing production data from all bases in Shanghai, Nantong, and others in real-time, forming a closed-loop ecosystem of research and production.

Innovation Across All Scenarios Leading Energy Transformation

Since its founding, Sige has embedded artificial intelligence as a fundamental capability, integrating it into product design, system operation, energy dispatching, and user interaction, pushing energy systems from “able to operate” to “able to think, collaborate, and evolve.” The commissioning of Nantong Smart Energy Center is a key implementation of Sige’s “AI in All” strategy, marking its full-chain layout from technological R&D to large-scale intelligent manufacturing.

With dual expertise in new energy power electronics and artificial intelligence, Xu Yingtong has a more systematic view of the future evolution of energy systems, making Sige’s technological route more forward-looking. “Sige does not simply stack AI functions; instead, AI becomes a core capability that runs through all scenarios.” Xu emphasized that Sige’s AI layout starts with architecture design, reserving sufficient computing power in devices. Even products purchased five years ago can be upgraded remotely to iterate AI functions, ensuring products remain relevant for 10-20 years.

In residential scenarios, the world’s first five-in-one integrated inverter, energy storage, and charging machine deeply integrates inverter, energy storage, and charging functions. With 5-minute grid connection and 1.5-minute software upgrade efficiency, it disrupts traditional industry standards. The new SigenStor Neo home energy system further optimizes integration, adopting an stacked design suitable for home scenarios. Coupled with AI large model assistants, users can perform energy dispatching via natural language, with users in markets like Sweden and Poland experiencing over 50% reduction in electricity costs.

In the commercial and industrial sector, a 166kW high-power inverter combined with SigenStack modular energy storage solutions covers capacities from 50kWh to 10MWh, flexibly meeting needs in industrial parks, commercial complexes, and other scenarios. “In the South African market, our commercial and industrial energy storage solutions, with zero-millisecond switching technology, solve frequent power outages, achieving a market share of 70%, becoming the preferred solution for local enterprises,” Xu Yingtong said. For large ground power stations, Sige’s 460kW ground inverter supports 1650V DC input and 1000V AC systems, significantly reducing system costs and improving overall power generation efficiency.

“With AI optical power prediction technology, we connect device, meteorological, and station data across multiple dimensions to achieve precise dispatching and revenue optimization, fully meeting the core needs of large power stations for high efficiency, safety, and intelligence.” Xu Yingtong stated that Sige is building a comprehensive energy technology platform covering from home energy systems to large-scale power station infrastructure.

Currently, Sige’s AI technology covers nearly 80 countries worldwide, forming applications in AI-powered power dispatching, proactive safety protection, intelligent user services, and smart operation and maintenance. Through technological innovation, Sige addresses industry pain points and builds a full-scenario product matrix for residential, industrial, and large ground power stations.

Building a Respected International Enterprise

Since its establishment in 2022 focusing on the European market, and with a full domestic layout by 2026, Sige has grown into a “dark horse” in the energy storage industry in just four years, driven by a clear strategy of “global deployment and high-quality development.”

For example, among nearly 2,000 global guests attending the launch, over 1,500 were overseas clients making their first visit to China, with more than 60% being CEOs and founders of their companies, setting a record for hosting high-end overseas clients in Nantong. This global recognition stems from Sige’s relentless pursuit of quality and continuous investment in innovation. From the Shanghai Lingang factory to the Nantong Smart Energy Center, Sige maintains strict quality control throughout the entire process, establishing a full traceability system from raw materials to production, testing, aging, and shipment, with 100% full-charge and full-discharge testing and 100% high-temperature aging tests, ensuring every product withstands market scrutiny.

Xu Yingtong, with years of experience in AI, deeply understands the complementarity of traditional energy technology and artificial intelligence: “Energy systems seek certainty, while AI excels at solving complex probabilistic problems. Combining the two precisely addresses the extremely high complexity of photovoltaic, energy storage, and wind power coordinated dispatching.”

“My dream is not to build a profitable company but to create a respected enterprise that adds value to the industry.” Xu Yingtong said that Sige always adheres to the philosophy of “focusing on innovation and shared development.” Even in the face of fierce market competition, the company insists on open-source technology and industry co-creation. The launch of Nantong Smart Energy Center marks a new starting point for Sige’s development. “In the future, we will continue to deepen the ‘AI in All’ strategy, leveraging R&D advantages in Shanghai and manufacturing strengths in Nantong to build a global research and production ecosystem, continuously iterating intelligent manufacturing systems and full-scenario product solutions, and working with global partners to promote energy transformation.”

Text by: Our Reporter Su Nan

Produced by: China Energy News (cnenergy)

Editor: Yan Zhiqiang