Core Insights - The electric grid automation equipment industry in China is experiencing significant growth driven by policy incentives and technological advancements, with a projected market size of 128.6 billion yuan in 2024, representing a year-on-year increase of 9.7% [1][8][9] - The industry is supported by a series of national policies aimed at achieving carbon neutrality, emphasizing digital and intelligent transformation in the power system [5][6] - Key players in the market include State Grid NARI, XJ Electric, and Huawei, with a competitive landscape characterized by both state-owned enterprises and cross-industry entrants [2][9][10] Industry Overview - Electric grid automation equipment is essential for monitoring, controlling, protecting, and regulating electrical energy, ensuring efficient and safe operation of power systems [1][3] - The industry has evolved from relying on foreign technology to achieving self-innovation, with significant advancements in automation and integration of new technologies like AI and cloud computing [5][6] Market Dynamics - The investment structure is shifting towards the grid side, with a forecasted investment growth of 15.32% in grid engineering for 2024, further increasing by 14% in the first eight months of 2025 [6][8] - The market is segmented into various fields, with substation automation holding a 40% market share and distribution automation growing at an 11.9% rate [1][9] Competitive Landscape - The industry is characterized by a "one strong, many strong" competitive structure, with State Grid NARI leading in high-end markets, while companies like XJ Electric and Sifang Co. have established unique advantages in niche areas [9][10] - Cross-industry players like Huawei are entering the market leveraging ICT technologies, indicating a trend towards collaboration and competition among traditional and new entrants [10][12] Future Trends - The industry is expected to transition towards deep intelligence and system integration, with a focus on predictive maintenance and self-healing capabilities [10][11] - The role of electric grids is shifting from a simple energy distribution channel to a complex energy system hub, necessitating significant investments in distribution network automation [11][12] - The traditional supply chain model is evolving into a cross-industry collaborative ecosystem, where companies must seek strategic partnerships to thrive in the new market landscape [12]

Market Performance - The energy storage and wind power sectors have performed relatively well, achieving positive excess returns compared to industry indices, while the photovoltaic and grid equipment sectors have underperformed [1][2] - The energy storage sector benefits from ongoing industry prosperity and rapid growth in shipment volumes, significantly outperforming industry benchmarks [2] - The wind power sector's bidding market has begun to transmit its prosperity to the revenue side of industry chain companies, leading to a noticeable recovery in their performance [2] Industry Recovery - The photovoltaic sector's performance has bottomed out and is beginning to recover, while the wind and energy storage sectors show an upward trend in their fundamentals [2] - The photovoltaic supply chain, including silicon materials, silicon wafers, and integrated components, is gradually recovering, although auxiliary materials are under pressure [3] - The domestic photovoltaic demand is expected to surge in the first half of 2025 due to the implementation of relevant policies, stabilizing industry prices [3] Supply and Demand Dynamics - The industry is experiencing a significant slowdown in expansion pace due to the enforcement of policies aimed at curbing "involution" competition, leading to an ongoing optimization of the supply-demand structure [2][3] - The wind power sector is witnessing a clear recovery, with revenue growth driven by the transmission of high bidding market conditions to the income side of the industry chain [4][5] Grid Equipment Sector - The grid equipment sector continues to show stable growth, benefiting from a long-term uptrend in global grid investment [6] - The demand for grid equipment is increasing due to the rapid growth of wind and photovoltaic industries, necessitating greater investment in grid infrastructure [6]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a positive investment rating for the renewable energy sector, particularly highlighting the recovery in the photovoltaic and wind energy segments [5]. Core Insights - The renewable energy sector is showing clear signs of recovery, with significant performance improvements in the photovoltaic and wind energy segments, while the energy storage sector continues to experience upward momentum [1][14]. - The photovoltaic industry is witnessing a rebound in performance, driven by a surge in domestic demand and the implementation of policies to eliminate "involution" competition, leading to price stabilization [2][34]. - The wind energy sector is benefiting from improved bidding conditions, which are translating into revenue growth for companies within the industry [3][21]. - The grid equipment sector is experiencing stable growth, supported by a long-term increase in global grid investment [4][24]. Summary by Sections Overall Industry Performance - The overall performance of the renewable energy sector has improved significantly in the first half of 2025, with a notable recovery in profits, particularly in the wind and energy storage segments [1][15]. - The photovoltaic segment is gradually recovering, with major components like silicon wafers and battery cells showing substantial growth, while auxiliary materials face pressure [1][21]. - The industry is experiencing a slowdown in capacity expansion, with the proportion of ongoing projects relative to total assets decreasing [26]. Photovoltaic Sector - The photovoltaic sector is seeing a recovery in performance, with significant growth in the main supply chain components, while auxiliary materials are under pressure [2][34]. - Domestic demand for photovoltaic products surged in the first half of 2025, leading to a historical high in new installations [2][48]. - The implementation of policies to address "involution" competition is accelerating the exit of outdated capacities from the market [2][34]. Wind Energy Sector - The wind energy sector is showing a clear recovery trend, with revenue growth across various segments, particularly in components like towers and bearings [3][21]. - The domestic wind energy prices have significantly increased compared to 2024, with bidding volumes continuing to grow [3][21]. Grid Equipment Sector - The grid equipment sector is maintaining stable growth, benefiting from a long-term upward trend in global grid investments [4][24]. - The performance of transmission and distribution equipment is particularly strong, with notable revenue growth in the first quarter of 2025 [22].

Investment Rating - The report maintains a positive investment rating for the wind, energy storage, and grid equipment sectors, while indicating challenges for the photovoltaic sector [5]. Core Insights - The industry is experiencing a structural recovery, with significant performance improvements in the wind and energy storage sectors, while the photovoltaic sector is under pressure [1][13]. - The supply-demand mismatch in the photovoltaic industry is gradually being alleviated, with prices entering a bottom range, suggesting potential for future improvement [2][35]. - The wind power sector shows strong bidding data and notable recovery in profitability across various segments [3][24]. - The grid equipment sector continues to benefit from stable global investment, indicating ongoing industry prosperity [4][26]. Summary by Sections Overall Industry Performance - The electric new energy sector faced significant pressure in 2024, but signs of recovery began in Q1 2025, with revenues of 7,275.1 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 2.9% [14]. - The overall industry valuation is at historical lows, reflecting market expectations of fundamental pressures [1][28]. Photovoltaic Sector - The photovoltaic sector's main supply chain (silicon materials, wafers, cells, and modules) experienced significant revenue declines of 20% to 40% in Q4 2024 and Q1 2025 [24]. - The inverter segment showed recovery, with revenue growth of 12% and 43% in Q4 2024 and Q1 2025, respectively [24][53]. - Global photovoltaic installations are expected to maintain a stable growth rate of 15-20% [2]. Wind Power Sector - The wind power sector demonstrated a clear recovery in Q4 2024 and Q1 2025, with significant revenue growth across various components, including a 543% increase in bearing segment profits [3][24]. - Domestic wind power prices have stabilized, and bidding volumes have increased significantly, indicating a positive outlook for the sector [3][24]. Grid Equipment Sector - The grid equipment sector continues to show stable growth, benefiting from increased global grid investment, with revenue growth rates of 5% to 13% across various segments [4][25]. - The demand for grid equipment is expected to rise due to the increasing share of renewable energy sources [4][26].