On the desolate fringes of the Gobi Desert, a new kind of industrial revolution is humming. Massive wind hubs, choreographed by artificial intelligence, are generating electricity at a cost that is now frequently lower than that of traditional coal power. Here’s the blueprint Lei Zhang, the billionaire founder of Envision, intends to export to the remote reaches of the Canadian North.
Zhang, often described as having a Steve Jobs-like ability to synthesize futuristic concepts with industrial scale, leads one of the world’s two largest wind turbine manufacturers. His proposition is simple yet provocative: Canada can solve its looming energy crunch by adopting the same AI-powered green energy in Canada that has transformed China’s energy landscape. But, the proposal arrives at a moment of acute geopolitical tension, where the promise of cheap power clashes with fears of national security vulnerabilities.
At the heart of Zhang’s vision is the “AI brain.” Whereas wind and solar are historically plagued by intermittency—the wind doesn’t always blow and the sun doesn’t always shine—Zhang argues that AI has finally solved the stability equation. By processing weather patterns and grid demand in real-time, AI agents can balance energy flows at a millisecond level, a feat impossible for human operators.
“Today, we only necessitate one minute to have the results of the next two weeks of weather patterns, to have better forecasting,” Zhang said. “An AI agent is dispatching the energy flow and balancing the grid at a millisecond level — no human is able to do that.”
The Gobi Model: From Wind to Hydrogen
The proof of concept exists in China’s Inner Mongolia region. Opened in July 2025, Envision’s signature off-grid, closed-loop facility utilizes 1.4 gigawatts (GW) of wind turbines to produce hundreds of thousands of tonnes of net-zero hydrogen and ammonium annually.
This facility does more than generate electricity; it serves as a feedstock for AI data centers and plans for an 800-kilometer pipeline to transport green hydrogen to population centers, effectively bypassing aging transmission grids. Zhang believes Canada’s vast, wind-swept wilderness is the ideal canvas for this model.
“We definitely … can replicate it in Canada,” Zhang said, adding, “As long as the wind is blowing, the answer is in the wind.”
The Geopolitical Friction Point
The ambition to implement AI-powered green energy in Canada has already reached high-level diplomatic channels. Zhang confirmed discussions in January with Mark Carney, a former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England who serves as a special advisor to the Canadian government. During a visit to Beijing, Carney indicated that Canada is open to such collaborations, stating that the country intends to double its energy grid over the next 15 years through investments in wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear power.
However, the “AI brain” is precisely what makes critics uneasy. Integrating Chinese-designed software into the heart of national power infrastructure raises the specter of a “kill switch”—the possibility that a foreign government could remotely disable critical energy systems.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been a vocal critic of such dependencies. In mid-March, Ford emphasized the need to protect Canadian secrets from foreign influence, previously labeling Chinese-made electric vehicles as potential “spy cars” due to their integrated technology.
Zhang has dismissed these security concerns, promising full transparency and cooperation with local regulators. “Of course we need to work with local partners, we [are] working with local regulators, we are working for full transparency,” he said.
A Dual-Track Energy Paradox
While Zhang presents a vision of “infinite, inexpensive renewable energy,” the reality on the ground in China is more contradictory. The country is currently pursuing a “dual-track” energy policy: aggressively expanding renewables while simultaneously remaining the world’s largest builder of coal plants.
In 2023, China was responsible for 95 per cent of all new coal power construction worldwide. By 2025, the country brought more than 78 GW of coal-fired generation online—a figure roughly equivalent to what India commissioned over an entire decade.
Grace Gao, Greenpeace East Asia’s climate and energy project director, suggests that coal remains a “security blanket” for the Chinese government to prevent power shortages in industrial provinces. Gao likewise argues that the “mega-energy center” model is less efficient than decentralized systems, such as rooftop solar, which has already empowered millions of Chinese farmers to turn into energy producers.
The divide in approach is further highlighted by the United States. While China pushes its AI-driven export model, the U.S. Has moved toward a more protectionist stance. U.S. President Donald Trump recently mocked the adoption of Chinese wind technology, claiming on March 4 that such farms are sold to “suckers in Europe.”
For Lei Zhang, these political disputes are secondary to the physics of the energy transition. He views the current shift as a civilizational milestone, comparing the spread of green technology to the ancient dissemination of Chinese paper-making.
The next phase of this ambition depends on whether Canada’s regulators can find a middle ground between the desperate need for energy expansion and the imperative of national security. As Canada evaluates its 15-year grid expansion plan, the decision to “plug in” to Chinese AI will likely become a defining test of its energy diplomacy.
Do you believe the benefits of AI-driven energy outweigh the security risks of foreign technology? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
