Analysis of the Impact Mechanism of Digital Infrastructure Development on the High-Quality Growth of Sichuan’s Energy Industry: An Empirical Study Based on Industrial IoT and Energy Engineering Data

Abstract

Digital infrastructure has become a key driver of industrial upgrading and energy transformation in China. Focusing on Sichuan Province, this study investigates the impact mechanism through which digital infrastructure construction promotes the high-quality development of the energy industry. Based on multi-source datasets integrating Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) data, regional energy engineering statistics, and digitalization indicators from 2015 to 2024, this research applies panel regression models, mediation-effect analysis, and robustness tests to examine the functional pathways of digital infrastructure. The results show that improvements in digital infrastructure significantly enhance energy efficiency, optimize industrial structures, and strengthen intelligent operation and maintenance capabilities across the energy sector.