China’s Smart Energy Policy Evaluation Based on Policy Modelling Consistency Index

Against the backdrop of China’s “dual carbon” goals of achieving carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. Traditional qualitative evaluations struggle with subjectivity; therefore we apply the quantitative PMC Index to systematically assess smart energy policies. This research systematically analyzes 16 representative Chinese smart energy policies using the PMC model, combined with content analysis. An integrated analytical framework was constructed to examine PMC applications across different energy policy fields. Results demonstrate that China’s smart energy policies achieved excellent performance, with an average PMC score of 7.48 out of 10. Furthermore, 68.75% of policies (11 out of 16) reached the ‘excellent’ level (PMC ≥ 8.0), with Policy “P6” achieving the highest score of 8.88 points. Top-performing policies exhibited strong strategic coordination, clear objectives, and comprehensive supporting measures. The findings reveal a well-structured policy cluster with clear objectives and strong coordination. This mature policy package provides a solid institutional foundation for China’s energy system transformation toward smart and green development, offering valuable insights for energy policy optimization and quantitative assessment methodology improvement.