Considering the potential relationship between the digital economy and energy transition, we investigate the effect of the digital economy on the structure of renewable energy consumption and generation by employing panel data of 72 countries covering the period 2003–2019. We also investigate the mediating effect of government governance, asymmetry, and heterogeneity between the digital economy and energy transition, and draw several results. First, the digital economy positively affects energy transition; in other words, a 1% increase in the digital economy will boost the renewable energy consumption structure by 0.021% and renewable energy generation structure by 0.106%. Moreover, the digital economy stimulates the renewable energy transition by promoting governments’ governance capabilities. In addition, according to the asymmetric check, the positive effect of the digital economy on energy transition is stronger at higher quantiles. Finally, heterogeneity results indicate that the digital economy positively contributes to renewable energy transition in the high-income countries, and there are regional heterogeneities in the impact of the digital economy on energy transition. These research findings offer valuable policy implications for governments and scholars. •This paper explores the effects of the digital economy on energy transition.•We further discuss the mediating mechanism, asymmetry, and heterogeneity.•The digital economy positively affects the transition of renewable energy consumption and generation.•Government governance has a positive impact on the relationship between the digital economy and energy transition.•The impact of the digital economy on energy transition is asymmetric and heterogeneous.