Structural Evolution of Household Energy Consumption: A China Study

Qingsong Wang, Ping Liu, Xueliang Yuan, Xingxing Cheng, Rujian Ma, Ruimin Mu and Jian Zuo
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Qingsong Wang: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, 17923 Jingshi Road, Jinan 250061, China
Ping Liu: School of Management, Shandong University, 27 Shanda Road, Jinan 250100, China
Xueliang Yuan: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, 17923 Jingshi Road, Jinan 250061, China
Xingxing Cheng: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, 17923 Jingshi Road, Jinan 250061, China
Rujian Ma: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, 17923 Jingshi Road, Jinan 250061, China
Ruimin Mu: School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, China
Jian Zuo: School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia

Sustainability, 2015, vol. 7, issue 4, 1-14

Abstract: Sustainable energy production and consumption is one of the issues for the sustainable development strategy in China. As China’s economic development paradigm shifts, household energy consumption (HEC) has become a focus of achieving national goals of energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction. The information entropy model and LMDI model were employed in this study in order to analyse the structural evolution of HEC, as well as its associated critical factors. The results indicate that the information entropy of HEC increased gradually, and coal will be reduced by clean energies, such as natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas. The information entropy tends to stabilize and converge due to rapid urbanization. Therefore, from the perspective of environmental protection and natural resource conservation, the structure of household energy consumption will be optimized. This study revealed that residents’ income level is one of the most critical factors for the increase of energy consumption, while the energy intensity is the only driving force for the reduction of HEC. The accumulated contribution of these two factors to the HEC is 240.53% and ?161.75%, respectively. It is imperative to improve the energy efficiency in the residential sector. Recommendations are provided to improve the energy efficiency-related technologies, as well as the standards for the sustainable energy strategy.

Keywords: household energy consumption; sustainable development; information entropy; LMDI model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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