Climate Protection Potentials of Digitalized Production Processes: Microeconometric Evidence?

Janna Axenbeck and Thomas Niebel

VfS Annual Conference 2021 (Virtual Conference): Climate Economics from Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association

Abstract: Although information and communication technologies (ICT) consume energy themselves, they are considered to have the potential to improve overall energy efficiency within economic sectors. While previous empirical evidence is based on aggregated data, this is the first large-scale empirical study on the relationship between ICT and energy efficiency at the firm level. For this purpose, we employ administrative panel data on 28,734 manufacturing firms from German Statistical Offices of the Federation and the Federal States collected between 2009 and 2017. Using software capital intensity as an indicator for the firm-level degree of digitalization, we analyze whether an increase thereof relates to energy efficiency improvements. Results confirm the statistically significant negative link between software capital and energy use. However, the relationship is highly inelastic and does not suggest economic relevance. Therefore, we conclude that effects of ICT on energy use are not large enough to substantially improve energy efficiency.

Keywords: Digitalization; ICT; Firm Level; Energy Efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D22 D24 O33 Q55 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ene and nep-ore
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Climate Protection Potentials of Digitalized Production Processes: Microeconometric Evidence (2021)
Working Paper: Climate protection potentials of digitalized production processes: Microeconometric evidence? (2021)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:vfsc21:242369

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