Testing mechanisms through which China's ETS promotes a low-carbon transition

Feng Liu, Jeroen van den Bergh and Yihang Wei

Energy Economics, 2024, vol. 132, issue C

Abstract: China regards an emission trading scheme (ETS) as the most promising approach for reducing its carbon dioxide emissions. However, there are still disagreements about the effectiveness of China's ETS (CETS). To settle this issue, we test the impact of CETS on key mechanisms driving a low-carbon transition. We use the difference-in-difference method to analyze data for coal-power plants participating in China's carbon trading pilot. This involves the use of two variables based on life-cycle indicators, namely ‘energy return on energy invested’ (EROI) and ‘energy return on carbon invested’ (EROC). We obtain three main findings: (1) a mediating effect of supply-side reform is significant; (2) this effect is stronger for more intense technological innovation and government intervention; (3) the influence of CETS on a low-carbon transition is independent of the development of clean energy. Overall, we conclude that the scope of CETS should be extended to other emitters to fully unleash its potential for reducing carbon emissions.

Keywords: Carbon pricing; Emission trading; EROI; EROC; Energy transition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:132:y:2024:i:c:s0140988324002020

DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2024.107494

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