Can mobile information communication technologies (ICTs) promote the development of renewables?-evidence from seven countries

Jiajia Zheng and Xingwu Wang

Energy Policy, 2021, vol. 149, issue C

Abstract: The development of renewables has attracted abundant attentions. However, existing studies have not recognized the potential impetus of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on renewables. In this study, we explore the impact of mobile ICTs on renewable energy generations in seven countries including USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Poland. As revealed by static and dynamic empirical analyses of 19-year data, there exists significantly positive relationship between the renewables and ICTs at the macro-level. One percent increase of ICTs would lead to 0.2/1.1% increase for renewables in the long/short terms. Thus, ICTs can promote the development of renewables, and policy makers should consider full integration strategies between renewables and ICTs. Besides ICTs, factors positively affecting renewables include economic developments (long/short term), primary energy consumptions and carbon reductions (short term), and population growth (long term). Interestingly, natural gas competes with renewables in the short term, while it compliments renewables in the long term.

Keywords: Electric power; Renewable energy; Information communication technologies (ICTs); Mobile ICTs; STIRPAT Model; Panel data (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (34)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:enepol:v:149:y:2021:i:c:s0301421520307527

DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2020.112041

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