The impact of digital technology innovation on green total-factor energy efficiency in China: Does economic development matter?

Ru-Yu Xu, Ke-Liang Wang and Zhuang Miao

Energy Policy, 2024, vol. 194, issue C

Abstract: Exploring the role of digital technology innovation (DTI) on green total-factor energy efficiency (GTFEE) has been theoretically and empirically neglected, despite its recognition as a crucial catalyst for energy transition. This study investigates the nexus between DTI and GTFEE amidst China's uneven regional economic development. Utilizing a panel dataset spanning 30 provinces in China during 2012–2020, we employ the two-stage super network SBM model incorporating undesired outputs (two-stage super-NSBM) to quantify GTFEE. Furthermore, we harness the partially linear function-coefficient (PLFC) model to scrutinize DTI's impact on GTFEE across varying economic development levels. Our findings unveil that: DTI significantly augments GTFEE, particularly in eastern provinces and during the 13th Five-Year Plan period. DTI's influence on GTFEE is contingent upon economic development levels. Specifically, when per capita GDP surpasses 24150.80 yuan, the marginal enhancement effect emerges, progressively intensifying until reaching a steady state. Across different economic development stages, DTI primarily bolsters GTFEE by impacting green total-factor energy usage efficiency (GTFEUE) rather than green total-factor pollution treatment efficiency (GTFPTE). These insights suggest that to expedite GTFEE improvement, the government should foster DTI while accounting for regional economic development disparities.

Keywords: Green total-factor energy efficiency (GTFEE); Digital technology innovation (DTI); Economic development levels (GDP); Partially linear functional-coefficient (PLFC; ) model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:enepol:v:194:y:2024:i:c:s0301421524003628

DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114342

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