Digitalization and renewable energy development: Analysis based on cross-country panel data

Mingbo Zheng and Xinyu Zhang

Energy, 2025, vol. 319, issue C

Abstract: This paper aims to estimate the impact of digitalization on renewable energy development by employing a panel fixed effects model and data from 140 countries from 2003 to 2020. The results show that the digitalization indeed leads to a positive influence on renewable energy development, after a series of robustness checks, including the Bartik-type instrument variable estimation. Specifically, the promotional effect of digitalization on renewable energy development is more pronounced in high-income countries, OECD members and countries with sound financial systems. The mechanism analysis suggests that digitalization works on renewable energy development through the improvement of green innovation and the accumulation of human capital. Based on the above findings, it is therefore recommended that governments develop digital infrastructure construction and foster digital transformation across industries, thereby accelerating the renewable energy transition.

Keywords: Digitalization; Renewable energy development; Green innovation; Human capital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C23 E26 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:319:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225007194

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.135077

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