How to improve eco-efficiency of projects with low-carbon transition in energy utilization

Yiming Ke, Wei Liu, Jingxuan Wang, Wu Yunna, Qi Yao and Fangtong Liu

Energy, 2025, vol. 322, issue C

Abstract: Projects with low-carbon transition in energy utilization can reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which is in line with the requirements of sustainable development. However, the overall process of low-carbon transition is just at the beginning with uneven development. Also, hindered by technical bottlenecks, insufficient experience and appropriate management modes, low-carbon energy transition is slower than expected. Thus, an extended four-stage decision-making framework is proposed. Firstly, an input-oriented data envelopment analysis model is used to analyze eco-efficiency. Then, the stochastic frontier analysis method is employed to eliminate external interference and adjust inputs. Further, eco-efficiency is recalculated on basis of deviation corrected data. Finally, the Kruskal-Wallis model is introduced to discuss the impacts of technology types and financing forms. 32 projects with low-carbon transition in energy utilization from Chinese different regions are observed for empirical analysis. Results show that the overall performances of the projects are unsatisfactory with a corrected score of 0.295. About 87.5 % of the projects suffer from scale inefficient, and all of them are at the increasing returns to scale. This study provides a complete eco-efficiency evaluation framework, which can provide references for project executives and regulators in enhancing projects and promoting industrial sustainable development.

Keywords: Eco-efficiency; Low-carbon transition; Energy utilization; Sustainable development; Data envelopment analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:322:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225011739

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.135531

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