Towards energy-efficient cities: How does the sharing economy contribute?

Pengyu Chen, Yanan Wu and Zhongzhu Chu

Energy, 2025, vol. 322, issue C

Abstract: The sharing economy is considered a new model for the future development of a green economy. However, academia still lacks a comprehensive understanding of its performance, especially regarding energy efficiency. To uncover the potential link between the sharing economy and energy efficiency, this study estimates the energy efficiency of 280 cities in China using the single-factor energy efficiency method and the total-factor energy efficiency method. Additionally, it employs a dual fixed-effects model for empirical analysis of urban agglomerations from 2011 to 2021. The findings are as follows: 1) The sharing economy has the potential to improve urban energy efficiency. 2) Reducing resource utilization costs, promoting green technologies, and advocating for shared transportation are key ways in which the sharing economy drives high energy efficiency. 3) The sharing economy exhibits positive spatial spillover effects. Specifically, it not only enhances the energy efficiency of local cities but also improves the energy efficiency of surrounding cities. This study estimates the impact of the sharing economy on energy efficiency, providing a development direction for countries like China that face "urban diseases."

Keywords: Sharing economy; Energy efficiency; Mechanism test; Spatial effect test (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I31 Q01 Q56 (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:s0360544225012642

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.135622

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