Do structural transformation and urbanization assist in enhancing sustainable energy technologies innovations? Evidence from ASEAN countries

• Published in: Renewable energy 2023-07, Vol.211, p.895-902
• Main Authors: Chen, Jianxing, Wei, Shiwei, Mei, Chun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Renewable energy consumption; Structural transformation; Sustainable energy technologies innovations; Urbanization
• ISSN: 0960-1481
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2023.03.063

The need for a carbon-free ecosystem is a quest that cannot be answered without the engagement, participation, commitment, and deployment of sophisticated countermeasure strategies by national and international governing bodies and institutions. Therefore, the current study explores the context of ASEAN countries because of their significance in the global economy, whereas the role of structural transformation, urbanization, and renewable energy consumption was explored in determining the possible effects of sustainable energy technologies innovations from 1995 to 2020. Using Methods of Moments Quantile Regression, the current study's findings show that structural transformation, urbanization, and renewable energy consumption significantly derive sustainable energy technology innovations. However, the marginal contribution towards innovation-driven technologies is substantially varied at lower and higher quantiles. Similar findings are echoed in alternative estimators and offer substantial policy implications for driving green innovation. •MMQR applied to ASEAN countries' sample.•Structural transformation and renewable energy consumption significantly derive sustainable energy technologies.•Urbanization rate is also positively associated with green transformation.•Bidirectional causality exists between model variables.