Energy intensity and its determinants in China's regional economies

This paper contributes to the existing literature as well as policy debates by examining energy intensity and its determinants in China's regional economies. The analysis is based on a comprehensive database of China's regional energy balance constructed for this project. Through its focus...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energy policy 2012-02, Vol.41 (1), p.703-711
Main Author: Wu, Yanrui
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
China
China (People's Republic)
Construction costs
Determinants
Economic data
Economic structure
Economics
Energy
energy balance
Energy economics
Energy efficiency
Energy policy
Energy utilization
Exact sciences and technology
General, economic and professional studies
Intensity
issues and policy
Measurement
national surveys
Regional
Regional development
Regional economics
Structural change
Studies
Transformations
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Summary:This paper contributes to the existing literature as well as policy debates by examining energy intensity and its determinants in China's regional economies. The analysis is based on a comprehensive database of China's regional energy balance constructed for this project. Through its focus on regional China, this study extends the existing literature, which mainly covers nationwide studies. It is found in this paper that energy intensity declined substantially in China. The main contributing factor is the improvement in energy efficiency. Changes in the economic structure have so far affected energy intensity modestly. Thus there is considerable scope to reduce energy intensity through the structural transformation of the Chinese economy in the future. ► First study examining energy intensity and its determinants using sectoral data in Chinese regions. ► Major findings. ► Decline in energy intensity is due to the rise in energy efficiency. ► Economic structural change has played little role. ► Growth in capital intensity alone would not lead to the decline in energy consumption.
ISSN:0301-4215
1873-6777
DOI:10.1016/j.enpol.2011.11.034