Energy financing for energy retrofit in COVID-19: Recommendations for green bond financing

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2022-04, Vol.29 (16), p.23105-23116
• Main Authors: Zhang, Linyun, Huang, Feiming, Lu, Lu, Ni, Xinwen, Iqbal, Sajid
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon; Carbon Dioxide; COVID-19; Economic Development; Efficiency; Humans; Nuclear Energy; Renewable Energy
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17440-3

The aim of study is to estimate the role of energy financing for energy retrofit in COVID-19, with the intervening role of green bond financing. For this, Kalman technique is applied to infer the empirical findings. It is found that energy financing is significantly dependent on green bonds, and green bonds have a significant role in energy retrofit in E-7 economies specifically. It is further found that E-7 economies gained significant rise in energy efficiency financing green bonds financing, that has supportively extended energy retrofit - before and during COVID-19 crises. It is further found significant that the E-7 nations have to put alot of money into hydro and nuclear energy for energy retrofit, with low carbon emissions. In the light of COVID-19 crises, this study offers policy recommendations for effective energy management. However, such policy recommendations are expected to finely serve the financial intermediaries and national governments of E-7 economies to better optimize energy financing through green bond financing. The novelty of the study exists in topical framework and research directions, talking about the way forwards for energy efficiency financing - which is one of the latest issue of the recent times. Hence, this research provides some empirical verifications about energy financing in COVID-19 crises for energy retrofit, and shares some suggestions for stakeholders.