Search

The average electricity consumption per capita in China still has significant room for growth. Under the current rigid residential electricity pricing, it is very important to study how factors other than price can promote electricity conservation among residents. This paper uses micro-survey data of 2018 and 2020 to analyze energy efficiency and the rebound effect through a stochastic energy demand frontier model, as well as to examine the role of news propaganda in this context. The research conclusions are as follows: (1) News propaganda promoting electricity saving can weaken the rebound effect of electricity use, which can lead to better electricity savings. (2) The energy efficiency of residential electricity has improved significantly compared to previous years, and the rebound effect has decreased. (3) Electricity prices have a negative impact on electricity consumption, while income, household size, home area, and extreme temperatures have a positive impact. Based on these conclusions, we propose policy recommendations to address the current inflexibility in residential electricity pricing and to improve the efficiency of electricity use among residents. • News propaganda promoting electricity saving can weaken the rebound effect. • The energy efficiency of residential electricity has improved. • The rebound effect of residential electricity has decreased. • News propaganda can be a complement to the inflexibility of pricing policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is facing the challenge of selecting appropriate policies to implement tradable green certificate (TGC) under the renewable portfolio standards (RPS). This paper proposes a tripartite evolutionary game model among thermal power plants, green power plants and the grid under the RPS and TGC policy to analyze the evolutionary stability strategies (ESSs) of unilateral subjects and systems and use numerical simulation to discuss the influence of different types of TGC purchase ratios and different trading markets on the choice of tripartite strategy. The results are as follows. (1) When the renewable energy consumption quota ratio is 21%, thermal power plants are more and more active in choosing to trade TGC as the ratio of wind power TGC and photovoltaic TGC gradually increases from 1:5 to 5:1. (2) In the TGC market where the price of wind power and photovoltaic TGC is 50 yuan, green power plants are more inclined to hold TGC; in the subsidized TGC market, where the price of wind power TGC is 190 yuan and the price of photovoltaic TGC is 650 yuan, green power plants tend to sell TGC. (3) With the price of excess green electricity consumption gradually decreased from 700 yuan/MWh to 100 yuan/MWh, the activity of three parties participating in TGC trading gradually increased, effectively activating the TGC market. Finally, from the perspective of policy management, we provide suggestions for the long-term sustainable development of the TGC market. • The strategy selection of stakeholders involved in the implementation process of the RPS and TGC policy has been examined. • The evolutionary convergence of tripartite behaviors shows a high dependent degree. • In parity TGC trading markets, the government has the potential to lower the transaction price for excess consumption. • An important policy reference for promoting the balanced development of the RPS and TGC has been provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a developing country with a large rural population, to understand the rural households' energy consumption characteristic and energy consumption determinants for further public policy design is of increasing importance. Therefore, this paper provides a detailed analysis of the characteristics of rural households' energy consumption. Simultaneously, based on the data of 1472 rural households from the Chinese General Social Survey of 2015, the energy consumption determinants of rural households are estimated by Tobit model. Results reveal that rural households with a healthy and old household head reduce the share of coal consumption, and household labors with an off-farm job and high level of education, and a large household size increase the share of LPG and electricity consumption. The good economic condition of rural households contributes to the reduction of biomass consumption. Given the results, the government should work for poverty reduction, subsidies for modern equipment purchase, policies of effective and renewable energy technologies, and educational investment in rural areas, which may help for a positive transition in energy consumption for rural households. • Use a national survey data of 2015 on rural household energy consumption of China. • Display comprehensive characteristics of rural household energy consumption. • Comprehensively examine the factors affecting rural household energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important path to realizing carbon neutrality in China, digital development may also lead to the growth and rebound of energy demand. Investigation of digital rebound effect is important to evaluate whether digital development can effectively conserve energy. Thus, this paper examines the impact of digital development on electricity consumption and its heterogeneity among Chinese cities, and further evaluates the sizes of energy rebound effect triggered by digital development. The results show that, first, electricity consumption in Chinese 285 cities increases by 7%–20% due to digital development, and this positive influence tends to increase with the increase in electricity consumption. Second, in the eastern, high-income, and high-tertiary industry share regions, digital development has a greater role in promoting electricity consumption. Third, the digital development of Chinese cities induces the rebound effect of electricity consumption, and even induces the backfire effect in the early stages of digital development. Finally, the energy rebound effect tended to decrease over time, with a partial rebound in electricity consumption, and the minimum rebound effect was 22%. The results highlight the necessary attention on digital rebound effect, and the importance of low-carbon digital development. • Electricity consumption increased 7%–20% due to digital development in China • The positive influence tends to increase with the increase in electricity consumption • Digital development in Chinese cities leads to energy rebound effect • The energy rebound effect tended to decrease over time, with a partial rebound [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct rebound effect offsets part of energy savings brought about by energy efficiency, causing academics and governments to re-examine the relationship between energy efficiency and conservation. Although suppressing the rebound effect contributes to energy conservation, how to implement it is debatable. This paper puts forward a framework to character the direct rebound effect, and develops non-linear models to explore the impacts of urbanization on the direct rebound effect based on a panel dataset of 30 Chinese provinces. The results show that, first, the magnitude of the direct rebound effect is much smaller in urban areas than that in rural areas. Second, urbanization could restrain the direct rebound effect in urban areas, where employment and environmental consciousness play important roles while the impact of agglomeration is relatively weak. The impacts of urbanization on direct rebound effect are not substantial in rural areas. In addition, our findings reject the saturation effect caused by income. Income promotes the direct rebound effect in rural areas while it could not restrain the direct rebound effect in urban areas. Therefore, the reason that the average direct rebound effect tends to decline with income growth seems to be the urbanization rather than the saturation effect. • This paper puts forward a framework to character the RE and explore its evolution. • A new urbanization that looks at its quality rather than its growth is conducted in this paper. • The relationship between income and the RE is re-examined and it has the urban-rural heterogeneity. • The RE of urban areas decreases with urbanization mainly in the employment and environment dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researches revealed that there has been existed a relatively stable and positive relationship between economic growth and electricity consumption. However, the inconsistency between them appeared in 2008. Therefore, it is urgent to analyze whether the GDP in China is cheated and to seek the underlying reasons contributed to the deviation. Anhui province is selected to act our study area. In order to explore the underlying reasons of the deviation between economic growth and electricity consumption, a multivariable regression models is established in this paper. Empirical results are as follows: (1) real GDP, industrial structure (IS), heating degrees days (HDD), cooling degree days (CDD), investment in fixed assets (IF) are all positive factors for the consumption of electricity; (2) IS is the major contributor to raising the consumption of electricity, followed by IF, CDD, HDD, and GDP; (3) energy intensity (EI) and financial development (FD) are negative factors, when the value of EI increase 1.0%, the consumption of electricity will decrease 7.4%; (4) if the electricity consumption caused by other factors except GDP is eliminated, the deviation would almost shrink; (5) the real growth rate of GDP of Anhui province is authentic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy production has become an important concern because excessive coal and oil use for electricity generation and consumption in developing economies threaten the global environment. Past research mainly focuses on energy consumption, while there is a scarcity of models on the energy and electricity production-environmental pollution nexus in the Environmental Kuznets Curve literature. As an initial attempt, the paper examined the simultaneous impact of electricity production and electricity consumption on carbon dioxide emissions in one of the top energy-consuming, energy-producing, and carbon-emitting nations (China). The study applied the Zivot and Andrew tests to check the stationarity of the series with structural breaks. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) method was to compute long-run coefficients using two separate models: Model 1 (total electricity production and environmental pollution) and Model 2 (total electricity consumption and environmental pollution) were considered. The results showed that electricity production and electricity consumption significantly contributed to environmental pollution in the short- and long-run. Apart from validating the EKC hypothesis (inverted-U-shaped curve) in the short- and long-run, the estimation demonstrated that agriculture value-added mitigated the environmental pollution. The paper offers important policy implications. [Display omitted] • Environmental effects of electricity (production and consumption) were examined for China. • Simultaneous equation modeling framework was used. • Electricity production increased CO 2 emissions in China. • Electricity consumption increased CO 2 emissions in China. • Agriculture value added decreased CO 2 emissions in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to scientifically formulate electricity saving policies, it is necessary to study the industry heterogeneity and spatial correlation of electricity consumption. This paper used spatial autocorrelation test and dynamic spatial econometric model to identify the spatial correlation characteristics, main driving factors and spatial spillover effects of electricity consumption in different industries. The results are shown as follows. Firstly, except for agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery, electricity consumption of other industries has the spatial autocorrelation of economic distance, and electricity consumption of different industries has the significant time inertia effect, space contagion effect and space-time warning effect. Secondly, the total population, economic growth, urbanization, fixed asset investment and energy consumption structure can promote electricity consumption in this area. Thirdly, the total population, economic growth and urbanization of the region can restrain electricity consumption in the adjacent area. Finally, The driving factors and dynamic spatial spillover effects of electricity consumption are heterogeneous among different industries, and different factors have a more profound long-term impact on electricity consumption of different industries in China. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a regional coordination mechanism for electricity saving with industry differentiation and overall consideration, and formulate electricity saving policies for joint control. • EC has the spatial autocorrelation of economic distance. • EC has temporal inertia, spatial contagion and spatio-temporal warning effects. • Electricity saving factors did not play a good role. • Dynamic spatial spillover effects are heterogeneous among different industries. • Factors have a more profound long-term impact on EC of different industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents the influence of different regulation strategies on wind energy integration into the existing energy system of Jiangsu. The ability of wind integration is defined in terms of the ability to avoid excess electricity production, to conserve primary energy consumption and to reduce CO2 emissions in the system. Firstly, a reference model of Jiangsu''s energy system is built using the energy system analysis tool EnergyPLAN based on the year 2009. The model results are then compared to actual values from 2009 to validate their accuracy. Based on the reference model, different regulations of Jiangsu''s energy system are compared and analyzed in the range of a wind input from 0% to 42% of the total electricity demand. It is concluded that operating power plants in a flexible way facilitates the promotion of more intermittent wind integration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: China''s total installed electrical power capacity reached 700GW by the end of 2007 and is predicted to surpass 900GW in 2010. The rapid increase in energy demand and increasing global warming have both pushed China to change its current electrical power structure where coal power accounts for nearly 75% of the total electric power generation. China has already become the world''s largest solar water heater producer and user. However, there is still much to be done in the solar thermal power field before its commercialization. Solar thermal power technologies including solar power towers, solar parabolic trough concentrators, solar dish/stirling systems, linear Fresnel reflectors, and solar chimneys have been studied in China since the 1980s. A 10kW dish/stirling project was funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) during 2000–2005 with a 1MW solar power tower and research of trough concentrator metal–glass evacuated tubes supported during 2006–2010. This paper describes a continued solar thermal power development roadmap in China in 5-year intervals between 2006 and 2025. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]