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Clean and renewable energy resources like solar energy are essential for a sustainable and eco-friendly future, as they decrease reliance on fossil fuels and combat climate change. This study explores trust and knowledge as drivers of solar energy consumption behavior (SECB). Particularly, this study finds the role of social influence and gender as moderators in the associations between trust and SECB, as well as knowledge and SECB. The World Bank energy access data based on the 8500 Pakistani households survey was examined for empirical analysis. Findings reveal that trust and knowledge positively impact SECB. Knowledge also influences trust in solar energy. Meanwhile, higher social influence weakens the association of knowledge and trust with SECB. Furthermore, it was found that the association of knowledge and trust with SECB is stronger for females than males. The findings-based implications are provided for practitioners and researchers. • Solar energy knowledge and trust promote solar energy consumption behavior. • Social influence and gender have moderating effects. • Higher social influence reduces the effect of knowledge and trust on consumption. • The associations of knowledge and trust with consumption are stronger for females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital technology has become a promising measure to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. So, can digital technology application (DTA) promotes energy saving and emission reduction (ESER) practices in enterprise? To answer this question, this paper studies the influence and mechanism of DTA on enterprise ESER practices based on the awareness-motivation-capability (AMC) framework. The data of 3803 observations of listed companies in China from 2011 to 2020 are analyzed using the ordered logit model. Results indicate that DTA has a significant driving effect on ESER practices in enterprise. In terms of internal managers' characteristics, both the average age of TMT and managerial myopia negatively moderate the effect of DTA on enterprise ESER practices, alleviating the effect between both. In terms of external government intervention, the moderating effects of environmental regulation and government subsidies are investigated, with the former enhancing the relationship between DTA and ESER practices, while the latter weakening the relationship. • Digital technology application promotes energy saving and emission reduction. • Government interventions and managers' characteristics have moderating effects. • Managerial myopia alleviates the effect of digital technology application. • Government subsidies crowd out the effect of digital technology application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions has become a global consensus because of the huge effects on the global environment. Exploring the influencing factors of CO 2 emissions is fundamental to reducing CO 2. We explore the effect of social trust on urban CO 2 emissions using the hierarchical linear model using data from China. The effect of social trust, as a type of informal rule, on urban CO 2 emissions is significant, and the increase in the social trust will mitigate the annual increase in CO 2 emissions. These findings highlight the importance of social trust in CO 2 emissions. When studying environmental issues, the influence of informal rules needs to be considered as much as possible to control environmental problems better and achieve sustainable development goals. • The effect of social trust on urban CO 2 emissions was studied. • An empirical analysis was conducted based on the hierarchical linear model. • Social trust has a negative impact on urban CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new national standard (NS) for energy-efficiency labels has been released in China to improve the energy-efficiency requirements of household appliances. However, the impacts of the newly revised NS for air conditioners (ACs) on consumer preference and willingness to pay (WTP) remain unclear. Using data from a large e-commerce website in China, this study explores users' preferences and WTP for the attributes of online stores, comments, and products pertaining to new NS ACs based on the hedonic price model (HPM), and uses the Heckman two-step estimation to correct for selection bias. The results show that the premium of the new NS energy-efficiency label estimated by the Heckman model is 6.24%, which is 23.71% lower than that estimated directly by the HPM. Online store attributes and comment attributes also affect the prices of new NS ACs. Furthermore, product attributes have effects on the prices of both new and old NS ACs, while online store attributes and comment attributes have greater effects on the old NS ACs. Finally, after the implementation of the new NS, the premium for the new NS energy-efficiency label is lower than that of the old one. • Hedonic price model was used to quantify the value of energy-efficiency label. • Heckman two-step estimation was used to correct the selection bias. • Objective data were obtained from a major e-commerce website in China. • Premium for the new energy-efficiency label is lower than that of the old one. • Online store attributes and comment attributes also have an effect on the price. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the dual legitimacy theory, this study combined the institutional theory with the adaptive legitimacy theory to explore the external factors affecting enterprise ESER behaviors, and examined the internal factors affecting ESER behaviors of enterprises based on the strategic legitimacy theory and the upper echelons theory. The data of 5389 listed companies in China during 2008 and 2018 were used. We collected secondary data from the China Research Data Service Platform (CNRDS) and RESSET database. The logit model and ordered logit model were used to analyze the data. Results showed that different factors had different effects on an enterprise's different ESER behaviors. For example, market factors could significantly affect a variety of ESER behaviors of enterprises, while media attention could only significantly reduce the probability of pollutant emission of enterprises. Green technology reserve has a significant and positive effect on several ESER behaviors; while financial slack promotes environmentally beneficial products and green office but inhibits other ESER behaviors. At last, the proportion of females in the senior management team positively influences company's ESER behaviors. • Enterprises' various energy-saving and emission reduction behaviors were studied. • External and internal influencing factors were identified. • Secondary data of 5389 listed companies in China during 2008 and 2018 were used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic fracturing is commonly used for the exploitation of shale gas. However, the mechanism of permeability increase after the fracturing has still remained unclear so far. In this study, a hydraulic fracturing experiment was performed on Longmaxi shale specimens in order to create the hydraulic fractures. In order to investigate the cracks at micro-scale, several small slices were collected from the fractures surface and scanned with the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The regions of interest were captured through SEM for analyzation and investigation of the micro cracks. The captured images show that the densely distributed micro cracks can increase the permeability by connecting pores with macro fractures. Micro cracks generally propagate along the boundaries of hard mineral grains and soft organic matters. We selected three parameters: length, tortuosity and branching to quantitatively characterize the cracks at micro-scale, which generally obey to the logarithmic normal distribution. • Densely distributed micro cracks can be induced along the macro fractures in the hydraulic fracturing of shale. • Micro cracks basically propagate along the boundaries of mineral grains and organic matters in shale. • Length, tortuosity and branching of the micro cracks generally obey to the logarithmic normal distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]