Abstract
Stimulating renewable energy consumption has become a major strategic choice for China to both fulfill the international commitment to reduce carbon emissions and realize the high-quality growth of the domestic economy. On account of the provincial data during the period of 2000 to 2017, we creatively incorporate the ecological footprint into the measurement of low-carbon economy development level through super-efficient SBM model, so as to infer the coordinated development level of 3E system more precisely. Based on the factor substitution effect, energy path dependence effect, and scale effect, the complex nonlinear relationship between the two core research objects is further probed by constructing the threshold regressive model. On the foundation of theoretical research, the consumption of renewable energy, the intensity of energy use, and the level of regional economic development are respectively selected as the moderating variables of the model. Further, we divide different intervals of threshold values to distinguish the differences in the effects caused by regional heterogeneity. The following conclusions are drawn ultimately: There is an apparent threshold effect between renewable consumption and the advancement of the low-carbon economy. Only when renewable itself reaches a higher level of consumption can it show a significant advantage in green economic development. In addition, to make full use of renewable resources to boost the low-carbon and green economy, it is necessary to reduce the economy's dependence on energy, that is, to decrease the intensity of energy use while maintaining the process of improving coordination of regional economy.
Highlights
With the intensified contradiction between economic growth and ecological preservation, the green economy has attracted more and more attention from various countries
Based on the empirical test of ADLM, Ocal and Aslan (2013) explored the causality between the renewables use and economic increase in Turkey, and the findings showed that renewable energy consumption in not beneficial to the economy
Considering the effects including energy substitution effect, path dependence effect and technology base effect, this study explores the complicated role of the renewable consumption in the provincial low-carbon economic development in China
Summary
With the intensified contradiction between economic growth and ecological preservation, the green economy has attracted more and more attention from various countries (regions). The idea of "low carbon economy" (LC economy), which is closely linked with technological innovation and energy transition, was first introduced in the "Energy White Paper". Guided by the practice of sustainable development, it contains an economic development model that aims to achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcome on the both side of economy and ecology with minimum consumption of dirty energy (coal, oil, etc.) and greenhouse gases. The global energy consumption, which is typified by fossil fuels, has caused a whole set of energy issues and environment problems, including ozone layer destruction, greenhouse gas emissions, etc. In the context of the accelerated pace of worldwide industrialization and urbanization, the global energy consumption, especially the expense of traditional fossil energy, is expanding year by year, which further leads to the continuous rise of total carbon dioxide emissions (Yang et al 2021)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
