Exploring the interregional trade-induced carbon-economic inequality in China's energy transition

Solar-driven hydrogen production for zero carbon future: Social, economic, and policy implications for China's energy transition

Sustainable production-oriented systematic-dynamic assessment framework for integrated risks in China's energy internet

Driven by the goal of "double carbon," the construction of a new power system with new energy as the main body has become the core task of China's energy transformation. This paper adopts a literature review to make a systematic compendium of key technologies, development trends, and challenges of new power systems. The construction of a new type of power system needs to focus on a high proportion of new energy consumption, multi-energy complementary synergies, digitalization and intelligent upgrading, and other directions, and rely on the source-network-load-storage integrated planning to achieve system optimization. New energy volatility problems, insufficient grid regulation capacity, the lack of a cost transmission mechanism, etc., still restrict its development, and thus, proposed through technological innovation, sound market mechanisms, and policy synergies to promote a new type of power system high-quality progress and the realization of the "dual-carbon" goals to play a supporting role.

Abstract To accelerate the development of impulse hydro‐turbines and support the efficient utilization of hydropower resources in Southwest China, this paper examines the background, historical development, and research progress of impulse hydro‐turbines. By analyzing energy development data, hydropower potential, and research trends in impulse hydro‐turbines, we provide a comprehensive review based on existing studies and technical achievements from domestic and international scholars. This paper focuses on five key components: distributors, injectors (including deflectors), runners, auxiliary systems, and engineering applications. For each part, the working principles and technological progress are detailed. Furthermore, five main findings are highlighted—such as the role of impulse hydropower in addressing China's energy crisis—and five recommendations are put forward, including the need to strengthen related technological capabilities in China. This review aims to provide a reference for further research and industrial development.

This study analyzes the influence of international coal prices, the IDR/USD exchange rate, interest rates, and China's economic growth on the value of Indonesia's coal exports using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach. Data from the 2010–2024 period was used to capture short-term and long-term dynamics relevant to the character of the energy commodity market. The estimation results show that international coal prices have a significant positive effect both in the short and long term, underscoring the role of global prices in determining the export performance of primary commodities. However, the exchange rate has a negative effect in the long term, indicating high import content during the production process; thus, rupiah depreciation increases operational costs in the mining sector. Since Indonesia's exports are highly dependent on China's energy demand as a major trading partner, China's economic growth has a significant positive effect on both time horizons. Meanwhile, interest rates did not significantly affect exports. The significant and large error correction value ensures an adjustment mechanism toward long-term equilibrium. This research provides new knowledge related to export policy and risk management for Indonesia's coal sector amid global economic volatility.

Is China's energy transition pace driven by the supply-side or the demand-side?

A second-hand solution to China's energy demands

Rural communities in China play a crucial role in the global transition towards clean, renewable, and sustainable energy. However, these communities are often overlooked in research, particularly due to the lack of disaggregated data on their energy consumption patterns and preferences based on localised studies. To address this gap, we conduct a field survey of 594 farmers across 99 villages in central China to assess current energy use and future energy preferences. We analyze 41 variables using six Boosted Regression Tree models, a machine learning method, examining effects and interrelations between variables. The results reveal that all households use electricity, nearly all relying on firewood and coal for cooking. Our study indicates that farmers anticipate significant changes in future energy use compared to current practices. A majority of farmers (97 %) expect renewable energy, particularly solar energy and biomass, to become their primary energy source, with coal and biogas receiving less support. Partial dependence analysis shows that price (≥9.9 %), total heat consumption (≥6.0 %) and industrial biomass products (≥5.7 %) significantly influence farmers' expectations. The findings serve as a robust foundation for energy policy recommendations and strategic planning to reach the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. While not assuming that an energy transition in rural areas is inevitable, the study effectively addresses how current practices and contextual constraints shape farmers’ expectations regarding possible future energy mixes, as a precursor to observed adoption. • 41 variables were modelled by Boosted Regression Trees, a machine-learning method. • Electricity, firewood, and coal are identified as the primary energy sources. • 97 % of farmers express interest in renewable energy, especially solar and biomass. • Price and total heat consumption are the key factors affecting energy expectations. • Farmers anticipate future energy usage will differ significantly from the current.

Abstract The re-emergence of Donald Trump in the global political scene with the "America First 2.0" agenda has sparked a fresh round of the trade war between the United States and China. This study investigates the systemic impact of Trump's protectionist policies, particularly the reciprocal tariff policy announced in April 2025. Simulations of various tariff escalation scenarios between the two countries are conducted using the Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) approach through the GTAP model. The findings show that reciprocal tariff increases are associated with significant declines in key economic indicators, such as GDP, investment, exports-imports, household income, and national welfare, with a greater impact on China. Sectoral analysis in the US reveals that labor-intensive sectors, such as textiles, has gained benefits while high-tech sectors suffered losses. On the contrary, China's energy sector has experienced growth due to import substitution. These findings confirm that extreme protectionist policies tend to be counterproductive, creating economic distortions, policy uncertainty, and undermining the global trade order. Finally, the study recommends a multilateral and data-driven approach as a more sustainable trade strategy amid rising global geopolitical tensions.

As global conventional oil and gas resources dwindle, unconventional resources have emerged as a crucial strategy for China's energy transition and reserve augmentation. Tight sandstone reservoirs, a type of unconventional formation, typically feature complex geology, varied and dynamic structures, and limited inter-pore connectivity, often resulting in low extraction efficiency. To enhance recovery rates from tight sandstone reservoirs, detailed studies of the reservoir's micro-pores are essential. Among these, quantitative evaluation of core micro-pores through laboratory experiments stands as an effective and precise technique. The method of saturating the core is critical in these experiments. Several saturation methods are employed both domestically and internationally, with the most common in the lab being the vacuum and displacement saturation methods. However, a microscopic analysis of the differences between these two methods is lacking. Consequently, this study uses cores from the Chang 7 reservoir in the Ordos Basin to experiment with two saturation methods, leveraging nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology to assess the merits of each through NMR T2 spectrum curves. The findings reveal that for tight sandstone, displacement saturation outperforms vacuum saturation when the relaxation time is less than 0.8ms; for 0.8ms<relaxation time<8ms, vacuum saturation is preferable; and for relaxation times exceeding 8ms, displacement saturation again proves more effective.

Abstract Heavy investment on energy resources is one of the reasons for the rapid economic growth we have witnessed in China since 2000. Excessive energy consumption growth strengthens China's coal-dominated energy structure Meanwhile, the supply of energy has been fully converted to net imports, weakening favourable factors for economic growth and increasing the risk of energy security. The nationalization level for the energy sector is much higher than for other industries. But even for state-owned enterprises, there is a huge gap in enterprise efficiency between different production processes. European countries and the United States’ protectionism suffocated the rapid development of China's new energy industry. With a changing domestic and international energy market environment, Chinas energy industry should switch from the speed-oriented model in the past and adjust obsolete mechanisms and policies.

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) technology is one of the key approaches to address global climate change and achieve carbon dioxide emission reduction. As a core component of the CCUS technology system, CO geological storage will play a foundational supporting role in the process of achieving the carbon neutrality goal in China's energy industry. Currently, the main geological formations for CO storage include deep saline aquifers, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, deep unmineable coal seams, and basalts. Due to differences in rock properties and geological conditions, different geological formations have formed distinct storage mechanisms and models. Based on a systematic analysis of CO storage mechanisms in different geological formations, combined with typical domestic and international engineering cases, this paper summarizes the implementation effects and applicable conditions of various storage technologies. Additionally, aiming at the current technical bottlenecks and safety risks of CO geological storage, this article discusses the future technical development directions and industrialization paths, in order to provide theoretical support and practical reference for promoting the large-scale application of CO geological storage technology in China.

Explaining policy implementation gap by policy network analysis: Evidence from China's energy renovation project quality failures

Revealing the power of market-based energy policy: Evidence from China's energy quota trading system using machine learning

Reducing the energy consumption and carbon emissions of buildings is one of the key research topics nowadays. Researchers have discovered that there are already relevant new energy sources applied in buildings, but the issue of new energy buildings in China still lies in a research gap, lacking a unified understanding. Therefore, this study focuses on new energy buildings in China, while also paying attention to the related cutting-edge application technologies and supporting policies. Through collecting data related to new energy buildings and using methods of literature analysis and case studies, this paper discusses new energy buildings, photovoltaic integration (BIPV) with application prospects, and power storage direct flexible operation technology (PEDF). At the same time, it studies the current existing policies and regulations in China. The research finds that the application of BIPV and PEDF technologies in buildings can increase the proportion of renewable energy, improve the efficiency of the energy system, and play an important role in energy conservation and carbon reduction of buildings. However, these technologies also face challenges such as high costs, lack of technical standards, and imperfect management mechanisms. In terms of policies, China has established a relatively complete new energy policy system, but there is also a lack of specifications for new energy technologies. The research shows that BIPV and PEDF technologies have great application potential, and China's new energy policies still have room for improvement.

Geography and rural-urban divide: A study on public perception towards climate change, carbon neutrality, and green energy policies in China

The complex global energy transition profoundly impacts China, the world's largest energy consumer. However, the existing body of literature often overlooks the distinct long-term mechanisms and differentiated shock impacts of this transition on national energy security. This paper addresses this by analyzing two key transition aspects—fossil fuel phase-out and renewable energy development—differentiating supply-side and demand-side shocks. We empirically investigate their medium- and long-term impacts on China using vector autoregressive (VAR) models and impulse response analysis. Key findings include: (1) Supply-side renewable development and fossil withdrawal show opposing initial security impacts; their combined positive effect persists for approximately a decade. (2) Global renewable development enhances market stability and system resilience (∼7%) but increases crude oil market risks. (3) Renewable energy's positive impact is similar for consumption metrics and demand shocks; fossil withdrawal's suppressive effect is stronger on supply. (4) Solar and biomass significantly boost sustainability metrics (8% improvement); wind energy’s positive effects are particularly long-lasting (∼15 years), underscoring its long-term strategic importance.

From fossil fuels to renewables: Analyzing network effects and market responses during China's energy transition

An impossible driver for energy justice? Exploring the impact of artificial intelligence on China's energy transition