Energy Technology Innovation Research Articles

Internet development and renewable energy technological innovation: Does institutional quality matter?

Internet development and renewable energy technological innovation: Does institutional quality matter?

Unraveling the Dynamics of BRICS: A Comprehensive Analysis of CO2 Emissions, Energy Consumption, and Technological Innovation

With rising worldwide concerns about climate change and environmental sustainability, it is crucial to understand the link between energy usage, technological innovation, and CO2 emissions. Therefore, this study examines the complex link between energy consumption, technological innovation, and CO2 emissions in the BRICS economies over the time period from 1990 to 2022. To understand the BRICS dynamics and environmental sustainability, the Panel Mean Group Autoregressive Distributed Lag (PMG-ARDL) model is used. The results indicate a significant positive relationship between energy consumption and CO2 emissions, implying that BRICS economies experience a rise in CO2 output due to increased energy usage. Simultaneously, the research reveals an inverse connection between technological innovation and CO2 emissions. In this regard, technological advances are crucial for sustainable growth and environmental protection in the region. This research provides useful insights into the intricate interaction of factors that influence CO2 emissions in developing nations.

Exploring Research Development on Renewable Energy Technology Innovation in Sustainable Development

This research conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to explore the development of renewable energy technology innovation research in the context of sustainable development. Through an examination of scholarly publications, citation patterns, and keyword occurrences, this study aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the current state of research in this critical field. Seminal works, influential authors, thematic clusters, and keyword frequencies are examined to uncover the multidimensional aspects of renewable energy technology innovation and its intersection with sustainable development. The synthesis of these insights informs researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders, guiding them toward a holistic approach in addressing the challenges and opportunities at the nexus of renewable energy, technology innovation, and sustainability.

China's provincial-level sustainable energy transition requires accelerating renewable energy technological innovation

In energy economics, little attention has been paid to the impact of renewable energy technological innovation (RETI) on sustainable energy transition in a large energy-producing and consuming country such as China. Using the Chinese provincial panel dataset from 2000 to 2018, we examine the impact of RETI on sustainable energy transition. We find that RETI positively drives sustainable energy transition in Chinese provinces, but the driving effect gradually diminishes with the increase in per capita income. In the energy-poor regions, RETI has a significant driving impact on sustainable energy transition, but not in the energy-rich regions; moreover, this driving effect in the western region is significantly more potent than that in the eastern region. The mechanism identification results reveal that RETI significantly improves energy system performance and energy structure optimization. In contrast, RETI has a more significant effect on the former. In this study, we provide a novel perspective to identify the driving path of sustainable energy transition in Chinese provinces.

New Energy Technology Innovation and Industry Carbon Emission Reduction Based on the Perspective of Unbalanced Regional Economic Development

Innovation in new energy technologies is a key driver in China’s efforts to achieve its environmental goals. However, the ability of different regions to develop and utilize new energy technologies may depend on their level of economic development. Based on a two-way fixed-effects panel data model, this paper empirically analyses the industry carbon emission reduction effect of new energy technology innovation and its heterogeneous performance at different stages of economic development, using data from 30 provinces and cities in China from 2000 to 2019. The results show that new energy technology innovation generally promotes CO2 emissions in China. The specific effects are closely related to the characteristics of the industry and the stage of economic development. At the same time, the implementation of environmental regulations will inhibit this positive effect, while the adjustment of the industrial structure may promote this positive effect. This paper discovers the mechanism of heterogeneity in new energy technology innovation among different provinces with different levels of economic development. This finding helps to fully assess the carbon emission reduction capacity and potential of different provinces and facilitates the rational disaggregation and formulation of climate policy goals among regions.

Impact of renewable energy technology innovation on green industrial structure upgrading: evidence from 284 cities in China

Renewable energy technology innovation (RETI) and green industrial structure upgrading (GISU) are crucial pathways for China’s pursuit of sustainable development. Despite the existing research separately emphasizing the importance of RETI and GISU, there are limited investigations into the role of RETI in facilitating the process of GISU, especially in terms of empirical evidence at the urban level. This study utilizes data from 284 cities in China from 2006 to 2020 to investigate the impact of RETI on GISU. Our research findings reveal a positive association between RETI and GISU. Specifically, increasing 1 unit of RETI can promote GISU by 0.19 units. Moreover, we identify that environmental regulations, green finance, and human capital strengthen RETI’s stimulating effect on GISU. Notably, the study highlights that the positive influence of RETI on GISU is especially prominent in economically developed cities with a conducive innovation environment and those facing severe pollution challenges.

Pathway to sustainable economic growth: Linkage among energy consumption, carbon emissions, climate change and technological innovation

This paper investigates the impact of climate change and technological innovation on economic growth, energy consumption, and carbon emissions by using annual observations of a wide range of variables of Asian and European countries from 1996 to 2021. The study uses a dynamic GMM model and reveals significant regional heterogeneity and time-varying effects of technological innovation on economic growth. Technological innovation plays a more substantial role in promoting sustainable economic growth in European countries compared to Asian countries. The study also uncovers a spatial linkage and dependence between climate change and technological innovation. The technological transfer from European countries has increased energy consumption and carbon emissions in Asian countries, leading to abnormal climate change. The paper underscores the importance of targeted technological innovation strategies in Asian countries to improve energy efficiency and mitigate climate change. The study also confirms the EKC hypothesis with an observed inverted U-shaped relationship between economic growth and carbon emissions.

Research on safety issues and safety analysis of new energy aircraft

As the global aviation industry faces increasing pressure on the environment, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has implemented increasingly strict requirements for aircraft carbon emissions. The adoption of innovative energy technologies, such as electric power, hydrogen fuel, and sustainable biofuels in the aviation sector, will enable us to achieve zero carbon emission targets and mitigate environmental pollution associated with air transportation. Drawing on statistical data of aviation accidents, this paper analyses the primary causes of flight mishaps and summarizes several safety issues faced by new energy aircraft. Based on these, the new energy aircraft is divided into several subsystems, including power system, energy system, flight control system and so on. Then, safety analysis tools and methods are then used to conduct an analysis of the aircraft’s safety, with the aim of improving overall safety.

A research analysis: the implementation of innovative energy technologies and their alignment with SDG 12

The object of the research is the alignment of innovative energy technologies with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12, which pertains to sustainable consumption and production. The problem to be solved – there is an ambiguity regarding how these technologies contribute to SDG 12. This study aims to conduct a strategic analysis of external factors influencing innovative energy technologies from the perspective of SDG 12. The results show that innovative energy technologies, like bioenergy, geothermal energy, solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, and ocean energy, enhance energy efficiency, cut emissions, and reduce waste and toxins. These technologies align with SDG 12 and are shaped by various legislations. They intersect with the shift from fossil fuels, requiring analysis in the context of other UN SDGs. Legal frameworks must adapt to innovative energy technologies. The findings highlight that innovative energy technologies support SDG 12 by ensuring energy efficiency and reducing emissions. These technologies address economic and environmental challenges, promote sustainable progress and economic growth, enhance business competitiveness, stabilize prices, diversify energy sources, ensure national energy security and reduce energy poverty. The scope and conditions for practical application of the results of this research provide valuable insights for the scientific community, energy companies, policymakers, and investors in the energy sector. They can be used to inform decisions and strategies aimed at aligning energy technologies with the objectives of SDG 12. However, the implementation and effectiveness of these technologies also depend on regulatory support, industry collaboration, and public acceptance of new energy solutions.

The impact of digital inputs on pollution reduction in Chinese manufacturing enterprises

Facilitating pollution reduction in manufacturing enterprises is crucial for implementing the new development concept and achieving sustainable, environmentally friendly growth. This research delves into the influence of digital inputs on pollution emission reduction in Chinese manufacturing enterprises. The study utilizes a combination of the World Input-Output Database, the Chinese Industrial Enterprises Database, and the Chinese Industrial Enterprises Pollution Emission Database covering the period from 2000 to 2012. The findings reveal that digital inputs make a significant contribution to pollution reduction in Chinese manufacturing enterprises. Specifically, digital software inputs and foreign digital factor inputs display more pronounced effects on pollution reduction. The analysis of the mechanism reveals that the pollution reduction effects of digital inputs in manufacturing enterprises can be attributed to several effective mechanisms: the enhancement of energy efficiency, technological innovation, and servitization, as well as the crowding-out effect of pollution control investment. The former mechanisms demonstrate a promoting effect, while the latter exhibits an inhibiting effect. The impact of digital inputs on pollution reduction in manufacturing enterprises displays heterogeneity, with a more significant emission reduction effect observed in industries facing higher environmental regulatory intensity, digitization-unrelated industries, non-state-owned firms, and firms with higher levels of financing constraints. These findings offer empirical evidence and serve as a policy foundation for promoting digital transformation and achieving green economic development in China.

Natural disasters and energy innovation: unveiling the linkage from an environmental sustainability perspective

Natural disasters, characterized by their escalating frequency and intensification, fueled relentlessly by the inexorable forces of climate change, unambiguously underscore the urgent need to reassess our built environments and meticulously revise infrastructure design to withstand the unforgiving onslaught of these extreme events, thereby demanding concerted attention and unwavering dedication from policymakers and academic researchers to navigate this formidable predicament. The current study delves into the exploration of how natural disaster impact the course of energy technology evolution. To achieve this, This investigation uses panel data from 1990–2020 and sophisticated econometric analyses to model the effect of calamities on energy technology advancement across BRICS countries. Rigorous empirical methodologies lend credibility regarding the observed detrimental impact of disasters on innovation. The preliminary findings of the investigation suggest that natural disasters potentially exert a markedly detrimental effect on energy technology innovation. This influence is not merely confined to the year of the disaster occurrence but persistently lingers for the subsequent 4-year period. Moreover, the adverse impacts of such environmental upheavals on energy evolution seem to be mitigated by various factors. These include robust economic growth, government stability, interpersonal globalization, financial openness, trade openness, and the expansion of social globalisation. Adding further dimension to this research is the understanding that epidemics have the most pronounced negative implications on energy innovation. Concluding on a nuanced note, the study underscores a significant inverse relationship between natural disasters and low-carbon energy innovation. Interestingly, however, there is no discernible correlation when it comes to non-low carbon energy innovation. In a nutshell, this research presents a potential reference guide for policymakers, illuminating pathways to enhance the degree of energy innovation while tackling natural disasters and ensuring environmental sustainability.

Evaluating the synergistic effect of digitalization and industrialization on total factor carbon emission performance

Combating climate change and reducing carbon dioxide emissions are serious challenges shared by countries around the world. In the current era, digitalization has a significant impact on CO2 emissions. However, prior studies have not assessed the synergy between digitalization and industrialization on carbon emission performance. The principal component analysis and non-radial directional distance function (NDDF) are used to measure the digitalization and total factor carbon emission performance of Chinese 245 prefecture-level cities from 2003 to 2019. This study establishes a fixed effects model to study the panel data. The findings are as follows: (1) Digitalization can significantly promote Chinese cities' CO2 emission reduction. This result still holds after several robustness checks. (2) The heterogeneity results indicate that digitalization mainly improves central cities’ carbon emission performance. Meanwhile, the impact of digitalization is more obvious after 2011. (3) Digitalization improves urban carbon emission performance through energy efficiency, industrial transformation, and technological innovation. (4) It is worth noting that digitalization synergizes with industrialization to improve carbon emission performance in Chinese cities. This study provides empirical evidence and some constructive policy recommendations for the government to push the collaborative development of the digitalization and low-carbon economy.

Circular economy and sustainable agri-food systems

In recent times, scientists and economic policy authorities have been promoting viable solutions to address global emergencies related to human-caused climate change. In particular, there is a growing demand for renewable energy sources, technological innovation and energy-saving systems, and ecological and environmental sustainability of natural resources and the territory. At the center of this global effort, an increasingly significant role seems to be destined for the agricultural sector and agro-energy production systems due to the potential benefits in terms of production costs. However, the interest in non-conventional and low-impact energy sources requires an in-depth investigation not only of the advantages, in terms of availability and economic efficiency, but also of the impact on the environment and the quality of the landscape, as well as on the aspects of the overall intervention that must be adopted to allow the supply of agricultural products to the market. Given this scenario, the broad agro-energy issue would be incomplete without exhaustive economic sustainability analyses, which serve as operational decision support tools to measure the cost-effectiveness of investments in agro-energy production and its use. This study presents a methodological proposal to evaluate the economic convenience of energy investments for the production of renewable energy which represents a trade-off between food and non-food production to promote effective and efficient solutions for the allocation of resources. The results of the research must be read to make the agricultural company competitive, not forgetting that it is called upon to produce agricultural products for the market.

A multicriteria modeling approach for evaluating power generation scenarios under uncertainty: The case of green hydrogen in Greece

Clean energy technological innovations are widely acknowledged as a prerequisite to achieving ambitious long-term energy and climate targets. However, the optimal speed of their adoption has been parsimoniously studied in the literature. This study seeks to identify the optimal intensity of moving to a green hydrogen electricity sector in Greece, using the OSeMOSYS energy modeling framework. Green hydrogen policies are evaluated, first, on the basis of their robustness against uncertainty and, afterwards, against conflicting performance criteria and for different decision-making profiles towards risk, by applying the VIKOR and TOPSIS multi-criteria decision aid methods. Although our analysis focuses exclusively on the power sector and compares different rates of hydrogen penetration compared to a business-as-usual case without considering other game-changing innovations (such as other types of storage or carbon capture and storage), we find that a national transition to a green hydrogen economy can support Greece in potentially cutting at least 16 MtCO2 while stimulating investments of EUR 10–13 bn. over 2030–2050.

Implications for optimal abatement path through the deployment of natural resources, human development, and energy consumption in the era of digitalization

As the International Energy Agency expects forecasts Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) economies to convert contamination pivots in the near future, restructuring optimal abatement path for decarbonization has become imperatively vital for the concerned administrations. To this end, the main objective of this study is to recognize the indicators that can assist BRICS economies in monitoring their atmospheric toxic expulsions. In this regard, this study estimates the role of natural resources, human capital, renewable energy use and technological innovations on environmental pollution in BRICS economies from 1990 to 2020. After verifying the possible cross-sectional dependency, this study applied a battery of second-generation panel data approaches to estimate the reliable, consistent, robust and unbiased outcomes. Estimated outcomes reveal that natural resources rent is the only indicator which degrade the environmental quality. However, technological innovations, human capital, and renewable energy significantly protect the environmental eminence in the BRICS region. Additionally, panel Dumitrescu and Hurlin causality analysis establishes a unidirectional from technological innovations and from renewable energy to ecological footprint. Conversely, it is found a bidirectional causality link exists between human capital and ecological footprint, and finally, between renewable energy and human capital. Based on these estimated findings, numerous decarbonization policies are suggested for BRICS economies.

Role of green technological innovation in the green economic growth in China's natural resource markets

This study examines the impact of green technological innovation in China's natural resource markets on achieving green growth from 2000 to 2020 using a Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) model. It emphasizes the role of renewable energy in promoting the Green Total Factor Productivity (GTFP) and environmental sustainability. The results show that renewable energy technological innovation leads to an increase in GTFP in China as a whole and regionally in Western and Central parts of the country, enhancing the effectiveness of natural resource markets. Green innovation acts as a catalyst, promoting efficiency and carbon emission mitigation. This underscores the importance of innovation and technology in driving sustainable energy transitions in China. Overall, the findings highlight the significance of implementing renewable energy and innovation-driven strategies to address environmental concerns and achieve sustainable development goals in China.

EXAMINING GREEN ATTRIBUTE PREFERENCES IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS: A STUDY IN KANO, NIGERIA

Green building (GB) encompasses a holistic range of environmentally, socially, and economically conscious features addressing sustainability within building design, including energy efficiency, technological innovations, and materials recycling. Within the realm of housing, these integral green attributes synergistically contribute to the creation of living spaces that are not only environmentally friendly but also energy-efficient, health-enhancing, and comfortable. This comprehensive study investigates the paramount aspect of green building through the perspectives of both the general public and experts, assessing their acceptance and support for green building practices in Nigeria, a strategic choice due to its pivotal role within the Green Building Council in Africa, representing one of seven nations. Employing Factor Analysis and the Relative Importance Index, our rigorous analysis scrutinizes residential developments to pinpoint the most influential green building attribute. Our extensive questionnaire, distributed within the bustling metropolis of Kano, Nigeria, selected for its substantial population size in northern Nigeria and its status as the country's second most populous state, unveils a compelling revelation: social attributes wield the most profound influence over the successful implementation of green building practices, emphasizing their central role in sustainable development initiatives.

Realization Mode, Practical Difficulties and Development Path of Carbon Neutrality Promoted by the Digital Economy

As a new economic form, the digital economy plays an important role in promoting the goal of carbon neutrality. This paper discusses the related issues of the digital economy promoting carbon neutrality from three aspects: implementation mode, practical difficulties, and development path. The results show that the digital economy can reduce carbon emissions in many ways, such as energy management, industrial structure, and technological innovation. Secondly, digital transformation can make enterprises develop in a green direction and promote the transformation of a low-carbon economy. However, the digital economy also faces many problems in carbon neutrality, such as talent shortage and the energy rebound effect. Finally, in order to effectively help achieve the goal of carbon neutrality, it is necessary to strengthen policy support and personnel training. The digital economy has great potential in the process of carbon neutrality, so we should fully grasp the policy opportunities and make positive contributions to sustainable development through continuous innovation and reform.

Revisiting energy justice: Is renewable energy technology innovation a tool for realizing a just energy system?

Renewable energy technology innovation (RETI) is crucial in facilitating the energy transition while promoting a just transition. This paper examines the RETI and energy justice comprehensive indexes for 30 provinces in China between 2006 and 2019. Then, we study the relationship between RETI and energy justice and investigate their mediating roles and asymmetric relationships. Furthermore, we explore the potential of each of five RETI indicators for a just transition. The results show that RETI effectively contributes to distributive justice, procedural justice, recognition justice, and restorative justice and, in general, has a positive impact on energy justice. Moreover, all types of RETI indexes effectively promote energy justice, with wind and solar energy technology innovation having the most notable impacts. Finally, RETI also enhances energy justice by improving green total factor productivity (GTFP). Overall, this study believes that both the Chinese and global governments should actively develop renewable energy technologies, proactively seek innovation, and promote a just energy transition and sustainable development.

Spatial spillover effects of green technology innovation and renewable energy on ecological sustainability: New evidence and analysis

AbstractRapid industrialization and modernization have drastically impaired ecological sustainability and increased ecological footprint (EFP). Despite the vital relevance of renewable energy (REC) and green technological innovation (GTI), in many facets of life, the part played by these factors and their spatial spillover effects in exploring ecological sustainability in EU countries has yet to be well studied. Thus, using a spatial panel econometric technique, this research investigates the direct and spillover effects of GTI and REC on ecological sustainability in 20 selected EU nations between 1995 and 2018. First, the empirical results affirm a positive spatial connection of EFP across nations, implying that employing spatial models can provide more trustworthy results than traditional econometric approaches. Second, both GTI and REC tend to significantly promote domestic ecological sustainability. Third, the environmental quality of EU countries benefit from the high GTI, REC, and human capital of their neighboring nations. Fourth, economic growth and financial globalization (FG) have a negative and significant effect on environmental quality. Other empirical analyses indicated that the indirect effect of FG on EFP is positive and significant. With a focus on the EU countries, this paper assists policymakers in developing a comprehensive strategy for enhancing ecological responsibility via renewable energy and green technology innovation.