Evaluating the effect of mineral resources on the accessibility of green power: A global perspective

Natural resources serve as a foundation for economic prosperity, but comprehending their specific influence in promoting green electricity access presents a compelling yet unexplored question in economic research. The link between natural resources and green electricity is a critical yet understudied topic. Although many studies have looked at resource availability, economic growth, and monetary advancement, there's a shortage of research focusing on green electricity. Our study addresses this knowledge gap by examining how natural resources affect electricity access from 1989 to 2021, considering the role of economic growth and renewable electricity and energy. We use several advanced analytical methods to explore the role of natural resources. Our results show that while individual (or disaggregated) natural resources do not have a clear relationship with electricity access, natural resources as a whole (or aggregated) have a substantial impact. Moreover, we find that a growing economy and the use of renewable energy sources are good for electricity access. The robustness check shows a two-way relationship between GDP and oil rents with electricity access but only a one-way relationship for unrestricted natural resources, renewable energy electricity, and forest rents. Based on these findings, we propose strategies for policymakers to enhance global electricity supply by promoting renewable energy, sustainable use of natural resources, and promoting economic expansion.