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What drives the relationship between digitalization and industrial energy demand? Exploring firm-level heterogeneity

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  • Axenbeck, Janna
  • Berner, Anne
  • Kneib, Thomas

Abstract

The ongoing digital transformation has raised hopes for ICT-based climate protection within manufacturing industries, such as dematerialized products and energy efficiency gains. However, ICT also consume energy as well as resources, and detrimental effects on the environment are increasingly gaining attention. Accordingly, it is unclear whether trade-offs or synergies between the use of digital technologies and energy savings exist. Our analysis sheds light on the most important drivers of the relationship between ICT and energy use in manufacturing. We apply flexible tree-based machine learning to a German administrative panel data set including more than 25,000 firms. The results indicate firm-level heterogeneity, but suggest that digital technologies relate more frequently to an increase in energy use. Multiple characteristics, such as energy prices and firms' energy mix, explain differences in the effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Axenbeck, Janna & Berner, Anne & Kneib, Thomas, 2022. "What drives the relationship between digitalization and industrial energy demand? Exploring firm-level heterogeneity," ZEW Discussion Papers 22-059, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:zewdip:22059
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    Cited by:

    1. Horbach, Jens, 2023. "Digitalisation and sustainability strategies at the firm level," Ruhr Economic Papers 1001, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    2. Kunkel, S. & Neuhäusler, P. & Matthess, M. & Dachrodt, M.F., 2023. "Industry 4.0 and energy in manufacturing sectors in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    digital technologies; energy use; manufacturing; machine learning;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • Q40 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - General

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