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How does technology adoption affect energy intensity? Evidence from a meta-analysis

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  • Vu, Thu Thi-Thu
  • Demena, Binyam Afewerk

Abstract

In the last two decades, the relationship between technology adoption and energy intensity has been extensively examined in multiple frameworks across various methods and countries. This paper is a meta-analysis of 1305 reported estimates from 72 empirical studies published up to May 2024. While slightly more than two-fifths of the reported estimates validate significant negative evidence, one-quarter of the empirical estimates provide contrasting evidence, positive and statistically significant. In light of these mixed findings, this research aims to identify the underlying genuine effect while adjusting for publication (and other potential) bias, and analyse the factors that drive the variation in reported estimates of the empirical studies. Our results validate evidence of a negative relationship between technology adoption and energy intensity with the absence of any publication bias. The multivariate analysis highlights that the variability in reported estimates is systematically linked to both the specification characteristics of the empirical approach and the publication attributes across different studies. Correcting for heterogeneity, the best practice models confirm the negative relation between technology adoption and energy intensity.

Suggested Citation

  • Vu, Thu Thi-Thu & Demena, Binyam Afewerk, 2025. "How does technology adoption affect energy intensity? Evidence from a meta-analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 398(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:398:y:2025:i:c:s0306261925011699
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.126439
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