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The impact of the government's new energy storage policy on carbon emission reduction of enterprises – Evidence from China

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  • Zhang, Liming
  • Zhan, Juan
  • Sun, Helin
  • Lu, Qin

Abstract

New energy storage (NES) is a crucial technology for effectively integrating distributed energy sources and achieving a low-carbon transformation in the power sector. Based on the data of listed industrial enterprises in China from 2013 to 2021, this study examines the effects of the government's NES policy on carbon emissions using a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) method. The results indicate that NES policy significantly promotes the reduction of enterprises' carbon emissions intensity. Our results remain consistent after a series of robustness tests. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the NES policy has a more significant impact on non-state-owned enterprises (non-SOEs), large-sized and medium-sized enterprises, enterprises in low-energy-consuming industries, and enterprises in clean energy-rich areas. Moreover, the mechanism analysis reveals that the proportion of clean energy generation, the capacity for energy storage innovation, and the level of marketization exert positive effects on the relations between NES policy and carbon emission reduction. This study not only contributes to further improving China's NES-related policies, but also provides a useful reference for the formulation and implementation of energy storage policies in other emerging economies.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Liming & Zhan, Juan & Sun, Helin & Lu, Qin, 2025. "The impact of the government's new energy storage policy on carbon emission reduction of enterprises – Evidence from China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 399(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:399:y:2025:i:c:s0306261925012139
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.126483
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