IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/eneeco/v144y2025ics0140988325001331.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Impact of China's renewable energy product exports on host countries' energy transition R&D: The role of population aging

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Junjie
  • Yu, Shiwei
  • Hu, Yundie
  • Hu, Xing
  • Zhang, Wenqing

Abstract

The global challenges of population aging and energy transition (ET) are becoming increasingly intertwined. China's exports of renewable energy products (REPs) play a pivotal role in addressing the rising global demand for ET solutions. However, the combined effects of population aging and China's REP exports on host countries' research and development (R&D) investments in ET remain underexplored. This study employs an Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to examine the dynamic impacts of aging and China's REP exports on R&D investments in renewable energy (RE), power, and storage technologies. Utilizing panel data from 33 countries between 2000 and 2023, the findings reveal that, in the short term, China's REP exports suppress host countries' ET R&D investments by substituting domestic R&D efforts.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Junjie & Yu, Shiwei & Hu, Yundie & Hu, Xing & Zhang, Wenqing, 2025. "Impact of China's renewable energy product exports on host countries' energy transition R&D: The role of population aging," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:144:y:2025:i:c:s0140988325001331
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2025.108310
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988325001331
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.eneco.2025.108310?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jochen Markard, 2018. "The next phase of the energy transition and its implications for research and policy," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 3(8), pages 628-633, August.
    2. Liu, Runjuan & Rosell, Carlos, 2013. "Import competition, multi-product firms, and basic innovation," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(2), pages 220-234.
    3. Jäger, Philipp & Schmidt, Torsten, 2016. "The political economy of public investment when population is aging: A panel cointegration analysis," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 145-158.
    4. Andrés Mauricio Gómez‐Sánchez & Juan A. Mañez & Juan A. Sanchis‐Llopis, 2022. "Are importing and exporting complements or substitutes in an emerging economy? The case of Colombia," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(3), pages 819-835, August.
    5. Arellano, Manuel & Bover, Olympia, 1995. "Another look at the instrumental variable estimation of error-components models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 29-51, July.
    6. Lee, Jaymin, 1996. "Technology imports and R&D efforts of Korean manufacturing firms," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 197-210, June.
    7. Peter C. B. Phillips & Bruce E. Hansen, 1990. "Statistical Inference in Instrumental Variables Regression with I(1) Processes," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 57(1), pages 99-125.
    8. Jože P. Damijan & Črt Kostevc, 2015. "Learning from Trade through Innovation," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 77(3), pages 408-436, June.
    9. Mohd Chachuli, Fairuz Suzana & Mat, Sohif & Ludin, Norasikin Ahmad & Sopian, Kamaruzzaman, 2021. "Performance evaluation of renewable energy R&D activities in Malaysia," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 544-560.
    10. Wang, Eric C., 2010. "Determinants of R&D investment: The Extreme-Bounds-Analysis approach applied to 26 OECD countries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 103-116, February.
    11. Misa Okabe, 2003. "Relationship Between Domestic Research and Development Activity and Technology Importation: An Empirical Investigation of Japanese Manufacturing Industries," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 17(3), pages 265-280, September.
    12. Sheng, Jichuan & Ding, Rui & Yang, Hongqiang, 2024. "Corporate green innovation in an aging population: Evidence from Chinese listed companies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    13. Pedroni, Peter, 2004. "Panel Cointegration: Asymptotic And Finite Sample Properties Of Pooled Time Series Tests With An Application To The Ppp Hypothesis," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(3), pages 597-625, June.
    14. Eugene Bempong Nyantakyi & Jonathan Munemo, 2017. "Technology gap, imported capital goods and productivity of manufacturing plants in Sub-Saharan Africa," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(2), pages 209-227, February.
    15. Aggarwal, Aradhna, 2000. "Deregulation, technology imports and in-house R&D efforts: an analysis of the Indian experience," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(9), pages 1081-1093, December.
    16. Ma, Yu & Zhang, Tingting & Qian, Wenyu & Wei, Danqi, 2022. "Financial development, demographic changes, and the growth of the non-hydro renewable energy Industry—An empirical test based on R&D and financing costs," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 217-229.
    17. Feng, Wei & Li, Jiajia, 2021. "International technology spillovers and innovation quality: Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 289-308.
    18. Liu, Xiaohui & Buck, Trevor, 2007. "Innovation performance and channels for international technology spillovers: Evidence from Chinese high-tech industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 355-366, April.
    19. Olabisi Simeon Ayoade & Monica Alagbile Orisadare Ph. D & Micheal Olamide Adediwura & Emmanuel Eromosele Ofino Ph. D, 2023. "Institutional Quality, Human Capital Development and Poverty Level in Nigeria (1981-2021)," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(9), pages 2071-2085, September.
    20. Pesaran, M. Hashem & Smith, Ron, 1995. "Estimating long-run relationships from dynamic heterogeneous panels," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 79-113, July.
    21. Guan, Qing & An, Haizhong & Wang, Kaiming & Duan, Yueran & Zhang, Yixiong, 2020. "Functional trade patterns and their contributions to international photovoltaic trade revealed by network motifs," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    22. Lara Aleluia Reis & Zoi Vrontisi & Elena Verdolini & Kostas Fragkiadakis & Massimo Tavoni, 2023. "A research and development investment strategy to achieve the Paris climate agreement," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    23. Blundell, Richard & Bond, Stephen, 1998. "Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 115-143, August.
    24. Kim, Kyunam & Kim, Yeonbae, 2015. "Role of policy in innovation and international trade of renewable energy technology: Empirical study of solar PV and wind power technology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 717-727.
    25. Wenqun Gao & Yang Chen & Shaorui Xu & Oleksii Lyulyov & Tetyana Pimonenko, 2023. "The Role of Population Aging in High-Quality Economic Development: Mediating Role of Technological Innovation," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, October.
    26. Sui, Bo & Sharma, Susan Sunila & Yao, Liu-Yang & Ni, Guo-Hua & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2024. "Does aging affect renewable energy? The role of extreme events and economic development," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    27. Inkyoung Sun & So Young Kim, 2017. "Energy R&D towards Sustainability: A Panel Analysis of Government Budget for Energy R&D in OECD Countries (1974–2012)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-18, April.
    28. Mohammad, Shoeb & Yang, Jie & Butt, Irfan, 2024. "Does corruption have a sanding or greasing impact on innovation? Reconciling the contrasting perspectives through a systematic literature review," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(7).
    29. Marz, Waldemar & Şen, Suphi, 2022. "Does telecommuting reduce commuting emissions?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    30. James Ang & Jakob Madsen, 2015. "Imitation versus innovation in an aging society: international evidence since 1870," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 28(2), pages 299-327, April.
    31. Yu Liu & Mingde Jia, 2023. "The Impact of Population Aging on Green Innovation: An Empirical Analysis Based on Inter-Provincial Data in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-18, February.
    32. Chen, Jong-Rong & Yang, Chin-Hai, 2006. "The Effects of Knowledge Capital on Enhancing Firms’Productivity in Taiwan : Does R&D or Technology Import Matter?," Hitotsubashi Journal of Economics, Hitotsubashi University, vol. 47(2), pages 137-153, December.
    33. Sasidharan, Subash & Kathuria, Vinish, 2011. "Foreign Direct Investment and R&D: Substitutes or Complements--A Case of Indian Manufacturing after 1991 Reforms," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 1226-1239, July.
    34. Mallick, Hrushikesh & Mahalik, Mantu Kumar & Sahoo, Manoranjan, 2018. "Is crude oil price detrimental to domestic private investment for an emerging economy? The role of public sector investment and financial sector development in an era of globalization," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 307-324.
    35. Costa-Campi, M.T. & García-Quevedo, J. & Martínez-Ros, E., 2017. "What are the determinants of investment in environmental R&D?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 455-465.
    36. Massini, Silvia & Piscitello, Lucia & Shevtsova, Yevgeniya, 2023. "The complementarity effect of exporting, importing and R&D on the productivity of Ukrainian MNEs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(3).
    37. Stock, James H & Watson, Mark W, 1993. "A Simple Estimator of Cointegrating Vectors in Higher Order Integrated Systems," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 61(4), pages 783-820, July.
    38. Chun-Yao Tseng, 2008. "Internal R&D effort, external imported technology and economic value added: empirical study of Taiwan's electronic industry," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(8), pages 1073-1082.
    39. M. Hashem Pesaran & Yongcheol Shin & Richard J. Smith, 2001. "Bounds testing approaches to the analysis of level relationships," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(3), pages 289-326.
    40. Yabin Yu & Qian Xu, 2022. "Influencing Factors of Enterprise R&D Investment: Post-Subsidy, Sustainability, and Heterogeneity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-14, May.
    41. Marques, António Cardoso & Fuinhas, José Alberto, 2012. "Are public policies towards renewables successful? Evidence from European countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 109-118.
    42. Ke Shen & Zhenyi Huang, 2023. "Impacts of population aging on the quantity and quality of pharmaceutical innovation: evidence from OECD countries," China Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(3), pages 335-353, September.
    43. Hoque, Mohammad Monjurul & Yusop, Zulkornain, 2010. "Impacts of trade liberalisation on aggregate import in Bangladesh: An ARDL Bounds test approach," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 37-52, February.
    44. Kao, Chihwa, 1999. "Spurious regression and residual-based tests for cointegration in panel data," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 1-44, May.
    45. Ibrahim, Mansor H. & Law, Siong Hook, 2014. "Social capital and CO2 emission—output relations: A panel analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 528-534.
    46. Jorrit Gosens, 2020. "The greening of South-South trade: levels, growth, and specialization of trade in clean energy technologies between countries in the global South," CCEP Working Papers 2003, Centre for Climate & Energy Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    47. Blazquez, Jorge & Fuentes, Rolando & Manzano, Baltasar, 2020. "On some economic principles of the energy transition," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    48. Im, Kyung So & Pesaran, M. Hashem & Shin, Yongcheol, 2003. "Testing for unit roots in heterogeneous panels," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 115(1), pages 53-74, July.
    49. Zhiyuan Chen & Jingtao Yi & Jinchao Huang, 2024. "Detecting learning from importing: The effect of importing behaviour on R&D expenditures of Chinese firms," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(7), pages 3244-3278, July.
    50. Gosens, Jorrit, 2020. "The greening of South-South trade: Levels, growth, and specialization of trade in clean energy technologies between countries in the global South," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 931-943.
    51. Chen, Zhiyuan & Zhang, Jie & Zheng, Wenping, 2017. "Import and innovation: Evidence from Chinese firms," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 205-220.
    52. Willis, Ken & Scarpa, Riccardo & Gilroy, Rose & Hamza, Neveen, 2011. "Renewable energy adoption in an ageing population: Heterogeneity in preferences for micro-generation technology adoption," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 6021-6029, October.
    53. Jonas Grafström & Patrik Söderholm & Erik Gawel & Paul Lehmann & Sebastian Strunz, 2023. "Government support to renewable energy R&D: drivers and strategic interactions among EU Member States," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(1), pages 1-24, January.
    54. Kahouli, Bassem, 2018. "The causality link between energy electricity consumption, CO2 emissions, R&D stocks and economic growth in Mediterranean countries (MCs)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 388-399.
    55. Jain, Ritika, 2021. "Is R&D spending influenced by disinvestment and local political corruption? The case of Indian central public sector enterprises," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 45(3).
    56. Levin, Andrew & Lin, Chien-Fu & James Chu, Chia-Shang, 2002. "Unit root tests in panel data: asymptotic and finite-sample properties," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 108(1), pages 1-24, May.
    57. Maximilian Gasser & Simon Pezzutto & Wolfram Sparber & Eric Wilczynski, 2022. "Public Research and Development Funding for Renewable Energy Technologies in Europe: A Cross-Country Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-28, May.
    58. Degirmenci, Tunahan & Yavuz, Hakan, 2024. "Environmental taxes, R&D expenditures and renewable energy consumption in EU countries: Are fiscal instruments effective in the expansion of clean energy?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    59. Lin, Boqiang & Liu, Yida, 2024. "Global carbon neutrality and China's contribution: The impact of international carbon market policies on China's photovoltaic product exports," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    60. Joseph Dery Nyeadi, 2023. "The impact of financial development and foreign direct investment on environmental sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa: using PMG-ARDL approach," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(2), pages 2106270-210, December.
    61. da Silva, Patrícia Pereira & Cerqueira, Pedro André & Ogbe, Wojolomi, 2018. "Determinants of renewable energy growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from panel ARDL," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 45-54.
    62. Chen, Ji & Wu, Liudan & Hao, Lili & Yu, Xiao & Streimikiene, Dalia, 2024. "Does the import of green products encourage green technology innovation? Empirical evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Md. Qamruzzaman & Jianguo Wei, 2019. "Financial Innovation and Financial Inclusion Nexus in South Asian Countries: Evidence from Symmetric and Asymmetric Panel Investigation," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-27, October.
    2. Skare, Marinko & Ozturk, Ilhan & Porada-Rochoń, Małgorzata & Stjepanovic, Sasa, 2024. "Energy as the new frontier: Dynamic panel data analysis revealing energy's transformative role in economic growth and technological progress," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    3. Qamruzzaman, Md & Jianguo, Wei, 2020. "The asymmetric relationship between financial development, trade openness, foreign capital flows, and renewable energy consumption: Fresh evidence from panel NARDL investigation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 827-842.
    4. Tarik Dogru & Umit Bulut & Ercan Sirakaya-Turk, 2021. "Modeling tourism demand: Theoretical and empirical considerations for future research," Tourism Economics, , vol. 27(4), pages 874-889, June.
    5. Shreya Pal, 2024. "The International Capital Flows and Domestic Savings–domestic Investment Nexus: A Comparative Evidence Between Heterogeneous Developing Regions," South Asian Journal of Macroeconomics and Public Finance, , vol. 13(2), pages 169-212, December.
    6. Myo Myo Htike & Anil Shrestha & Makoto Kakinaka, 2022. "Investigating whether the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis holds for sectoral CO2 emissions: evidence from developed and developing countries," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(11), pages 12712-12739, November.
    7. Angeliki N. Menegaki, 2019. "The ARDL Method in the Energy-Growth Nexus Field; Best Implementation Strategies," Economies, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-16, October.
    8. Peñasco, Cristina & del Río, Pablo & Romero-Jordán, Desiderio, 2017. "Gas and electricity demand in Spanish manufacturing industries: An analysis using homogeneous and heterogeneous estimators," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 45-60.
    9. Caravaggio, Nicola, 2020. "A global empirical re-assessment of the Environmental Kuznets curve for deforestation," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    10. Scott, K. Rebecca, 2011. "Demand and Price Volatility: Rational Habits in International Gasoline Demand," Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley, Working Paper Series qt2q87432b, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley.
    11. Alessio Ciarlone, 2019. "The relationship between financial development and growth: the case of emerging Europe," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 521, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    12. Gazi Hassan & Arusha Cooray & Mark Holmes, 2017. "The effect of female and male health on economic growth: cross-country evidence within a production function framework," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 659-689, March.
    13. Md. Qamruzzaman (a) and Wei Jianguo (b), 2020. "Nexus between Remittance and Household Consumption: Fresh Evidence from Symmetric or Asymmetric Investigation," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 45(3), pages 1-27, September.
    14. Le Thanh Ha & Pham Thi Ngoc Hanh & Nguyen Thi Thu Hang & Hoang Dang Khanh & Le Lan Phuong & Hoang Hop, 2024. "Is digital business an enabler of enhanced entrepreneurship? An empirical investigation of European countries," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 164-186, June.
    15. Güzin Bayar, 2018. "Estimating export equations: a survey of the literature," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 629-672, March.
    16. Xuejiao Ma & Qichuan Jiang, 2019. "How to Balance the Trade-off between Economic Development and Climate Change?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-30, March.
    17. Nuno Carlos Leitão & Daniel Balsalobre Lorente, 2020. "The Linkage between Economic Growth, Renewable Energy, Tourism, CO 2 Emissions, and International Trade: The Evidence for the European Union," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-16, September.
    18. Tarkan Cavusoglu & Oguzhan Dincer, 2019. "Schooling and income inequality in the long-run," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 43(3), pages 594-606, July.
    19. Qamruzzaman, Md, 2022. "Nexus between renewable energy, foreign direct investment, and agro-productivity: The mediating role of carbon emission," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 526-540.
    20. Ogali, Oscar I.O. & Okoro, Emeka E. & Olafuyi, Saburi G., 2023. "Assessing consensus on nexus between natural gas consumption and economic growth," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:144:y:2025:i:c:s0140988325001331. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/eneco .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.