IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/eneeco/v149y2025ics0140988325005559.html

How does artificial intelligence affect energy efficiency? Evidence from supply chain digitization pilot program

Author

Listed:
  • Fan, Jiaojiao
  • Li, Weiqian
  • Chen, Lin

Abstract

With rising global energy demand and increasing environmental awareness, energy transformation has become a core element in achieving sustainable development. Supply chain digitalization, a key area of artificial intelligence application, has become an important topic for its impact on energy efficiency. This paper examines the impact of supply chain digitization on energy efficiency using microdata from Chinese listed companies. The benchmark results show that supply chain digitalization significantly improves energy efficiency. Moreover, green total factor productivity and supply chain efficiency have a significant positive moderating effect on the relationship between supply chain digitization and energy efficiency. Finally, the heterogeneity regression results show that supply chain digitization has a significantly higher impact on energy efficiency in capital-intensive firms, non-green firms, highly polluting firms, and private firms. In conclusion, this study provides the first empirical evidence on the relationship between supply chain digitization and energy efficiency, which is important for China's energy transition.

Suggested Citation

  • Fan, Jiaojiao & Li, Weiqian & Chen, Lin, 2025. "How does artificial intelligence affect energy efficiency? Evidence from supply chain digitization pilot program," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:149:y:2025:i:c:s0140988325005559
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2025.108728
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988325005559
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.eneco.2025.108728?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhang, Cheng & Xiao, Guangnian & Xu, Lang, 2024. "Manufacturers' emission-reduction investments in competing supply chains with Prisoner’s Dilemma: The economic and environmental impacts of Retailer(s) capital Constraint(s)," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    2. Su, Chi Wei & Song, Xin Yue & Dou, Junyi & Qin, Meng, 2025. "Fossil fuels or renewable energy? The dilemma of climate policy choices," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).
    3. Li, Lanbing & Zhao, Jiawei & Yang, Yuhan & Ma, Dan, 2025. "Artificial intelligence and green development well-being: Effects and mechanisms in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    4. Li, Hongyu & Lu, Zhiqiang & Zhang, Zhengping & Tanasescu, Cristina, 2025. "How does artificial intelligence affect manufacturing firms' energy intensity?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    5. Wei Zhang & Siqi Zhao & Xiaoyu Wan & Yuan Yao, 2021. "Study on the effect of digital economy on high-quality economic development in China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(9), pages 1-27, September.
    6. Su, Chi-Wei & Yang, Shengyao & Dumitrescu Peculea, Adelina & Ioana Biţoiu, Teodora & Qin, Meng, 2024. "Energy imports in turbulent eras: Evidence from China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    7. Xinshen Diao & Margaret McMillan & Dani Rodrik, 2019. "The Recent Growth Boom in Developing Economies: A Structural-Change Perspective," Springer Books, in: Machiko Nissanke & José Antonio Ocampo (ed.), The Palgrave Handbook of Development Economics, chapter 9, pages 281-334, Springer.
    8. Qin, Meng & Wan, Yue & Dou, Junyi & Su, Chi Wei, 2024. "Artificial Intelligence: Intensifying or mitigating unemployment?," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    9. Ma, Jing & Li, Qing & Zhao, Qiuyun & Liou, Jennhae & Li, Chen, 2024. "From bytes to green: The impact of supply chain digitization on corporate green innovation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    10. Luo, Shuangcheng & Xiong, Zhiqiao & Liu, Jianjiang, 2024. "How does supply chain digitization affect green innovation? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    11. Chaoyi Chen & Mehmet Pinar & Rocío Román-Collado, 2024. "Green Innovation and Energy Efficiency: Moderating Effect of Institutional Quality Based on the Threshold Model," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(12), pages 3063-3094, December.
    12. Feng, Lingbing & Qi, Jiajun & Zheng, Yuhao, 2025. "How can AI reduce carbon emissions? Insights from a quasi-natural experiment using generalized random forest," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    13. Su, Chi-Wei & Wu, Ying & Qin, Meng, 2025. "Preserving energy security: Can renewable energy withstand the energy-related uncertainty risk?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Wang, Quan-Jing & Zhu, Yi-Jing & Zhang, Yun & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2025. "Impact of digital economy on energy efficiency: Role of emerging technologies such as AI," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    2. Saif-Alyousfi, Abdulazeez Y.H., 2025. "Artificial intelligence, information environment, and capital market efficiency," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    3. Lin, Boqiang & Zhou, Dengli, 2025. "A new green transition driver: How does artificial intelligence affect the green economic efficiency," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 334(C).

    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. Gao, Xiangming & Ji, Xinliang & Wang, Rong & Yu, Jian, 2025. "The effect of artificial intelligence on energy transition: Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    2. Dou, Junyi & Li, Kun & Qin, Meng & Albu, Lucian Liviu, 2025. "Towards energy security: Could renewable energy endure uncertainties in the energy market?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 461-474.
    3. Gao, Lan & Wang, Jing, 2025. "Can artificial intelligence reduce energy vulnerability? Evidence from an international perspective," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    4. Shao, Mingxing & Wen, Lei & Li, Sifei & Huang, Binyue, 2025. "Exploring the role of artificial intelligence as a catalyst for energy technology innovation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    5. Qin, Meng & Shao, Xuefeng & Zhu, Yujie & Lin, Cheng-To, 2025. "Harnessing artificial intelligence for environmental protection: Smart air quality management under oil price fluctuations," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    6. Song, Xin Yue & Su, Chi Wei & Qin, Meng, 2025. "How geopolitical risk affects the market performance of airline stocks?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    7. Zhang, Wei & Zhang, Yunjia & Lan, Xuling & Song, Malin, 2025. "“Green BRICS”: How artificial intelligence can build the explicit structure and implicit order of energy transition," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    8. Li, Zhengzheng & Xing, Youze & Shao, Xuefeng & Zhong, Yifan & Su, Yun Hsuan, 2025. "Transitioning the energy landscape: AI's role in shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    9. Mao, Qilin & Shi, Buchao, 2026. "Intelligent manufacturing and green innovation along the supply chain," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    10. Lyu, Jiayi & Gao, Zixuan & Li, Yanfeng & Zhang, Qiang, 2025. "The two-way street: How AI and clean energy affect each other," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    11. Zhang, Wenwen & Fu, Shuai & Chiu, Yi-Bin & Hsiao, Cody Yu-Ling, 2025. "Artificial intelligence, digital inclusive finance, and financial performance: Dynamic threshold insights from renewable energy enterprises," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    12. Zhong, Chao & Cai, Hongbo & Fang, Shuai & Xue, Rui & Shan, Yuli, 2025. "Does artificial intelligence reduce energy intensity in manufacturing? Evidence from country-level data," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    13. Xin Yue Song & Chi Wei Su & Ran Tao & Lin Jie Liu, 2026. "How do climate change risks affect environmental governance? Evidence from the national level," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 179(4), pages 1-24, April.
    14. Zhang, Haoran & Yu, Xiaohong & Gao, Zixuan, 2025. "Is the end of AI in photovoltaic power? Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    15. repec:rjr:romjef:v::y:2025:i:3:p:5-23 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Meng Qin & Hongfang Jiang & Lidong Pang & Chiwei Su, 2025. "Is Oil Really a Stumbling Block to Environmental Sustainability? From the Price Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-17, February.
    17. Tao Wang & Yang Shen, 2025. "Unlocking the potential of supply chain digitalization for enhancing enterprise green transformation performance: evidence from China," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, December.
    18. Tao, Miaomiao & Wu, Sihong, 2025. "From polluter pays to polluter reborn: Exploring the economic and green implications of corporate carbon risk exposure," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    19. Qin, Meng & Shao, Xuefeng & Hu, Chengming & Su, Chi Wei, 2025. "Can gold hedge against uncertainty in the cryptocurrency and energy markets?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 214(C).
    20. Lingwei Zhang & Hui Huang & Na Chen & Huangxin Chen, 2025. "Policy-Driven Supply Chain Digitalization and Corporate Sustainability: Evidence from China’s Innovation Pilot," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-28, September.
    21. Su, Chi-Wei & Wu, Ying & Qin, Meng, 2025. "Preserving energy security: Can renewable energy withstand the energy-related uncertainty risk?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:149:y:2025:i:c:s0140988325005559. 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.