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Assessing the effective drivers of energy poverty reduction in China: A spatial perspective

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  • Wang, Yuelin
  • Xu, Bin

Abstract

Energy poverty challenges persist in densely populated China. Unlike existing literature, this article takes spatial elements into the analytical framework and uses the geographically weighted regression model to investigate the main influencing factors of energy poverty. Empirical findings indicate that: (1) urbanization has a significant influence on energy poverty reduction across different regions, since numerous rural residents have relocated to urban areas in search of better income opportunities. (2) The contribution of industrial structure to energy poverty mitigation in the eastern region is greater, as rapid development of the manufacturing sector. (3) The impact of energy consumption structure on energy poverty reduction in the central region is minimal, due to the increasing restrictions on coal consumption. (4) Income disparity in reducing energy poverty in the western region is more prominent, because the increase in the income of low-income residents has prompted the use of clean energy.

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  • Wang, Yuelin & Xu, Bin, 2025. "Assessing the effective drivers of energy poverty reduction in China: A spatial perspective," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:320:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225010692
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.135427
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