IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v249y2025ics0960148125008031.html

A tale of two risks: Differential diversification roles of clean energy sector stocks in physical and transition climate risk management

Author

Listed:
  • Kuang, Wei

Abstract

The increasing severity of climate-related events has heightened concerns about climate risks’ impact on financial markets. Although clean energy sectors are considered potential hedging instruments, the heterogeneous nature of both climate risks and clean energy sectors requires a detailed analysis of their risk diversification dynamics. This study examines the risk diversification effects of different clean energy sub-sector stocks on physical and transition climate risks, focusing on sector-specific characteristics and tail risk behavior. Using daily observations from 11 clean energy sub-sector indices and two climate risk indices from 2010 to 2023, we analyze conditional correlation, tail risk dependence, and dynamic portfolio allocation. Our findings reveal that clean energy sectors demonstrate significant but heterogeneous risk diversification effects across climate risk types and time periods. In particular, transition risk exhibits higher baseline volatility but achieves superior diversification benefits compared to physical risk. Infrastructure-based clean energy sectors show more stable diversification patterns than production-based sectors, with fuel cell sectors displaying limited hedging effectiveness. Furthermore, tail risk reduction effects exceed traditional risk measures but are accompanied by increased volatility. These findings provide valuable insights for climate risk management through targeted allocation strategies within the clean energy sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Kuang, Wei, 2025. "A tale of two risks: Differential diversification roles of clean energy sector stocks in physical and transition climate risk management," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:249:y:2025:i:c:s0960148125008031
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.123141
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148125008031
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2025.123141?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. Silva, Florinda & Ferreira, André & Cortez, Maria Céu, 2024. "The performance of green bond portfolios under climate uncertainty: A comparative analysis with conventional and black bond portfolios," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(PA).
    2. Matteo Foglia & Eliana Angelini & Toan Luu Duc Huynh, 2024. "Tail risk connectedness in clean energy and oil financial market," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 334(1), pages 575-599, March.
    3. Mohammad Enamul Hoque & Sourav Batabyal, 2022. "Carbon Futures and Clean Energy Stocks: Do They Hedge or Safe Haven against the Climate Policy Uncertainty?," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-11, September.
    4. Robert F. Engle & Kevin Sheppard, 2001. "Theoretical and Empirical properties of Dynamic Conditional Correlation Multivariate GARCH," NBER Working Papers 8554, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Mengxi He & Yaojie Zhang & Yudong Wang & Danyan Wen, 2024. "Modelling and forecasting crude oil price volatility with climate policy uncertainty," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Kroner, Kenneth F & Ng, Victor K, 1998. "Modeling Asymmetric Comovements of Asset Returns," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 11(4), pages 817-844.
    7. Robert F Engle & Stefano Giglio & Bryan Kelly & Heebum Lee & Johannes Stroebel, 2020. "Hedging Climate Change News," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 33(3), pages 1184-1216.
    8. Gregor Semieniuk & Emanuele Campiglio & Jean‐Francois Mercure & Ulrich Volz & Neil R. Edwards, 2021. "Low‐carbon transition risks for finance," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(1), January.
    9. Harry Markowitz, 1952. "Portfolio Selection," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 7(1), pages 77-91, March.
    10. Fernanda Fuentes & Rodrigo Herrera, 2020. "Dynamics of Connectedness in Clean Energy Stocks," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-19, July.
    11. Sen, Suphi & von Schickfus, Marie-Theres, 2020. "Climate policy, stranded assets, and investors’ expectations," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    12. Tareq Saeed & Elie Bouri & Dang Khoa Tran, 2020. "Hedging Strategies of Green Assets against Dirty Energy Assets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-17, June.
    13. Narayan, Paresh Kumar, 2024. "Pricing behavior of clean energy stocks? Some trading implications," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    14. Philipp Krueger & Zacharias Sautner & Laura T Starks, 2020. "The Importance of Climate Risks for Institutional Investors," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 33(3), pages 1067-1111.
    15. Ali, Fahad & Khurram, Muhammad Usman & Sensoy, Ahmet & Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2024. "Green cryptocurrencies and portfolio diversification in the era of greener paths," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    16. Giacomo Bressan & Anja Đuranović & Irene Monasterolo & Stefano Battiston, 2024. "Asset-level assessment of climate physical risk matters for adaptation finance," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    17. Ozkan, Oktay & Sunday Adebayo, Tomiwa & Usman, Ojonugwa, 2024. "Dynamic connectedness of clean energy markets, green markets, and sustainable markets: The role of climate policy uncertainty," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).
    18. Conlon, Thomas & Corbet, Shaen & McGee, Richard J., 2020. "Are cryptocurrencies a safe haven for equity markets? An international perspective from the COVID-19 pandemic," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    19. Xu, Yongan & Li, Ming & Yan, Wen & Bai, Jiancheng, 2022. "Predictability of the renewable energy market returns: The informational gains from the climate policy uncertainty," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    20. Cepni, Oguzhan & Demirer, Riza & Rognone, Lavinia, 2022. "Hedging climate risks with green assets," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    21. Sadorsky, Perry, 2012. "Correlations and volatility spillovers between oil prices and the stock prices of clean energy and technology companies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 248-255.
    22. Giovanna Bua & Daniel Kapp & Federico Ramella & Lavinia Rognone, 2024. "Transition versus physical climate risk pricing in European financial markets: a text-based approach," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(17), pages 2076-2110, November.
    23. Bredin, Don & Conlon, Thomas & Potì, Valerio, 2017. "The price of shelter - Downside risk reduction with precious metals," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 48-58.
    24. Darwin Choi & Zhenyu Gao & Wenxi Jiang, 2020. "Attention to Global Warming," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 33(3), pages 1112-1145.
    25. Wang, Kai-Hua & Wang, Zu-Shan & Yunis, Manal & Kchouri, Bilal, 2023. "Spillovers and connectedness among climate policy uncertainty, energy, green bond and carbon markets: A global perspective," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    26. Husain, Shaiara & Sohag, Kazi & Wu, Yanrui, 2022. "The response of green energy and technology investment to climate policy uncertainty: An application of twin transitions strategy," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    27. Dutta, Anupam & Bouri, Elie & Rothovius, Timo & Uddin, Gazi Salah, 2023. "Climate risk and green investments: New evidence," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    28. Pham, Linh, 2019. "Do all clean energy stocks respond homogeneously to oil price?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 355-379.
    29. Zhang, Hongwei & Hong, Huojun & Ding, Shijie, 2023. "The role of climate policy uncertainty on the long-term correlation between crude oil and clean energy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    30. Yuqin Zhou & Shan Wu & Zhenhua Liu & Lavinia Rognone, 2023. "The asymmetric effects of climate risk on higher-moment connectedness among carbon, energy and metals markets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-16, December.
    31. Lorente, Daniel Balsalobre & Mohammed, Kamel Si & Cifuentes-Faura, Javier & Shahzad, Umer, 2023. "Dynamic connectedness among climate change index, green financial assets and renewable energy markets: Novel evidence from sustainable development perspective," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 94-105.
    32. Glosten, Lawrence R & Jagannathan, Ravi & Runkle, David E, 1993. "On the Relation between the Expected Value and the Volatility of the Nominal Excess Return on Stocks," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 48(5), pages 1779-1801, December.
    33. Ali, Fahad & Bouri, Elie & Naifar, Nader & Shahzad, Syed Jawad Hussain & AlAhmad, Mohammad, 2022. "An examination of whether gold-backed Islamic cryptocurrencies are safe havens for international Islamic equity markets," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    34. Whitney Newey & Kenneth West, 2014. "A simple, positive semi-definite, heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation consistent covariance matrix," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 33(1), pages 125-132.
    35. Bolton, Patrick & Kacperczyk, Marcin, 2021. "Do investors care about carbon risk?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 517-549.
    36. Kuang, Wei, 2021. "Which clean energy sectors are attractive? A portfolio diversification perspective," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    37. A. T. D. Perera & Vahid M. Nik & Deliang Chen & Jean-Louis Scartezzini & Tianzhen Hong, 2020. "Quantifying the impacts of climate change and extreme climate events on energy systems," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 5(2), pages 150-159, February.
    38. Pástor, Ľuboš & Stambaugh, Robert F. & Taylor, Lucian A., 2021. "Sustainable investing in equilibrium," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 550-571.
    39. Bouri, Elie & Iqbal, Najaf & Klein, Tony, 2022. "Climate policy uncertainty and the price dynamics of green and brown energy stocks," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PB).
    40. Ren, Boru & Lucey, Brian, 2022. "A clean, green haven?—Examining the relationship between clean energy, clean and dirty cryptocurrencies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    41. Pástor, Ľuboš & Stambaugh, Robert F. & Taylor, Lucian A., 2022. "Dissecting green returns," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(2), pages 403-424.
    42. Frederick van der Ploeg & Armon Rezai, 2020. "Stranded Assets in the Transition to a Carbon-Free Economy," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 12(1), pages 281-298, October.
    43. Arfaoui, Nadia & Naeem, Muhammad Abubakr & Maherzi, Teja & Kayani, Umar Nawaz, 2024. "Can green investment funds hedge climate risk?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    44. Liu, Peng & Chen, Yaru & Mu, Yan, 2024. "The impact of climate risk aversion on agribusiness share price volatility," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    45. Lyócsa, Štefan & Todorova, Neda, 2024. "Forecasting of clean energy market volatility: The role of oil and the technology sector," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    46. Henriques, Irene & Sadorsky, Perry, 2008. "Oil prices and the stock prices of alternative energy companies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 998-1010, May.
    47. Faccini, Renato & Matin, Rastin & Skiadopoulos, George, 2023. "Dissecting climate risks: Are they reflected in stock prices?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    48. Gan, Kai & Li, Rongnan & Zhou, Qi, 2024. "Climate transition risk, environmental news coverage, and stock price crash risk," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    49. Hong, Harrison & Li, Frank Weikai & Xu, Jiangmin, 2019. "Climate risks and market efficiency," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 208(1), pages 265-281.
    50. Lucey, Brian & Ren, Boru, 2023. "Time-varying tail risk connectedness among sustainability-related products and fossil energy investments," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(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. Sirin, Selahattin Murat & Yilmaz, Berna N., 2025. "Tech firms and the renewable energy sector: Exploring the moderating effects of institutional ownership on financial connectedness," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    2. Li, Jie & Han, Yingwei, 2025. "Nonlinear hedging climate policy uncertainty: A dynamic mixed copula approach," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    3. Tristan Jourde & Arthur Stalla-Bourdillon, 2026. "Environmental preferences and sector valuations," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 162(1), pages 45-85, February.
    4. Zhou, Mingtao & Ma, Yong, 2025. "Physical vs. Transition climate risks: Asymmetric effects on stock return predictability," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 104(PA).
    5. Pham, Linh & Kamal, Javed Bin, 2024. "Blessings or curse: How do media climate change concerns affect commodity tail risk spillovers?," Journal of Commodity Markets, Elsevier, vol. 34(C).
    6. Sirin, Selahattin Murat, 2025. "The green transition and tech firms' financial performance: Insights from patent data," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    7. Nguyen, Minh Nhat & Liu, Ruipeng & Li, Youwei, 2025. "Performance of energy ETFs and climate risks," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    8. Zhou, Mingtao & Ma, Yong, 2025. "Climate risk and predictability of global stock market volatility," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    9. Roy Kouwenberg & Chenglong Zheng, 2023. "A Review of the Global Climate Finance Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-32, January.
    10. Hu, Xin & Zhu, Bo & Liu, Jiahao, 2025. "Does climate transition risk threaten China's energy system stability? Insights from high-dimensional systemic risk spillover network," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    11. Kuang, Wei, 2021. "Which clean energy sectors are attractive? A portfolio diversification perspective," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    12. Elie Bouri & Tom L. Dudda & Lavinia Rognone & Thomas Walther, 2025. "Climate risk and the nexus of clean energy and technology stocks," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 347(1), pages 445-469, April.
    13. Fliegel, Philip, 2025. "“Brown” Risk or “Green” Opportunity? The dynamic pricing of climate transition risk on global financial markets," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    14. Bua, Giovanna & Kapp, Daniel & Ramella, Federico & Rognone, Lavinia, 2022. "Transition versus physical climate risk pricing in European financial markets: a text-based approach," Working Paper Series 2677, European Central Bank.
    15. Vassilios Babalos & Xolani Sibande & Elie Bouri & Rangan Gupta, 2025. "Do Investors in Clean Energy ETFs Herd? The Role of Climate Risks," Working Papers 202512, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    16. Zhang, Yaojie & Song, Bingheng & He, Mengxi & Wang, Yudong, 2024. "Abnormal temperature and the cross-section of stock returns in China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    17. Cepni, Oguzhan & Demirer, Riza & Pham, Linh & Rognone, Lavinia, 2023. "Climate uncertainty and information transmissions across the conventional and ESG assets," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    18. Venturini, Alessio, 2022. "Climate change, risk factors and stock returns: A review of the literature," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    19. Horn, Matthias & Oehler, Andreas & Dabbous, Amal & Croutzet, Alexandre, 2025. "The relation between environmental awareness and stock returns," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    20. Li, Di & Wu, Zhige & Tang, Yixuan, 2024. "Do climate risks affect dirty–clean energy stock price dynamic correlations?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • C5 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling
    • G1 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets
    • Q4 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics

    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:renene:v:249:y:2025:i:c:s0960148125008031. 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.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    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.