IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v16y2023i19p6811-d1247683.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Green Effects of Industrial Policy—Evidence from China’s New Energy Vehicle Subsidies

Author

Listed:
  • Qian Cai

    (School of Economics and Management, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
    National School of Development and Policy, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China)

  • Zheng Ji

    (School of Economics and Management, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
    National School of Development and Policy, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China)

  • Fuxun Ma

    (Dong Fureng Economic and Social Development School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

  • Han Liang

    (Dong Fureng Economic and Social Development School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

Abstract

The development of new energy vehicles has become a common choice for countries worldwide to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the global ecological environment, with China being no exception. However, challenges, such as finding charging stations, accessing residential areas, and highway charging, have hindered the green and high-quality growth of the new energy vehicle industry. This study, set against the backdrop of China’s 2018 policy to gradually redirect local purchase subsidy funds for new energy vehicles towards supporting the construction and operation of charging infrastructure, utilizes panel data from 282 prefecture-level cities from 2016 to 2021. A difference-in-differences model is constructed to compare the impact of infrastructure development on carbon emissions before and after the policy’s implementation. The study finds that policy has a negative effect on carbon emissions, especially in the second and third year after the policy’s implementation. Even after controlling for variables such as residents’ wealth levels, population size, environmental pollution, energy consumption, and government support, the results remain significant. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the effect of the promotion of charging infrastructure on carbon emissions is greater in southern and central parts of China.

Suggested Citation

  • Qian Cai & Zheng Ji & Fuxun Ma & Han Liang, 2023. "The Green Effects of Industrial Policy—Evidence from China’s New Energy Vehicle Subsidies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-16, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:19:p:6811-:d:1247683
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/19/6811/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/19/6811/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gilbert E. Metcalf, 2010. "Investment in Energy Infrastructure and the Tax Code," NBER Chapters, in: Tax Policy and the Economy, Volume 24, pages 1-33, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Reiche, Danyel & Bechberger, Mischa, 2004. "Policy differences in the promotion of renewable energies in the EU member states," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(7), pages 843-849, May.
    3. Pedram Asef & Marzia Milan & Andrew Lapthorn & Sanjeevikumar Padmanaban, 2021. "Future Trends and Aging Analysis of Battery Energy Storage Systems for Electric Vehicles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-28, December.
    4. Brian C. Murray & Maureen L. Cropper & Francisco C. de la Chesnaye & John M. Reilly, 2014. "How Effective Are US Renewable Energy Subsidies in Cutting Greenhouse Gases?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(5), pages 569-574, May.
    5. Engerer, Hella & Horn, Manfred, 2010. "Natural gas vehicles: An option for Europe," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 1017-1029, February.
    6. Martin Feldstein, 2009. "Rethinking the Role of Fiscal Policy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(2), pages 556-559, May.
    7. Diamond, David, 2009. "The impact of government incentives for hybrid-electric vehicles: Evidence from US states," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 972-983, March.
    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. Qiuyun Zhao & Zeyu Li & Zuoxiang Zhao & Jinqiu Ma, 2019. "Industrial Policy and Innovation Capability of Strategic Emerging Industries: Empirical Evidence from Chinese New Energy Vehicle Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-17, May.
    2. Zhishuang Zhu & Hua Liao, 2019. "Do subsidies improve the financial performance of renewable energy companies? Evidence from China," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 95(1), pages 241-256, January.
    3. Sun, Xiaohua & Liu, Xiaoling & Wang, Yun & Yuan, Fang, 2019. "The effects of public subsidies on emerging industry: An agent-based model of the electric vehicle industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 281-295.
    4. Larizzatti Zacharias, Luis Guilherme & Antunes Costa de Andrade, Ana Clara & Guichet, Xavier & Mouette, Dominique & Peyerl, Drielli, 2022. "Natural gas as a vehicular fuel in Brazil: Barriers and lessons to learn," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    5. Jie Mao & Chunhua Wang, 2016. "Tax incentives and environmental protection: evidence from China’s taxpayer-level data," China Finance and Economic Review, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 1-30, December.
    6. Stijn Claessens & M. Ayhan Kose, 2013. "Financial Crises: Explanations, Types and Implications," CAMA Working Papers 2013-06, Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    7. Konstantina Peloriadi & Petros Iliadis & Panagiotis Boutikos & Konstantinos Atsonios & Panagiotis Grammelis & Aristeidis Nikolopoulos, 2022. "Technoeconomic Assessment of LNG-Fueled Solid Oxide Fuel Cells in Small Island Systems: The Patmos Island Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, May.
    8. Malakoutirad, Mohammad & Bradley, Thomas H. & Hagen, Chris, 2015. "Design considerations for an engine-integral reciprocating natural gas compressor," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 129-137.
    9. Eleftheriadis, Iordanis M. & Anagnostopoulou, Evgenia G., 2015. "Identifying barriers in the diffusion of renewable energy sources," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 153-164.
    10. Aleksandra Matuszewska-Janica & Dorota Żebrowska-Suchodolska & Urszula Ala-Karvia & Marta Hozer-Koćmiel, 2021. "Changes in Electricity Production from Renewable Energy Sources in the European Union Countries in 2005–2019," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-27, October.
    11. Szarka, Joseph, 2006. "Wind power, policy learning and paradigm change," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(17), pages 3041-3048, November.
    12. Gustav Resch & Malte Gephart & Simone Steinhilber & Corinna Klessmann & Pablo del Rio & Mario Ragwitz, 2013. "Coordination or Harmonisation? Feasible Pathways for a European Res Strategy beyond 2020," Energy & Environment, , vol. 24(1-2), pages 147-169, February.
    13. António Afonso & Eduardo Rodrigues, 2024. "Is public investment in construction and in R&D, growth enhancing? A PVAR approach," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(24), pages 2875-2899, May.
    14. Ryu-ichiro Murota & Yoshiyasu Ono, 2010. "A Reinterpretation of the Keynesian Consumption Function and Multiplier Effect," ISER Discussion Paper 0779, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    15. Snyder, Brian & Kaiser, Mark J., 2009. "Offshore wind power in the US: Regulatory issues and models for regulation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(11), pages 4442-4453, November.
    16. Cowan, Kelly R. & Daim, Tugrul U., 2011. "Review of technology acquisition and adoption research in the energy sector," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 183-199.
    17. Kim, Junghun & Seung, Hyunchan & Lee, Jongsu & Ahn, Joongha, 2020. "Asymmetric preference and loss aversion for electric vehicles: The reference-dependent choice model capturing different preference directions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    18. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/f6h8764enu2lskk9p4oq2cqb0 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Rangan Gupta & Charl Jooste & Kanyane Matlou, 2014. "A time-varying approach to analysing fiscal policy and asset prices in South Africa," Journal of Financial Economic Policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 6(1), pages 46-63, April.
    20. Guoqiang Zhang & Yanmei Xu & Juan Zhang, 2016. "Consumer-Oriented Policy towards Diffusion of Electric Vehicles: City-Level Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-16, December.
    21. Al-Alawi, Baha M. & Bradley, Thomas H., 2013. "Review of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicle market modeling Studies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 190-203.

    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:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:19:p:6811-:d:1247683. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.