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Renewable Energy: A Curse or Blessing—International Evidence

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  • Ruoxuan Li

    (School of Economics and Management, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China)

  • Huwei Wen

    (School of Economics and Management, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
    Research Center of the Central China for Economic and Social Development, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China)

  • Xinpeng Huang

    (School of Economics and Management, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China)

  • Yaobin Liu

    (School of Economics and Management, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China)

Abstract

The development of renewable energy has effectively promoted the process of reaching global carbon neutrality. However, the academic community has not reached a consensus on whether the development of renewable energy will inhibit economic growth. The crux of the debate centers around whether renewable energy paradigms ignore differences in the structure of factor endowments across countries. The panel data of 125 countries from 1990 to 2021 were used to perform group regression for countries with different factor endowment structures. The results show that the renewable energy curse of developed countries becomes stronger and weaker with economic development; the renewable energy curse in developing countries is growing with economic growth; and the economic development of countries with poor natural resources is more vulnerable to the negative impact of renewable energy development. The group regression results of different development stages of renewable energy show that the negative impact of renewable energy development on economic development is not significant in the early stage, but that it has significant impacts in the growth and maturity stage. The mechanism test found that the development of renewable energy affected changes in trade structure and inhibited economic growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruoxuan Li & Huwei Wen & Xinpeng Huang & Yaobin Liu, 2023. "Renewable Energy: A Curse or Blessing—International Evidence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-18, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:14:p:11103-:d:1195506
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    2. Li, Wei & Hao, Ni & Lu, Can, 2023. "A PVAR dynamic correlation appraisal of China’s carbon emissions in conjunction with economic growth and clean energy use," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 219(P1).
    3. Chiaramonti, David & Testa, Lorenzo, 2024. "Deploying EU biomethane potential for transports: Centralized/decentralized biogasrefinery schemes to SAF and maritime fuels," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 366(C).
    4. Huang, Xinpeng & Wen, Huwei, 2025. "The constraining dynamics of political instability on renewable energy development: International evidence," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    5. Jiawen He & Yi Qin & Xiong Wang, 2024. "Impact of renewable energy consumption on sustainable development in Central Asia," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(6), pages 6308-6323, December.
    6. Romualdas Ginevičius & Gracjana Noga & Vladislavas Petraškevičius & Eigirdas Žemaitis & Miloslav Novotný, 2025. "Assessing Renewable Energy Growth in the European Union," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-16, March.

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