IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/enejou/v37y2016i3p137-158.html

Club Convergence in the Energy Intensity of China

Author

Listed:
  • Dayong Zhang
  • David C. Broadstock

Abstract

We contribute to energy policy discourse in China by demonstrating the existence of multiple energy-intensity equilibria across its provinces. Using recently developed club convergence methods, we identify three unique clubs in China, each with markedly different energy intensity profiles. Unlike in previous studies, our club groupings do not strictly adhere to common geographic separations e.g. east, west and central divisions. To better understand what commonalities/disparities lay behind their groupings, we undertake a regression of the determinants of energy intensity, in a similar vein to a number of recent studies. Doing so, we demonstrate a number of significant differences in the determinants for each of the identified clubs, given which we are able to offer a rich set of policy implications. Not all determinants are common across the three clubs, and where they are common, they can differ both in magnitude and sign, reflecting the fundamental differences across the groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Dayong Zhang & David C. Broadstock, 2016. "Club Convergence in the Energy Intensity of China," The Energy Journal, , vol. 37(3), pages 137-158, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:enejou:v:37:y:2016:i:3:p:137-158
    DOI: 10.5547/01956574.37.3.dzha
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.5547/01956574.37.3.dzha
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.5547/01956574.37.3.dzha?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:aen:journl:2011v32-02-a03 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Filippini, Massimo & Hunt, Lester C., 2012. "US residential energy demand and energy efficiency: A stochastic demand frontier approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 1484-1491.
    3. repec:dau:papers:123456789/6801 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Ma, Hengyun & Oxley, Les & Gibson, John & Kim, Bonggeun, 2008. "China's energy economy: Technical change, factor demand and interfactor/interfuel substitution," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 2167-2183, September.
    5. Duro, Juan Antonio & Alcántara, Vicent & Padilla, Emilio, 2010. "International inequality in energy intensity levels and the role of production composition and energy efficiency: An analysis of OECD countries," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(12), pages 2468-2474, October.
    6. Danny Quah, 1996. "Twin Peaks: Growth and Convergence in Models of Distribution Dynamics," CEP Discussion Papers dp0280, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    7. Joseph Aldy, 2006. "Per Capita Carbon Dioxide Emissions: Convergence or Divergence?," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 33(4), pages 533-555, April.
    8. repec:aen:journl:1999v20-03-a03 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Meng, Ming & Payne, James E. & Lee, Junsoo, 2013. "Convergence in per capita energy use among OECD countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 536-545.
    10. Liu, Yaobin & Xie, Yichun, 2013. "Asymmetric adjustment of the dynamic relationship between energy intensity and urbanization in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 43-54.
    11. Zhang, ZhongXiang, 2003. "Why did the energy intensity fall in China's industrial sector in the 1990s? The relative importance of structural change and intensity change," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 625-638, November.
    12. Markandya, Anil & Pedroso-Galinato, Suzette & Streimikiene, Dalia, 2006. "Energy intensity in transition economies: Is there convergence towards the EU average?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 121-145, January.
    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. Mateusz Tomal, 2024. "A review of Phillips‐Sul approach‐based club convergence tests," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(3), pages 899-930, July.
    2. Payne, James E. & Saunoris, James W. & Nazlioglu, Saban & Smyth, Russell, 2024. "Renewable energy production across U.S. states: Convergence or divergence?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    3. Yu, Yantuan & Zhang, Ning, 2026. "Revealing the power of market-based energy policy: Evidence from China's energy quota trading system using machine learning," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    4. Yantuan Yu & Ning Zhang, 2025. "Revealing the Power of Market-Based Energy Policy: Evidence from China’s Energy Quota Trading System Using Machine Learning," Working papers 2025rwp-258, Yonsei University, Yonsei Economics Research Institute.
    5. Pinar, Mehmet, 2025. "Convergence in energy self-sufficiency: the role of renewable energy, fossil fuel rents, energy efficiency and gross domestic product per capita," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 326(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. repec:aen:journl:ej37-3-broadstock is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Joseph Nyangon & John Byrne & Job Taminiau, 2017. "An assessment of price convergence between natural gas and solar photovoltaic in the U.S. electricity market," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 6(3), May.
    3. Mulder, Peter & de Groot, Henri L.F. & Pfeiffer, Birte, 2014. "Dynamics and determinants of energy intensity in the service sector: A cross-country analysis, 1980–2005," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 1-15.
    4. Salman, Muhammad & Zha, Donglan & Wang, Guimei, 2022. "Assessment of energy poverty convergence: A global analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    5. Wu, Jianxin & Wu, Yanrui & Se Cheong, Tsun & Yu, Yanni, 2018. "Distribution dynamics of energy intensity in Chinese cities," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 875-889.
    6. Herrerias, M.J. & Liu, G., 2013. "Electricity intensity across Chinese provinces: New evidence on convergence and threshold effects," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 268-276.
    7. Kim, Young Se, 2015. "Electricity consumption and economic development: Are countries converging to a common trend?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 192-202.
    8. Le, Thai-Ha & Chang, Youngho & Park, Donghyun, 2017. "Energy demand convergence in APEC: An empirical analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 32-41.
    9. Liu, Tie-Ying & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2020. "Convergence of the world’s energy use," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    10. Ivanovski, Kris & Awaworyi Churchill, Sefa & Smyth, Russell, 2018. "A club convergence analysis of per capita energy consumption across Australian regions and sectors," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 519-531.
    11. repec:dau:papers:123456789/6801 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Mohammadi, Hassan & Ram, Rati, 2017. "Convergence in energy consumption per capita across the US states, 1970–2013: An exploration through selected parametric and non-parametric methods," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 404-410.
    13. Le Pen, Yannick & Sévi, Benoît, 2010. "On the non-convergence of energy intensities: Evidence from a pair-wise econometric approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(3), pages 641-650, January.
    14. Eirini Stergiou & Kostas Kounetas, 2021. "European Industries’ Energy Efficiency under Different Technological Regimes: The Role of CO2 Emissions, Climate, Path Dependence and Energy Mix," The Energy Journal, , vol. 42(1), pages 93-128, January.
    15. Awaworyi Churchill, Sefa & Inekwe, John & Ivanovski, Kris, 2020. "Stochastic convergence in per capita CO2 emissions: Evidence from emerging economies, 1921–2014," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    16. repec:aen:journl:ej36-3-mulder is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Mulder, Peter & de Groot, Henri L.F., 2012. "Structural change and convergence of energy intensity across OECD countries, 1970–2005," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 1910-1921.
    18. Wan, Jun & Baylis, Kathy & Mulder, Peter, 2015. "Trade-facilitated technology spillovers in energy productivity convergence processes across EU countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 253-264.
    19. Nicholas Apergis & Christina Christou, 2016. "Energy productivity convergence: new evidence from club converging," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(2), pages 142-145, February.
    20. Llorca, Manuel & Rodriguez-Alvarez, Ana, 2024. "Economic, environmental, and energy equity convergence: Evidence of a multi-speed Europe?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    21. Jianhuan Huang & Yantuan Yu & Chunbo Ma, 2018. "Energy Efficiency Convergence in China: Catch-Up, Lock-In and Regulatory Uniformity," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 70(1), pages 107-130, May.
    22. Vo, Duc Hong & Vo, Long Hai & Ho, Chi Minh, 2022. "Regional convergence of nonrenewable energy consumption in Vietnam," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    23. Mishra, Vinod & Smyth, Russell, 2014. "Convergence in energy consumption per capita among ASEAN countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 180-185.

    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:sae:enejou:v:37:y:2016:i:3:p:137-158. 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: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    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.