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Education Quality and Energy Poverty: Evidence from Chinese Elite Universities

Author

Listed:
  • Haining Wang
  • Zhiming Cheng
  • Russell Smyth

Abstract

Using China’s higher education expansion as a natural experiment, we examine the causal effect of education quality on the proclivity to be in energy poverty. We find that education causes a reduction in the likelihood of being in energy poverty and that the point estimates are largest for those that attended elite universities, followed by those who attended non-elite universities and colleges. This finding is robust to alternative ways of measuring energy poverty, as well as a series of sensitivity checks. We find that cognitive ability, employment status, generalised trust and income mediate the relationship between education and energy poverty. JEL Classification : I23, I32, Q41

Suggested Citation

  • Haining Wang & Zhiming Cheng & Russell Smyth, 2025. "Education Quality and Energy Poverty: Evidence from Chinese Elite Universities," The Energy Journal, , vol. 46(5), pages 25-55, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:enejou:v:46:y:2025:i:5:p:25-55
    DOI: 10.1177/01956574251330238
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices

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