IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/natres/v49y2025i2p1424-1444.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Greening the energy future: Role of energy innovation as policy driver

Author

Listed:
  • Jin Sheng
  • Avik Sinha
  • Sadia Mansoor
  • Muhammad Wasif Zafar

Abstract

Energy innovation is the backbone of a sustainable future. By harnessing the power of innovation, we can accelerate the transition to a greener energy future by improving energy efficiency, integrating renewable energy sources, developing energy storage solutions, and ensuring grid flexibility. As the renewable energy is being characterized as a major driver of sustainability, the innovational endeavors need to be directed in this pursuit. Based on this objective, this study explores the impact of energy innovation and education on renewable energy use by controlling the impact of economic growth, financial development, and oil prices for the OECD countries over the period of 1995–2020. The empirical results obtained from second‐generation panel methods indicate that energy innovation and education increase renewable energy use in these countries. Similarly, economic growth, financial development, and oil prices also sure the use of renewable energy. From these results, our study offers number of contributions to the literature, policy, and practice. More specifically, we argue that energy innovation and education can play an important role to increase the use of energy produce from renewable sources. Moreover, financial development can play a key role in the production of renewable energy in the long‐term projects by providing funding. The empirical results obtained from second‐generation panel methods suggest that energy innovation and education play a crucial role in increasing renewable energy use in these countries. Effective policy support is crucial in fostering innovation, promoting clean energy adoption, and creating opportunities for economic growth. Together, we can work toward a greener and more resilient energy future.

Suggested Citation

  • Jin Sheng & Avik Sinha & Sadia Mansoor & Muhammad Wasif Zafar, 2025. "Greening the energy future: Role of energy innovation as policy driver," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 49(2), pages 1424-1444, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:natres:v:49:y:2025:i:2:p:1424-1444
    DOI: 10.1111/1477-8947.12426
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-8947.12426
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/1477-8947.12426?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. Joakim Westerlund & David L. Edgerton, 2008. "A Simple Test for Cointegration in Dependent Panels with Structural Breaks," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 70(5), pages 665-704, October.
    2. Przychodzen, Wojciech & Przychodzen, Justyna, 2020. "Determinants of renewable energy production in transition economies: A panel data approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    3. M. Hashem Pesaran, 2021. "General diagnostic tests for cross-sectional dependence in panels," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 60(1), pages 13-50, January.
    4. Alam, Md. Mahmudul & Murad, Md. Wahid, 2020. "The impacts of economic growth, trade openness and technological progress on renewable energy use in organization for economic co-operation and development countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 382-390.
    5. Abdulrasheed Zakari & Irfan Khan, 2022. "Boosting economic growth through energy in Africa: the role of Chinese investment and institutional quality," Journal of Chinese Economic and Business Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(1), pages 1-21, January.
    6. Ji, Qiang & Zhang, Dayong, 2019. "How much does financial development contribute to renewable energy growth and upgrading of energy structure in China?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 114-124.
    7. Razmi, Seyedeh Fatemeh & Ramezanian Bajgiran, Bahareh & Behname, Mehdi & Salari, Taghi Ebrahimi & Razmi, Seyed Mohammad Javad, 2020. "The relationship of renewable energy consumption to stock market development and economic growth in Iran," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 2019-2024.
    8. Paramati, Sudharshan Reddy & Ummalla, Mallesh & Apergis, Nicholas, 2016. "The effect of foreign direct investment and stock market growth on clean energy use across a panel of emerging market economies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 29-41.
    9. Barbara Sianesi & John Van Reenen, 2003. "The Returns to Education: Macroeconomics," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(2), pages 157-200, April.
    10. T. S. Breusch & A. R. Pagan, 1980. "The Lagrange Multiplier Test and its Applications to Model Specification in Econometrics," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 47(1), pages 239-253.
    11. Sohag, Kazi & Taşkın, F. Dilvin & Malik, Muhammad Nasir, 2019. "Green economic growth, cleaner energy and militarization: Evidence from Turkey," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-1.
    12. Sinha, Avik & Sengupta, Tuhin & Alvarado, Rafael, 2020. "Interplay between Technological Innovation and Environmental Quality: Formulating the SDG Policies for Next 11 Economies," MPRA Paper 104247, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2020.
    13. Li, Rongrong & Wang, Qiang & Li, Lejia & Hu, Sailan, 2023. "Do natural resource rent and corruption governance reshape the environmental Kuznets curve for ecological footprint? Evidence from 158 countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    14. Samant, Shantala & Thakur-Wernz, Pooja & Hatfield, Donald E., 2020. "Does the focus of renewable energy policy impact the nature of innovation? Evidence from emerging economies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    15. Salim, Ruhul A. & Rafiq, Shuddhasattwa, 2012. "Why do some emerging economies proactively accelerate the adoption of renewable energy?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 1051-1057.
    16. Doytch, Nadia & Narayan, Seema, 2016. "Does FDI influence renewable energy consumption? An analysis of sectoral FDI impact on renewable and non-renewable industrial energy consumption," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 291-301.
    17. Kim, Jeayoon & Park, Kwangwoo, 2016. "Financial development and deployment of renewable energy technologies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 238-250.
    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. Ghazouani, Tarek, 2022. "Dynamic impact of globalization on renewable energy consumption: Non-parametric modelling evidence," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    2. Shahbaz, Muhammad & Sinha, Avik & Raghutla, Chandrashekar & Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2022. "Decomposing scale and technique effects of financial development and foreign direct investment on renewable energy consumption," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(PB).
    3. Clement Olalekan Olaniyi & Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh Al‐Faryan & Eyitayo Oyewunmi Ogbaro, 2025. "Do institutional quality and its threshold matter in the sensitivity of the renewable energy transition to financial development? New empirical perspectives," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(1), pages 5-43, January.
    4. Habiba, Umme & Xinbang, Cao, 2023. "The contribution of different aspects of financial development to renewable energy consumption in E7 countries: The transition to a sustainable future," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 703-714.
    5. Lin, Boqiang & Okoye, Jude O., 2023. "Towards renewable energy generation and low greenhouse gas emission in high-income countries: Performance of financial development and governance," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    6. Lu, Zhou & Gozgor, Giray & Mahalik, Mantu Kumar & Padhan, Hemachandra & Yan, Cheng, 2022. "Welfare gains from international trade and renewable energy demand: Evidence from the OECD countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    7. Wang Xing & Ali Imran, 2025. "Financial and Technological Drivers of Sustainable Development: The Role of Communication Technology, Financial Efficiency and Education in BRICS," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-26, March.
    8. Faris Alshubiri & Mohamed Elheddad & Syed Ahsan Jamil & Nassima Djellouli, 2021. "The impacts of financial depth and foreign direct investment on the green and non-green energy consumption of OPEC members," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 1(6), pages 1-29, June.
    9. Aneet Yadav & Mantu Kumar Mahalik & Gupteswar Patel & Shreya Pal, 2024. "Do domestic and overseas technological innovations equally matter in renewable energy development? Empirical evidence from emerging economies," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(6), pages 1-27, December.
    10. Skare, Marinko & Gavurova, Beata & Sinkovic, Dean, 2023. "Regional aspects of financial development and renewable energy: A cross-sectional study in 214 countries," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 1142-1157.
    11. Salim, Ruhul & Yao, Yao & Chen, George S., 2017. "Does human capital matter for energy consumption in China?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 49-59.
    12. Ibrahiem, Dalia M. & Hanafy, Shaimaa A., 2021. "Do energy security and environmental quality contribute to renewable energy? The role of trade openness and energy use in North African countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 667-678.
    13. Mohammed Musah, 2023. "Stock market development and environmental quality in EU member countries: a dynamic heterogeneous approach," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(10), pages 11153-11187, October.
    14. Dogan, Eyup & Chishti, Muhammad Zubair & Karimi Alavijeh, Nooshin & Tzeremes, Panayiotis, 2022. "The roles of technology and Kyoto Protocol in energy transition towards COP26 targets: Evidence from the novel GMM-PVAR approach for G-7 countries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    15. Khan, Irfan & Zakari, Abdulrasheed & Zhang, Jinjun & Dagar, Vishal & Singh, Sanjeet, 2022. "A study of trilemma energy balance, clean energy transitions, and economic expansion in the midst of environmental sustainability: New insights from three trilemma leadership," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    16. Gozgor, Giray & Mahalik, Mantu Kumar & Demir, Ender & Padhan, Hemachandra, 2020. "The impact of economic globalization on renewable energy in the OECD countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    17. Fateh Belaid & Ahmed H. Elsayed, 2019. "What drives renewable energy production in MENA Region? Investigating the roles of political stability, governance and financial sector," Working Papers 1322, Economic Research Forum, revised 21 Aug 2019.
    18. Yilmaz Bayar & Mahmut Unsal Sasmaz & Mehmet Hilmi Ozkaya, 2020. "Impact of Trade and Financial Globalization on Renewable Energy in EU Transition Economies: A Bootstrap Panel Granger Causality Test," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    19. Qamruzzaman, Md & Jianguo, Wei, 2020. "The asymmetric relationship between financial development, trade openness, foreign capital flows, and renewable energy consumption: Fresh evidence from panel NARDL investigation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 827-842.
    20. Muhammad Shahbaz & Mehmet Akif Destek & Michael L. Polemis, 2018. "Do Foreign Capital and Financial Development Affect Clean Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions? Evidence from BRICS and Next-11 Countries," SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, University of Piraeus, vol. 68(4), pages 20-50, October-D.

    More about this item

    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:wly:natres:v:49:y:2025:i:2:p:1424-1444. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1111/(ISSN)1477-8947 .

    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.