Comprehensive Impact of Energy Transition on Energy Efficiency in China

Current research on energy transition in China highlights the complexities of this process, including improvements in air quality, increased energy consumption, and economic performance. According to a recent study published in the journal Energy, the clean energy transition has led to multifaceted impacts on overall energy efficiency. The research used a stochastic frontier method to calculate the green energy efficiency of prefecture-level cities in China, revealing significant improvements in energy efficiency due to the winter clean heating pilot program.

Key Takeaways:

• The winter clean heating pilot program increased cities' green energy efficiency by an average of 0.00444, with significant improvements observed in the early group of year 2017 and 2018.
• The pilot program enhanced green energy efficiency after three years of implementation, affecting neighboring cities simultaneously.
• The clean heating policy stimulated energy consumption directly, promoted green technology innovation indirectly, and improved air quality, leading to increased energy efficiency.
• The research suggests that the clean energy transition can have complex impacts on energy efficiency, requiring careful consideration of environmental protection and economic development.
• The findings provide useful references for achieving sustainable energy utilization, balancing environmental protection, and economic development.

Statistics:

• 0.00444: average increase in green energy efficiency among cities participating in the winter clean heating pilot program.
• 3 years: duration of implementation of the clean heating policy, during which time significant improvements in energy efficiency were observed.
• 280 prefecture-level cities: number of cities included in the study, representing a significant sample of China's regional energy market.
• 2017 and 2018: years in which significant improvements in energy efficiency were observed due to the pilot program.
• 7 years: duration of panel data used in the study to calculate green energy efficiency.

Sources:

• VerticalNews, "Current Study Results on Energy Have Been Published", August 8, 2025.
• Energy, "The Impact of Winter Clean Heating Pilot On Chinese Green Energy Efficiency-based On Multi-period Difference-in-differences Method", Volume 328, 2025.
• Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, School of Economics, Chengdu 611130, People's Republic of China.
• Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, England.
• Elsevier, www.elsevier.com.
• jOur reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.