The impact of digital technology innovation on the optimization of energy structure of Chinese cities: From the perspective of factor-biased technological progress

• Published in: Zi yuan ke xue Vol. 46; no. 9; pp. 1881 - 1892
• Main Authors: Zhenzhen, LIAO, Shaofeng, RU
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese; English
• Published: Science Press, PR China 01-09-2024
• Subjects: digital technology innovation|optimization of energy structure|factor-biased technological progress|fixed effect model|china
• ISSN: 1007-7588
• DOI: 10.18402/resci.2024.09.16

[Objective] This paper analyzed the impact of digital technology innovation(DTI) on optimizing the energy structure (OES) from the perspective of factor-biased technological progress (FBTP), providing scientific evidence for enabling the green transition of the energy structure through DTI. [Methods] By using Acemoglu’s theoretical framework for analyzing income inequality with two-factor biased technological progress, the paper constructed a mathematical model to examine how biased technological progress in clean energy and non-clean energy affects the OES. Then we proposed a theoretical hypothesis on how DTI influences the OES. Based on the panel data of 275 prefecture-level and above cities in China from 2006 to 2021, the fixed effect model and instrumental variable method were used to test the theoretical hypothesis. [Results] (1) Digital technology innovation can significantly promote the OES, and this positive effect is still significant after the robustness and endogeneity tests; (2) Mechanism test showed that, between clean energy and non-clean energy, DTI can stimulate the OES by promoting the clean energy-biased technological progress. Particularly, between clean electric energy and fossil energy, DTI can promote the OES by driving clean electric power-biased technological progress; (3) Heterogeneity test showed that the promotional effect of DTI on the OES was significant in resource-poor cities and non-old industrial base cities, but it was not significant in resource-abundant cities and old industrial base cities. The promotional effect of DTI on the OES was significant in cities of high governmental environmental concern and low-carbon pilot cities, but it was not significant in cities of low governmental environmental concern and non-low-carbon pilot cities. [Conclusion] It is necessary to accelerate the penetration, integration, and application of DTI in the field of clean energy, and deepen collaborative innovation efforts of digital technology among different cities to help balance energy supply and demand.