IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v166y2022ics0301421522002324.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Whether China's overseas energy infrastructure projects dirtier or cleaner after the belt and road initiative?

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, Banban
  • Lin, Ping

Abstract

We evaluated whether China's overseas investments in energy infrastructure were dirtier or cleaner after the Belt and Road Initiative than those of other countries with similar project and host country characteristics. We used the energy infrastructure project data from the World Bank's private participation in infrastructure database, which allows comparison among countries of investment and controls for the influences of host countries' demand. Our main findings are as follows. First, during our sample period from 2006 to 2019, the average investment volume of projects funded by China was significantly higher overall including in conventional energy projects, compared to those with other financial sources and similar features. Second, after the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the volume of projects invested in by China was comparatively smaller in conventional energy projects but larger in renewable energy projects. Third, the choice of technology type in energy projects reflected path dependency effects on both the investment and host countries' sides. Nevertheless, after the Belt and Road Initiative, China had actively begun to break away from these effects, investing more in clean energy overseas.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Banban & Lin, Ping, 2022. "Whether China's overseas energy infrastructure projects dirtier or cleaner after the belt and road initiative?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:166:y:2022:i:c:s0301421522002324
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2022.113007
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421522002324
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.enpol.2022.113007?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. de Soyres, François & Mulabdic, Alen & Ruta, Michele, 2020. "Common transport infrastructure: A quantitative model and estimates from the Belt and Road Initiative," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    2. Ebohon, Obas John, 1996. "Energy, economic growth and causality in developing countries : A case study of Tanzania and Nigeria," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 447-453, May.
    3. Maliszewska,Maryla & Van Der Mensbrugghe,Dominique, 2019. "The Belt and Road Initiative : Economic, Poverty and Environmental Impacts," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8814, The World Bank.
    4. Baniya, Suprabha & Rocha, Nadia & Ruta, Michele, 2020. "Trade effects of the New Silk Road: A gravity analysis," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    5. de Soyres, François & Mulabdic, Alen & Murray, Siobhan & Rocha, Nadia & Ruta, Michele, 2019. "How much will the Belt and Road Initiative reduce trade costs?," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 151-164.
    6. Yan Wu & Chunlai Chen & Cong Hu, 2021. "Does the Belt and Road Initiative Increase the Carbon Emission Intensity of Participating Countries?," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 29(3), pages 1-25, May.
    7. Gene M. Grossman & Alan B. Krueger, 1995. "Economic Growth and the Environment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 110(2), pages 353-377.
    8. Eskeland, Gunnar S. & Harrison, Ann E., 2003. "Moving to greener pastures? Multinationals and the pollution haven hypothesis," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 1-23, February.
    9. Yu, Shu & Qian, Xingwang & Liu, Taoxiong, 2019. "Belt and road initiative and Chinese firms' outward foreign direct investment," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    10. Shao, Xu, 2020. "Chinese OFDI responses to the B&R initiative: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    11. Zhang, ZhongXiang, 2011. "China's energy security, the Malacca dilemma and responses," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(12), pages 7612-7615.
    12. Zhu Liu & Steven J. Davis & Kuishuang Feng & Klaus Hubacek & Sai Liang & Laura Diaz Anadon & Bin Chen & Jingru Liu & Jinyue Yan & Dabo Guan, 2016. "Targeted opportunities to address the climate–trade dilemma in China," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 6(2), pages 201-206, February.
    13. Jiang, Qichuan & Ma, Xuejiao & Wang, Yun, 2021. "How does the one belt one road initiative affect the green economic growth?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    14. Qi, Shaozhou & Peng, Huarong & Zhang, Xiaoling & Tan, Xiujie, 2019. "Is energy efficiency of Belt and Road Initiative countries catching up or falling behind? Evidence from a panel quantile regression approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    15. Zhao, Yong & Shi, Xunpeng & Song, Feng, 2020. "Has Chinese outward foreign direct investment in energy enhanced China's energy security?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    16. Mr. Etienne B Yehoue & Miss Mona Hammami & Jean-François Ruhashyankiko, 2006. "Determinants of Public-Private Partnerships in Infrastructure," IMF Working Papers 2006/099, International Monetary Fund.
    17. Fan, Jing-Li & Zhang, Yue-Jun & Wang, Bing, 2017. "The impact of urbanization on residential energy consumption in China: An aggregated and disaggregated analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 220-233.
    18. Chen, Maggie Xiaoyang & Lin, Chuanhao, 2020. "Geographic connectivity and cross-border investment: The Belts, Roads and Skies," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    19. Yue-Jun Zhang & Yan-Lin Jin & Bo Shen, 2020. "Measuring the Energy Saving and CO2 Emissions Reduction Potential Under China’s Belt and Road Initiative," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 55(4), pages 1095-1116, April.
    20. Curran, Louise & Lv, Ping & Spigarelli, Francesca, 2017. "Chinese investment in the EU renewable energy sector: Motives, synergies and policy implications," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 670-682.
    21. Rabe, Wiebke & Kostka, Genia & Smith Stegen, Karen, 2017. "China's supply of critical raw materials: Risks for Europe's solar and wind industries?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 692-699.
    22. Leung, Guy C.K., 2011. "China's energy security: Perception and reality," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 1330-1337, March.
    23. Lin, Boqiang & Bega, François, 2021. "China's Belt & Road Initiative coal power cooperation: Transitioning toward low-carbon development," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    24. 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.
    25. Pareja-Alcaraz, Pablo, 2017. "Chinese investments in Southern Europe's energy sectors: Similarities and divergences in China's strategies in Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 700-710.
    26. Gippner, Olivia & Torney, Diarmuid, 2017. "Shifting policy priorities in EU-China energy relations: Implications for Chinese energy investments in Europe," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 649-658.
    27. Nugent, Jeffrey B. & Lu, Jiaxuan, 2021. "China's outward foreign direct investment in the Belt and Road Initiative: What are the motives for Chinese firms to invest?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    28. Li, Zhongshu & Gallagher, Kevin P. & Mauzerall, Denise L., 2020. "China's global power: Estimating Chinese foreign direct investment in the electric power sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    29. Yan Wu & Cong Hu & Xunpeng Shi, 2021. "Heterogeneous Effects of the Belt and Road Initiative on Energy Efficiency in Participating Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-21, September.
    30. Wilbur Chung & Jaeyong Song, 2004. "Sequential Investment, Firm Motives, and Agglomeration of Japanese Electronics Firms in the United States," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(3), pages 539-560, September.
    31. Wu, Haoyi & Guo, Huanxiu & Zhang, Bing & Bu, Maoliang, 2017. "Westward movement of new polluting firms in China: Pollution reduction mandates and location choice," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 119-138.
    32. Lili Kang & Fei Peng & Yu Zhu & An Pan, 2018. "Harmony in Diversity: Can the One Belt One Road Initiative Promote China’s Outward Foreign Direct Investment?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-28, September.
    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. Chishti, Muhammad Zubair & Xia, Xiqiang & Dogan, Eyup, 2024. "Understanding the effects of artificial intelligence on energy transition: The moderating role of Paris Agreement," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    2. Shen, Zhiyang & Zhao, Yuntian & Guneri, Fatma & Yang, Yiping & Wang, Songkai & Deng, Haiyan, 2023. "Does the rise of China promote the sustainable development of OECD countries? A geopolitical perspective," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    3. Cheng, Si & Wang, Banban, 2023. "Impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on China's overseas renewable energy development finance: Effects and features," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 1036-1048.

    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. Nugent, Jeffrey B. & Lu, Jiaxuan, 2021. "China's outward foreign direct investment in the Belt and Road Initiative: What are the motives for Chinese firms to invest?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Linda Calabrese & Rhys Jenkins & Lorena Lombardozzi, 2024. "The Belt and Road Initiative and Dynamics of Structural Transformation," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 36(3), pages 515-547, June.
    3. Xing Zhou & Quan Guo & Ming Zhang, 2021. "Impacts of OFDI on Host Country Energy Consumption and Home Country Energy Efficiency Based on a Belt and Road Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-25, November.
    4. Damoah, Kaku Attah & Giovannetti, Giorgia & Marvasi, Enrico, 2022. "Do country centrality and similarity to China matter in the allocation of belt and road projects?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 660-674.
    5. Cheng, Si & Wang, Banban, 2023. "Impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on China's overseas renewable energy development finance: Effects and features," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 1036-1048.
    6. Jiang, Qichuan & Ma, Xuejiao & Wang, Yun, 2021. "How does the one belt one road initiative affect the green economic growth?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    7. Peng, Hua-Rong & Tan, Xiujie & Managi, Shunsuke & Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad, 2022. "Club convergence in energy efficiency of Belt and Road Initiative countries: The role of China’s outward foreign direct investment," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    8. Xiao, Zhaohua & Du, Limin & Wang, Zheng, 2023. "The Belt, the Road, and the carbon emissions in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    9. Lei Gao & Taowu Pei & Jingran Zhang & Yu Tian, 2022. "The “Pollution Halo” Effect of FDI: Evidence from the Chinese Sichuan–Chongqing Urban Agglomeration," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-17, September.
    10. de Soyres, François & Mulabdic, Alen & Ruta, Michele, 2020. "Common transport infrastructure: A quantitative model and estimates from the Belt and Road Initiative," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    11. Ouyang, Shanshan & Li, Yanxi & Wu, Haowen & Zhao, Heng & Xu, Runxiang, 2023. "Structure and evolution of the greenfield FDI network along the belt and road," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    12. de Soyres, François & Mulabdic, Alen & Murray, Siobhan & Rocha, Nadia & Ruta, Michele, 2019. "How much will the Belt and Road Initiative reduce trade costs?," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 151-164.
    13. Kaku Attah Damoah & Giorgia Giovannetti & Enrico Marvasi, 2023. "Five Stylized Facts on Belt and Road Countries and Their Trade Patterns," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 31(1), pages 149-181, January.
    14. World Bank, 2020. "South Caucasus and Central Asia - The Belt and Road Initiative," World Bank Publications - Reports 34121, The World Bank Group.
    15. Augusto Ninni & Ping Lv & Francesca Spigarelli & Pengqi Liu, 2020. "How home and host country industrial policies affect investment location choice? The case of Chinese investments in the EU solar and wind industries," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 47(4), pages 531-557, December.
    16. Cristina Di Stefano & P. Lelio Iapadre & Ilaria Salvati, 2021. "Trade and Infrastructure in the Belt and Road Initiative: A Gravity Analysis Based on Revealed Trade Preferences," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-15, January.
    17. Jackson, Karen & Shepotylo, Oleksandr, 2021. "Belt and road: The China dream?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    18. Liu, Qing & Yang, Yang & Ke, Luqi & Ng, Adolf K.Y., 2022. "Structures of port connectivity, competition, and shipping networks in Europe," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    19. Jiatao Li & Ari Van Assche & Xiaolan Fu & Lee Li & Gongming Qian, 2022. "The Belt and Road Initiative and international business policy: A kaleidoscopic perspective," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(2), pages 135-151, June.
    20. Yan Wu & Cong Hu & Xunpeng Shi, 2021. "Heterogeneous Effects of the Belt and Road Initiative on Energy Efficiency in Participating Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-21, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Energy infrastructure investments; Belt and Road Initiative; Clean energy; PPI project;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • Q42 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Alternative Energy Sources
    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements

    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:eee:enepol:v:166:y:2022:i:c:s0301421522002324. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/enpol .

    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.