IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i7p2486-d158250.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Households’ Energy Consumption Change in China: A Multi-Regional Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Haiyan Zhang

    (The Johns Hopkins University—Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China)

  • Michael L. Lahr

    (Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University, 33 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA)

Abstract

As China’s economy enters the “new normal” phase, its growth model has gradually changed to focus more on domestic consumption. In this paper, we examine regional disparities in households’ total (direct and indirect) energy use in China from 2002 to 2012. Using a structural decomposition approach, we examine how changes in China’s technology, economic structure, urbanization, lifestyle, and interregional trade affect household energy use across different regions. We find that rising income levels contributed most to energy usage. Improved energy efficiency offset the rising effects of heightened household consumption in most regions. Rural-to-urban migration played an important role in enhancing energy use in all regions from 2002 to 2012. Moreover, households started to rely more heavily on interregional trade of final goods and services to meet their consumption demands. Based on this multi-regional and multi-angle study, we provide some regional-specific policies that would help curb household energy demand and promote sustainable consumption in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Haiyan Zhang & Michael L. Lahr, 2018. "Households’ Energy Consumption Change in China: A Multi-Regional Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:7:p:2486-:d:158250
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/7/2486/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/7/2486/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yongxia Ding & Wei Qu & Shuwen Niu & Man Liang & Wenli Qiang & Zhenguo Hong, 2016. "Factors Influencing the Spatial Difference in Household Energy Consumption in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-20, December.
    2. Feng, Zhen-Hua & Zou, Le-Le & Wei, Yi-Ming, 2011. "The impact of household consumption on energy use and CO2 emissions in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 656-670.
    3. Glaeser, Edward L. & Kahn, Matthew E., 2010. "The greenness of cities: Carbon dioxide emissions and urban development," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(3), pages 404-418, May.
    4. Fan, Jing-Li & Liao, Hua & Liang, Qiao-Mei & Tatano, Hirokazu & Liu, Chun-Feng & Wei, Yi-Ming, 2013. "Residential carbon emission evolutions in urban–rural divided China: An end-use and behavior analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 323-332.
    5. Ding, Qun & Cai, Wenjia & Wang, Can & Sanwal, Mukul, 2017. "The relationships between household consumption activities and energy consumption in china— An input-output analysis from the lifestyle perspective," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 520-532.
    6. Haiyan Zhang & Michael L. Lahr & Jun Bi, 2016. "Challenges of green consumption in China: a household energy use perspective," Economic Systems Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(2), pages 183-201, June.
    7. Siqi Zheng & Rui Wang & Edward L. Glaeser & Matthew E. Kahn, 2011. "The greenness of China: household carbon dioxide emissions and urban development," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 11(5), pages 761-792, September.
    8. Yu, Huayi, 2012. "The influential factors of China's regional energy intensity and its spatial linkages: 1988–2007," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 583-593.
    9. Donglan, Zha & Dequn, Zhou & Peng, Zhou, 2010. "Driving forces of residential CO2 emissions in urban and rural China: An index decomposition analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 3377-3383, July.
    10. Isaac, Morna & van Vuuren, Detlef P., 2009. "Modeling global residential sector energy demand for heating and air conditioning in the context of climate change," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 507-521, February.
    11. Zhang, Ming & Song, Yan & Li, Peng & Li, Huanan, 2016. "Study on affecting factors of residential energy consumption in urban and rural Jiangsu," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 330-337.
    12. Zheng, Xinye & Wei, Chu & Qin, Ping & Guo, Jin & Yu, Yihua & Song, Feng & Chen, Zhanming, 2014. "Characteristics of residential energy consumption in China: Findings from a household survey," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 126-135.
    13. Feng, Kuishuang & Hubacek, Klaus & Guan, Dabo, 2009. "Lifestyles, technology and CO2 emissions in China: A regional comparative analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 145-154, November.
    14. Erik Dietzenbacher & Alex R. Hoen & Bart Los, 2000. "Labor Productivity in Western Europe 1975–1985: An Intercountry, Interindustry Analysis," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(3), pages 425-452, August.
    15. Zhang, Ming & Guo, Fangyan, 2013. "Analysis of rural residential commercial energy consumption in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 222-229.
    16. Axel Baeumler & Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez & Shomik Mehndiratta, 2012. "Sustainable Low-Carbon City Development in China," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 12330.
    17. Zhang, Haiyan & Lahr, Michael L., 2014. "China's energy consumption change from 1987 to 2007: A multi-regional structural decomposition analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 682-693.
    18. Liang, Qiao-Mei & Fan, Ying & Wei, Yi-Ming, 2007. "Multi-regional input-output model for regional energy requirements and CO2 emissions in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 1685-1700, March.
    19. Kuishuang Feng & Yim Ling Siu & Dabo Guan & Klaus Hubacek, 2012. "Analyzing Drivers of Regional Carbon Dioxide Emissions for China," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 16(4), pages 600-611, August.
    20. repec:rre:publsh:v:38:y:2008:i:3:p:319-41 is not listed on IDEAS
    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. Yueyue Rong & Junsong Jia & Min Ju & Chundi Chen & Yangming Zhou & Yexi Zhong, 2021. "Multi-Perspective Analysis of Household Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Direct Energy Consumption by the Methods of Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index and σ Convergence in Central China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-28, August.
    2. Du, Mengbing & Ruan, Jianhui & Zhang, Li & Niu, Muchuan & Zhang, Zhe & Xia, Lang & Qian, Shuangyue & Chen, Chuchu, 2024. "China's local-level monthly residential electricity power consumption monitoring," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 359(C).
    3. Ling Yang & Kai Zhao & Yankai Zhao & Mengyuan Zhong, 2021. "Identifying Key Factors in Determining Disparities in Energy Consumption in China: A Household Level Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-20, November.
    4. Jingbo Fan & Aobo Ran & Xiaomeng Li, 2019. "A Study on the Factors Affecting China’s Direct Household Carbon Emission and Comparison of Regional Differences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-14, September.
    5. Aliyu Salisu Barau & Aliyu Haidar Abubakar & Abdul-Hakim Ibrahim Kiyawa, 2020. "Not There Yet: Mapping Inhibitions to Solar Energy Utilisation by Households in African Informal Urban Neighbourhoods," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-14, January.
    6. Ling Yang & Michael L. Lahr, 2019. "The Drivers of China’s Regional Carbon Emission Change—A Structural Decomposition Analysis from 1997 to 2007," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-18, June.
    7. Dung Tien Nguyen & Thanh Quang Ngo, 2019. "Dynamics of Household-level Energy Access in Vietnam during 2002-2014," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 9(2), pages 132-145.
    8. Gholipour, Hassan F. & Arjomandi, Amir & Yam, Sharon, 2022. "Green property finance and CO2 emissions in the building industry," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    9. Liu, Gengyuan & Du, Shupan & Gao, Yuan & Xiong, Xiaoping & Lombardi, Ginevra Virginia & Meng, Fanxin & Chen, Yu & Chen, Caocao, 2024. "A study on energy-water-food-carbon nexus in typical Chinese northern rural households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).

    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. Yueyue Rong & Junsong Jia & Min Ju & Chundi Chen & Yangming Zhou & Yexi Zhong, 2021. "Multi-Perspective Analysis of Household Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Direct Energy Consumption by the Methods of Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index and σ Convergence in Central China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-28, August.
    2. Yuan, Baolong & Ren, Shenggang & Chen, Xiaohong, 2015. "The effects of urbanization, consumption ratio and consumption structure on residential indirect CO2 emissions in China: A regional comparative analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 94-106.
    3. Jingjing Chen & Yangyang Lin & Xiaojun Wang & Bingjing Mao & Lihong Peng, 2022. "Direct and Indirect Carbon Emission from Household Consumption Based on LMDI and SDA Model: A Decomposition and Comparison Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-22, July.
    4. Shi, Xinjie, 2019. "Inequality of opportunity in energy consumption in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 371-382.
    5. Yong Yang & Junsong Jia & Chundi Chen, 2020. "Residential Energy-Related CO 2 Emissions in China’s Less Developed Regions: A Case Study of Jiangxi," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-28, March.
    6. Zhou, Qiang & Liu, Yong & Qu, Shen, 2022. "Emission effects of China's rural revitalization: The nexus of infrastructure investment, household income, and direct residential CO2 emissions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    7. Fu, Xue & Lahr, Michael & Yaxiong, Zhang & Meng, Bo, 2017. "Actions on climate change, Intended Reducing carbon emissions in China via optimal industry shifts: Toward hi-tech industries, cleaner resources and higher carbon shares in less-develop regions," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 616-638.
    8. Li, Jianglong & Chen, Chang & Liu, Hongxun, 2019. "Transition from non-commercial to commercial energy in rural China: Insights from the accessibility and affordability," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 392-403.
    9. Zhao, Jincai & Ji, Guangxing & Yue, YanLin & Lai, Zhizhu & Chen, Yulong & Yang, Dongyang & Yang, Xu & Wang, Zheng, 2019. "Spatio-temporal dynamics of urban residential CO2 emissions and their driving forces in China using the integrated two nighttime light datasets," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C), pages 612-624.
    10. Zhang, Junjie & Yu, Biying & Wei, Yi-Ming, 2018. "Heterogeneous impacts of households on carbon dioxide emissions in Chinese provinces," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 236-252.
    11. Tao Lin & Junna Yan, 2017. "Investigating the sensitivity factors of household indirect CO2 emission from the production side," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 88(2), pages 721-740, September.
    12. Pedro J. Zarco-Periñán & Fco Javier Zarco-Soto & Irene M. Zarco-Soto & José L. Martínez-Ramos & Rafael Sánchez-Durán, 2022. "CO 2 Emissions in Buildings: A Synopsis of Current Studies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-10, September.
    13. Lina Liu & Jiansheng Qu & Afton Clarke-Sather & Tek Narayan Maraseni & Jiaxing Pang, 2017. "Spatial Variations and Determinants of Per Capita Household CO 2 Emissions (PHCEs) in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-19, July.
    14. Ling Yang & Michael L. Lahr, 2019. "The Drivers of China’s Regional Carbon Emission Change—A Structural Decomposition Analysis from 1997 to 2007," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-18, June.
    15. Meng, Bo & Wang, Jianguo & Andrew, Robbie & Xiao, Hao & Xue, Jinjun & Peters, Glen P., 2017. "Spatial spillover effects in determining China's regional CO2 emissions growth: 2007–2010," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 161-173.
    16. Lindner, Soeren & Liu, Zhu & Guan, Dabo & Geng, Yong & Li, Xin, 2013. "CO2 emissions from China’s power sector at the provincial level: Consumption versus production perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 19(C), pages 164-172.
    17. Yuling Sun & Junsong Jia & Min Ju & Chundi Chen, 2022. "Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Direct Carbon Emission and Policy Implication of Energy Transition for China’s Residential Consumption Sector by the Methods of Social Network Analysis and Geographically We," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-26, July.
    18. Wu, Jianxin & Wu, Yanrui & Se Cheong, Tsun & Yu, Yanni, 2018. "Distribution dynamics of energy intensity in Chinese cities," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 875-889.
    19. Niu, Shuwen & Li, Zhen & Qiu, Xin & Dai, Runqi & Wang, Xiang & Qiang, Wenli & Hong, Zhenguo, 2019. "Measurement of effective energy consumption in China's rural household sector and policy implication," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 553-564.
    20. Yongxia Ding & Wei Qu & Shuwen Niu & Man Liang & Wenli Qiang & Zhenguo Hong, 2016. "Factors Influencing the Spatial Difference in Household Energy Consumption in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-20, December.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:7:p:2486-:d:158250. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.