IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i18p11701-d918068.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Understanding the Economic Responses to China’s Electricity Price-Cutting Policy: Evidence from Zhejiang Province

Author

Listed:
  • Yang Xu

    (State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Co., LTD, Hangzhou 310000, China)

  • Jiahua Hu

    (Economic and Technological Research Institute, State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Co., LTD, Hangzhou 310000, China)

  • Yizheng Wang

    (Economic and Technological Research Institute, State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Co., LTD, Hangzhou 310000, China)

  • Weiwei Zhang

    (Economic and Technological Research Institute, State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Co., LTD, Hangzhou 310000, China)

  • Wei Wu

    (School of Management, China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy, Collaborative Innovation Center for Energy Economics and Energy Policy, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China)

Abstract

As a critical pattern to promote industrial growth and recover the economy, China has widely applied an electricity price-cutting policy, especially after the global spread of COVID-19. However, the current insufficient research indicates a noticeable knowledge gap around the actual outcome of this policy measure. This paper, therefore, aimed at filling this gap by focusing on the case of Zhejiang province. Recently, there have been three main kinds of price-cutting policies employed in Zhejiang, decreasing the general industrial electricity price, temporary electricity price-cutting, and targeted price reduction for large industries. Using a computable general equilibrium model that incorporates the Zhejiang electricity system’s operating characteristics, we simulated the economic impact of these electricity price adjustment policies. The results indicate that it was practical to promote the economy by reducing electricity prices, but the specific arrangements of policy have led to differences in economic stimulus consequences. This paper further obtained the multiplier effect in each industry. If electricity price adjustment policies were introduced only for industries with a higher comprehensive multiplier effect, the policy effectiveness would be further optimized.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang Xu & Jiahua Hu & Yizheng Wang & Weiwei Zhang & Wei Wu, 2022. "Understanding the Economic Responses to China’s Electricity Price-Cutting Policy: Evidence from Zhejiang Province," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-24, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:18:p:11701-:d:918068
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/18/11701/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/18/11701/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wu, Wei & Lin, Boqiang, 2018. "Application value of energy storage in power grid: A special case of China electricity market," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(PB), pages 1191-1199.
    2. Jinyue Yan & Ying Yang & Pietro Elia Campana & Jijiang He, 2019. "City-level analysis of subsidy-free solar photovoltaic electricity price, profits and grid parity in China," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 4(8), pages 709-717, August.
    3. Zhao, Xiaoli & Lyon, Thomas P. & Song, Cui, 2012. "Lurching towards markets for power: China’s electricity policy 1985–2007," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 148-155.
    4. Lin, Boqiang & Chen, Yufang, 2019. "Does electricity price matter for innovation in renewable energy technologies in China?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 259-266.
    5. Boyd, Roy & Krutilla, Kerry, 1988. "The politics and consequences of protectionism: A case study in the North American lumber market," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 601-609.
    6. Wu, Wei & Lin, Boqiang & Xie, Chunping & Elliott, Robert J.R. & Radcliffe, Jonathan, 2020. "Does energy storage provide a profitable second life for electric vehicle batteries?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    7. Dong, Baomin & Ma, Xili & Wang, Ningjing & Wei, Weixian, 2020. "Impacts of exchange rate volatility and international oil price shock on China's regional economy: A dynamic CGE analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    8. Cherni, Judith A. & Kentish, Joanna, 2007. "Renewable energy policy and electricity market reforms in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 3616-3629, July.
    9. Feenstra, Robert C. (ed.), 1989. "Trade Policies for International Competitiveness," National Bureau of Economic Research Books, University of Chicago Press, edition 1, number 9780226239491, August.
    10. He, Yongda & Lin, Boqiang, 2018. "Time-varying effects of cyclical fluctuations in China's energy industry on the macro economy and carbon emissions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 1102-1112.
    11. Helder Ferreira de Mendonça & Eduardo Schirmer Finn, 2022. "Can credibility offset electricity price effect on business confidence? An empirical investigation from a large emerging economy," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(11), pages 1229-1242, March.
    12. Lim, Seul-Ye & Yoo, Seung-Hoon, 2013. "The impact of electricity price changes on industrial prices and the general price level in Korea," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 1551-1555.
    13. Lin, Boqiang & Wang, Yao, 2020. "Does energy poverty really exist in China? From the perspective of residential electricity consumption," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    14. He, Yongda & Lin, Boqiang, 2017. "The impact of natural gas price control in China: A computable general equilibrium approach," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 524-531.
    15. Robert C. Feenstra, 1989. "Trade Policies for International Competitiveness," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number feen89-1.
    16. Allegra De Filippo & Michele Lombardi & Michela Milano, 2017. "User-Aware Electricity Price Optimization for the Competitive Market," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-23, September.
    17. Hao Chen & Chi Kong Chyong & Zhifu Mi & Yi-Ming Wei, 2020. "Reforming the Operation Mechanism of Chinese Electricity System: Benefits, Challenges and Possible Solutions," The Energy Journal, , vol. 41(2), pages 219-246, March.
    18. Lin, Boqiang & Wu, Wei, 2017. "Economic viability of battery energy storage and grid strategy: A special case of China electricity market," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 423-434.
    19. Akkemik, K. Ali, 2011. "Potential impacts of electricity price changes on price formation in the economy: a social accounting matrix price modeling analysis for Turkey," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 854-864, February.
    20. Wang, Zhaohua & Zhang, Bin & Zhang, Yixiang, 2012. "Determinants of public acceptance of tiered electricity price reform in China: Evidence from four urban cities," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 91(1), pages 235-244.
    21. Wu, Wei & Lin, Boqiang, 2021. "Benefits of electric vehicles integrating into power grid," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    22. Wang, Feng & Zhang, Bing, 2016. "Distributional incidence of green electricity price subsidies in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 27-38.
    23. Jieting Yin & Qingyou Yan & Kaijie Lei & Tomas Baležentis & Dalia Streimikiene, 2019. "Economic and Efficiency Analysis of China Electricity Market Reform Using Computable General Equilibrium Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-22, January.
    24. Lin, Boqiang & Wu, Wei & Bai, Mengqi & Xie, Chunping & Radcliffe, Jonathan, 2019. "Liquid air energy storage: Price arbitrage operations and sizing optimization in the GB real-time electricity market," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 647-655.
    25. Lin, Boqiang & Su, Tong, 2021. "Does COVID-19 open a Pandora's box of changing the connectedness in energy commodities?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    26. Roland Cunha Montenegro & Vidas Lekavičius & Jurica Brajković & Ulrich Fahl & Kai Hufendiek, 2019. "Long-Term Distributional Impacts of European Cap-and-Trade Climate Policies: A CGE Multi-Regional Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-26, December.
    27. Worthington, Andrew & Kay-Spratley, Adam & Higgs, Helen, 2005. "Transmission of prices and price volatility in Australian electricity spot markets: a multivariate GARCH analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 337-350, March.
    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. Lin, Boqiang & Wu, Wei, 2021. "The impact of electric vehicle penetration: A recursive dynamic CGE analysis of China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    2. He, Xiufen & Liu, Yunong & Rehman, Ali & Wang, Li, 2021. "A novel air separation unit with energy storage and generation and its energy efficiency and economy analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    3. Ai, Hongshan & Xiong, Shiya & Li, Ke & Jia, Pinrong, 2020. "Electricity price and industrial green productivity: Does the “low-electricity price trap” exist?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    4. Lin, Boqiang & Liu, Zhiwei, 2024. "Assessment of China's flexible power investment value in the emission trading system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 359(C).
    5. Wu, Wei & Lin, Boqiang, 2021. "Benefits of electric vehicles integrating into power grid," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    6. Jaime de Melo & David Tarr, 2015. "VERs under imperfect competition and foreign direct investment: A case study of the US–Japan auto VER," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Modeling Developing Countries' Policies in General Equilibrium, chapter 22, pages 461-483, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    7. Hongli Liu & Xiaoyu Yan & Jinhua Cheng & Jun Zhang & Yan Bu, 2021. "Driving Factors for the Spatiotemporal Heterogeneity in Technical Efficiency of China’s New Energy Industry," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-21, July.
    8. Max Albert & Jürgen Meckl, 2001. "Green Tax Reform and Two-Component Unemployment: Double Dividend or Double Loss?," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 157(2), pages 265-281, June.
    9. Meckl, Jürgen, 1999. "Efficiency-wage unemployment and endogenous growth," Discussion Papers, Series I 295, University of Konstanz, Department of Economics.
    10. He, Yongda & Lin, Boqiang, 2019. "Regime differences and industry heterogeneity of the volatility transmission from the energy price to the PPI," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 900-916.
    11. Zheng, Xuemei & Menezes, Flavio & Nepal, Rabindra, 2021. "In between the state and the market: An empirical assessment of the early achievements of China's 2015 electricity reform," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    12. Albert Max & Meckl JuÈrgen, 2001. "Efficiency-Wage Unemployment and Intersectoral Wage Differentials in a Heckscher- Ohlin Model," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 2(3), pages 287-301, August.
    13. Yang, Changhui & Meng, Chen & Zhou, Kaile, 2018. "Residential electricity pricing in China: The context of price-based demand response," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 2870-2878.
    14. Brander, James A., 1995. "Strategic trade policy," Handbook of International Economics, in: G. M. Grossman & K. Rogoff (ed.), Handbook of International Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 27, pages 1395-1455, Elsevier.
    15. Liang, Jinhao & Irfan, Muhammad & Ikram, Muhammad & Zimon, Dominik, 2022. "Evaluating natural resources volatility in an emerging economy: The influence of solar energy development barriers," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    16. Fan, Jing-Li & Li, Zezheng & Li, Kai & Zhang, Xian, 2022. "Modelling plant-level abatement costs and effects of incentive policies for coal-fired power generation retrofitted with CCUS," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    17. Feenstra, Robert C., 1995. "Estimating the effects of trade policy," Handbook of International Economics, in: G. M. Grossman & K. Rogoff (ed.), Handbook of International Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 30, pages 1553-1595, Elsevier.
    18. Qiu, Larry D. & Spencer, Barbara J., 2002. "Keiretsu and relationship-specific investment: implications for market-opening trade policy," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1), pages 49-79, October.
    19. Wu, Wei & Lin, Boqiang & Xie, Chunping & Elliott, Robert J.R. & Radcliffe, Jonathan, 2020. "Does energy storage provide a profitable second life for electric vehicle batteries?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    20. Li, Mingquan & Shan, Rui & Virguez, Edgar & Patiño-Echeverri, Dalia & Gao, Shuo & Ma, Haichao, 2022. "Energy storage reduces costs and emissions even without large penetration of renewable energy: The case of China Southern Power Grid," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).

    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:14:y:2022:i:18:p:11701-:d:918068. 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.