The impact of access to credit on energy efficiency

Finance Research Letters, Volume 51, January 2023

JunZhouaZhichaoYinbPengpengYuea

Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
Capital University of Economics and Business, Beijing, 100070, China

Received 15 September 2022, Revised 20 October 2022, Accepted 4 November 2022, Available online 7 November 2022, Version of Record 16 November 2022.

ABSTRACT

This paper proposes a brand-new measure of energy efficiency at household level and explores how it is affected by access to credit. We calculate the energy and carbon intensity of the related sectors, which experience a substantial decline from 2005 to 2019. Although there is still high inequality in energy use and carbon emissions among Chinese households, the energy efficiency appears to be improved in long run. Our research further maps the relationship between financial market and energy. The results suggest that broadened access to credit encourages households to improve energy efficiency, with higher energy use and carbon emission.