Decoupling analysis between carbon dioxide emissions and the corresponding driving forces by Chinese power industry

This study applied the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) model to analyze changes in carbon dioxide emissions by Chinese power industry from 2003 to 2017. Besides, the Tapio decoupling analysis model is applied to explore the decoupling states between power industry carbon dioxide emissions and the corresponding influence factors. Several conclusions were obtained: (1) the power industry carbon dioxide emissions only displayed a slight downward trend during 2011-2012, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015; (2) the factors promoting the growth in power industry carbon dioxide emissions are energy consumption structure effect and total power generation effect. Power generation structural effect and fossil energy conversion efficiency effect inhibit the power industry carbon dioxide emissions from increasing, but they were far from offsetting the positive contribution value brought by total power generation effect; (3) changes in carbon dioxide emissions by the power industry were not sensitive to the change of fossil energy conversion efficiency and power production structure but were sensitive to the change of total power generation; (4) the contributions of technical effect were higher than those of structural effect on the decoupling index between impact factors and power industry carbon dioxide emissions.

Automated summary

This study analyzed changes in carbon dioxide emissions by the Chinese power industry using the LMDI model and Tapio decoupling analysis model. It was found that energy consumption structure and total power generation were key factors promoting emissions growth, with technical effects playing a significant role in the decoupling between factors and emissions.