Can new urbanization improve urban total-factor energy efficiency in China?

Considering the growing inconsistencies between urban green development and energy consumption, studying the influence of new urbanization (NU) on urban total-factor energy efficiency (TFEE) is essential for new ur-banization and sustainable urban development from both a theoretical and practical standpoint. Selecting the 285 Chinese cities panel data from 2005 to 2020, DID model is adopted to examine the effect of the NU on urban TFEE and its transmission mechanism in this article. Results reveal the NU can greatly enhance urban TFEE. Following a battery of robustness tests, this conclusion is valid. In addition, the heterogeneity results indicate that, in the later stages of urbanization, non-resource cities and large cities, the promotion is particularly pro-nounced. Further examination of its conduction pathway demonstrates that NU increases urban TFEE through an innovation effect, an industry effect, a structural effect, and a regulation effect.

Automated summary

Studying the impact of new urbanization on urban total-factor energy efficiency is crucial for both theoretical exploration and practical implementation of sustainable urban development. Using panel data of 285 Chinese cities from 2005 to 2020 and adopting the DID model, this article examines the effect of new urbanization on urban total-factor energy efficiency and its transmission mechanism. The results show that new urbanization significantly enhances urban total-factor energy efficiency, and robustness tests confirm this conclusion. Furthermore, the heterogeneity results indicate that the promotion is particularly pronounced in non-resource cities and large cities in the later stages of urbanization. The further examination reveals that new urbanization improves urban total-factor energy efficiency through the innovation effect, industry effect, structural effect, and regulation effect.