Renewable and non-renewable energy use - economic growth nexus: The case of MENA Net Oil Importing Countries

This study examines the energy use economic growth nexus by disaggregating energy use into two types of energy, renewable and non-renewable energy use. Our sample consists of eleven MENA Net Oil Importing Countries (NOICs) during the period 1980-2012. A multivariate panel framework was used to estimate the long run relationship and the panel Granger causality tests was employed to assess the causality direction among variables. The empirical results provide evidence for long-term equilibrium relationship between real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), renewable energy use, non-renewable energy use, real gross fixed capital formation and labor force. The results provide evidence also for positive and statistically significant elasticities. Moreover, the empirical findings from panel Error Correction Model confirm the existence of bidirectional causality between renewable energy use and economic growth, and between non-renewable energy use and economic growth, results that support the feedback hypothesis. Moreover, our empirical findings provide evidence for two way (bidirectional) causal association in both the short and long-run between renewable and non-renewable energy use which proves the substitutability and interdependence between these two types of energy sources. The policies implications of these results are also proposed and discussed.