Exploring the influencing factors of urban residential electricity consumption in China

China has witnessed 556 million people migrating to urban areas over the past three decades with the process of urbanization, which has brought enormous pressure on electricity consumption and urban sustainable devel-opment. This paper establishes the generalized Divisia Index Decomposition Method (GDIM) model, and aims to reveal the electricity consumption mechanism of urban residents in China between 2000 and 2018. The results show that residential income, per capita electricity consumption and residential appliances are the main driving factors for the growth of urban residential electricity consumption, while the energy-saving willingness and expenditure structure have the inhibiting effect. With the expansion of urban residential income, the increase in income and air-conditioning numbers will continue to promote the growth of urban residential electricity con-sumption. Then, this paper puts forward relevant suggestions to alleviate the pressure of electricity demand and sustainable development from urban residents in China.

Automated summary

China has experienced a migration of 556 million people to urban areas in the past three decades, resulting in significant pressure on electricity consumption and urban sustainable development. This paper introduces the generalized Divisia Index Decomposition Method (GDIM) model to analyze the electricity consumption mechanism of urban residents in China from 2000 to 2018. The findings reveal that residential income, per capita electricity consumption, and residential appliances are the main drivers of urban residential electricity consumption growth, while energy-saving willingness and expenditure structure have an inhibiting effect. As urban residential income continues to expand, the growth of income and air conditioning usage will further drive urban residential electricity consumption. The paper concludes with suggestions to alleviate the pressure on electricity demand and promote sustainable development among urban residents in China.