Energy internet, digital economy, and green economic growth: Evidence from China

Abstract

Taking the data of 30 provinces in China from 2006 to 2018, the spatial dynamic Durbin model is applied to exploit the influence of energy internet (EI) and digital economy (DE) on green economic growth (GEG). This paper confirms that: Not only does the GEG in the previous phase significantly contributes to the GEG in the subsequent phase, but the GEG in the local region also significantly contributes to the GEG in the adjacent area. EI and DE can significantly promote GEG, and their interaction term has a positive effect on GEG. A significant non-linear nexus is observed for the influence of the EI and the DE on GEG. Specifically, the impact of the EI on GEG is characterized by a non-linear single threshold with increasing positive marginal effects, while the impact of the DE on GEG is characterized by a non-linear double threshold that first inhibits and then promotes GEG.

Keywords

• Energy internet
• Digital economy
• Threshold effect
• Spatial spillover effect
• Green economic growth