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Highlights • A nonlinear relationship between industrial agglomeration and energy efficiency. • A threshold effect exists when industrial agglomeration affects energy efficiency. • When agglomeration degree is less 1.3865, it will promote energy efficiency. • Future policy for energy efficiency in China's textile industry is suggested. Abstract Based on provincial panel data on the textile industry in China, this paper calculates the total-factor energy efficiency of this industry as the dependent variable. Additionally, based on linear panel analysis of the relationship between industrial agglomeration and energy efficiency, in-depth analysis of the industry is performed at different industrial agglomeration levels. The paper identifies different impacts of industrial agglomeration on energy efficiency, uses the threshold regression model to extend the research to a nonlinear framework, and constructs a double threshold regression model in which the threshold of the textile industry agglomeration level serves as the threshold variable. The results show, first, a threshold effect occurs when industrial agglomeration affects total-factor energy efficiency. Second, a significant positive correlation exists among the degree of economic development, energy prices, research and development investment (R&D), enterprise scale, and total factor energy efficiency of the textile industry. Third, a non-linear relationship exists between industrial agglomeration and energy efficiency in the industry. When industrial agglomeration is low, promoting it improves energy efficiency. However, when industrial agglomeration reaches a certain level, agglomeration and energy efficiency show a negative relationship. Finally, based on the empirical results, ways of improving energy efficiency in the industry are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The impact of economic growth pressure on energy efficiency improvement is discussed. • Economic growth pressure has hindered the improvement of energy efficiency. • Heterogeneity effects exist in individual dimension and temporal dimension. Economic growth target management has been a typical feature of Chinese governments at all levels for a long time in the past decades. Based on a panel data of 188 Chinese cities, this paper examines the impact of pressure brought by economic growth target on energy efficiency improvement. The results suggest that economic growth pressure has hindered the improvement of energy efficiency. For every unit of increase in economic growth pressure, the improvement indicator of energy efficiency will decrease by 3.3%. This finding is robust, after replacing explained variables and core explanatory variables, no substantial changes are found. Sub-sample regression confirms the existence of heterogeneity effects in individual dimension and temporal dimension. Finally, by summarizing existing studies, this paper finds that the investment imbalance effect, the hindrance effect on industrial structure upgrading, and the crowding-out effect on innovation are three important ways for economic growth pressure to restrain the improvement of energy efficiency. Our findings are helpful to understand the role of the government's economic growth target management in resource allocation and energy utilization and provide a certain practical reference for China to promote high-quality economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to explore the effect of energy construction adjustment on the energy-saving and emission-reduction (ESER) dynamical evolution system. Based on the nonlinear dynamics theory, the dynamic behavior of the novel system is discussed. The quantitative coefficients of the actual system are identified with the aid of genetic algorithm-back propagation neural network. Scenario analysis results show that, energy construction adjustment could effectively control energy intensity. To clarify this further, an example of 4D ESER system with new energy constraints is demonstrated. Investigation results show that, government control can effectively control energy intensity, while brings inhibiting impact on economic growth and people’s livelihood. Economic investment is the key variable affecting energy construction adjustment and ESER, the ESER system will crash when the investment is too low. Energy construction adjustment could effectively reduce energy intensity. However, the ESER system will also crash if the development of energy construction adjustment is too fast. The interesting thing is that the ESER system should be pulled back to steady state as the investment getting bigger. Energy intensity could be controlled in expected range by taking adequate measures. Full use of the role of energy structure adjustment should be made to promote the development of new energy, while government control is used only when necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In March 2011, China’s central government set a new challenging target of reducing its energy intensity by 16% during 2011–2015, after it had achieved a reduction of 19.1% during 2006–2010. And this new target was assigned to provincial authorities in August 2011. However, China’s provincial energy-economic developments are unbalanced and different provinces have different key sectors for energy conservation. Most previous studies focused on provincial energy efficiency at the aggregate level, or the three-industry level (or one-digit level). However, whether for policy decision or academic research, it is necessary to further subdivide the sectors. In this paper, we use three indicators (Gini Coefficient, energy consumption share and energy intensity) to compare provincial energy conservation potentials at the two-digit sector level. To our knowledge, this paper is the first one to identify the keys for energy conversation across the 31 provinces×65 sectors. And the results are shown in visualized maps and matrix tables to help identify the key province×sectors for energy conservation easier. This also helps the central and provincial governments to distinguish key sectors when they monitor the energy conservation progress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The current mode of economic development in China is typified by high growth, high energy consumption, and high pollution characteristics and this has caused great stress on both energy consumption and the environment. This paper focuses on a historical analysis of China’s energy, environmental, and economic (‘E3’) efficiency and the sources of E3 productivity growth therein. A developed slacks-based measure is utilized to evaluate the performance of E3 efficiency and decompose the performance fluctuations into three components: energy, economy, and environmental efficiency fluctuations. By applying a method based on global data envelopment analysis, we also analyze the key factors responsible for the change in E3 productivity during 2002–11 from the point of view of technical progress, production scale, and management level. The results show that China performs well on the economic front, while the energy and environmental performances are not optimistic. Fortunately, energy and environmental efficiency have gradually improved in recent years. Further analysis shows that the trend in E3 productivity in China has begun to follow an ascending path. Technical progress is the most powerful contributor to China’s E3 productivity growth, while falling scale and management efficiency are the two main obstacles preventing improvement in E3 productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The rapid growth of the Chinese economy has resulted in great pressure on energy consumption, especially the energy intensive sector – the industrial sector. To achieve sustainable development, China has to consider how to promote energy efficiency to meet the demand of Chinese rapid economic growth, as the energy efficiency of China is relatively low. Meanwhile, the appeal of energy saving and emission reduction has been made by the Chinese central government. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the energy efficiency of industrial sector in China and to assess efficiency development probabilities. The framework of total factor energy efficiency index is adopted to determine the discrepancy of energy efficiency in Chinese industrial sector based on the provincial statistical data of industrial enterprises above designated size in 30 provinces from 2005 to 2009, with gross industrial output as the output value and energy consumption, average remaining balance of capital assets and average amount of working force as the input values. Besides, in considerate of the regional divide of China, namely eastern, central, and western, and economic development differences in each region, energy efficiency of each region is also analysed in this paper. The results show that there is room for China to improve its energy efficiency, especially western provinces which have large amount of energy input excess. Generally speaking, insufficient technological investment and fail of reaching best scale of manufacture are two factors preventing China from energy efficiency promotion. Based on our findings, some policy implications on the improvement of energy efficiency, particularly for economically underdeveloped regions in China, are also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Along with high-speed economic development and increasing energy consumption, the Chinese Government faces a growing pressure to maintain the balance between energy supply and demand. In 2009, China has become both the largest energy consumer and CO2 emitting country in the world. In this case, the inappropriate energy consumption structure should be changed. As an alternative, a suitable infrastructure for the implementation of renewable energy may serve as a long-term sustainable solution. The perspective of a 100% renewable energy system has been analyzed and discussed in some countries previously. In this process, assessment of domestic renewable energy sources is the first step. Then appropriate methodologies are needed to perform energy system analyses involving the integration of more sustainable strategies. Denmark may serve as an example of how sustainable strategies can be implemented. The Danish system has demonstrated the possibility of converting into a 100% renewable energy system. This paper discusses the perspective of renewable energy in China firstly, and then analyses whether it is suitable to adopt similar methodologies applied in other countries as China approaches a renewable energy system. The conclusion is that China’s domestic renewable energy sources are abundant and show the possibility to cover future energy demand; the methodologies used to analyse a 100% renewable energy system are applicable in China. Therefore, proposing an analysis of a 100% renewable energy system in China is not unreasonable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper uses multivariate co-integration Granger causality tests to investigate the correlations between carbon dioxide emissions, energy consumption and economic growth in China. Some researchers have argued that the adoption of a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption as a long term policy goal will result in a closed-form relationship, to the detriment of the economy. Therefore, a perspective that can make allowances for the fact that the exclusive pursuit of economic growth will increase energy consumption and CO2 emissions is required; to the extent that such growth will have adverse effects with regard to global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]