Network effects on the decoupling of carbon emissions in the power industry and power generation: A case study of China

Abstract

The decoupling of carbon emissions in the power industry and power generation is of great significance to carbon emission reduction. In this paper, the network effect of the decoupling state was analyzed by applying the modified Gravity model and Social Network Analysis (SNA) approach, and finally the influencing factors of the spatial correlation between decoupling of carbon emissions in the power industry and power generation were analyzed by the quadratic assignment procedure (QAP)method. The results show that: (1) the decoupling effect of national carbon emissions in the power industry and power generation is significant, the decoupling states of the Northwest Grid is relatively smooth, and the decoupling status of the rest of the five major power grids is getting better.(2) Network associations in the decoupling state between regions become closer and closer, and the number of transmission relationships within clustered panels gradually increases, but there is an imbalance in the development within the network, with the North China Power Grid and the East China Power Grid as the centers of the network. (3) Geographic proximity, differences in economic level and population can significantly strengthen network formation, while differences in industrial structure and urbanization inhibit spatial network formation.