Research on the impact of clean energy demonstration provincial policy on energy poverty: Empirical evidence from China

Energy poverty (hereinafter referred to as $EP$), as a new type of poverty, is an important challenge affecting energy availability and energy equity, which will lead to multiple deprivation-poverty effects, including economic, social, and ecological. In this paper, a time-varying DID model is used to investigate the impact of China's Clean energy demonstration provincial policy (hereinafter referred to as $Clean\_policy$) on $EP$ from 2008 to 2021. It is found that the $Clean\_policy$ significantly reduces $EP$, a conclusion that still holds after a series of robustness tests. Mechanistic analyses show that the $Clean\_policy$ works through two pathways: "structural adjustment” and "efficiency improvement.” Heterogeneity analyses show that the $Clean\_policy$ is more effective in suppressing $EP$ in areas northwest of the Hu Huanyong Line, in energy-poor areas, and in areas with weak environmental regulations. In addition, further research finds that the $Clean\_policy$ can promote the synergy of pollution reduction and carbon reduction (hereinafter referred to as $RCP$). The findings of this paper provide an important basis for improving the $Clean\_policy$, which is of practical significance for promoting energy equity and sustainable development.