From input to output: Unraveling the Spatio - temporal pattern and driving factors of the coupling coordination between wind power efficiency and installed capacity in China

As a clean and renewable energy utilization mode, wind power's status in the global energy system is increasingly prominent. Understanding the relationship between its production inputs and generation efficiency is crucial for optimizing the industrial layout. However, existing research often struggles to address the spatio-temporal mismatch and influencing factors of these two aspects. This research uses the SBM - DDF model to assess the wind power generation efficiency across 31 Chinese provinces from 2015 to 2023. The standard deviation ellipse model analyzes the spatio - temporal evolution of wind power generation efficiency and installed capacity, while an improved coupling coordination degree (CCD) model evaluates their interrelationship. Additionally, a spatio-temporal geographically weighted regression model investigates the factors influencing the CCD. The results show that between 2015 and 2023, China's provincial wind power generation efficiency steadily steadily, though regional differences widened. Western and eastern provinces exhibited higher efficiency than central provinces, while wind power installed capacity was concentrated in the southeast-northeast direction, with significant growth in the east. Overall, the CCD between wind power generation efficiency and installed capacity strengthened, particularly in northwest, north China, and eastern regions, with the central region's coordination improving significantly in 2022, forming a “center-periphery” radiation pattern. Initially, factors such as the added value of secondary and tertiary industries, scientific and technological expenditures, and government intervention negatively impacted the CCD, while financial variables and social electricity consumption had a positive effect. By 2023, the impact of government intervention turned positive, while the influence of financial institutions became negative. Regionally, the western region was more significantly affected by these factors than the eastern region.