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Low Carbon Energy and Sustainability—2nd Edition
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Low Carbon Energy and Sustainability—2nd Edition

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 12526

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hongguang Nie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Economics and Management, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun 130022, China
Interests: carbon emissions; energy efficiency; energy policy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jinhua Xu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Interests: low carbon economics for energy system; energy policy modelling; energy efficiency
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

CO2 emission has increased exponentially since 1950, which has led to an acceleration of climate change globally. As a result of global warming, natural disasters such as floods and extreme weather are becoming more frequent, making us face the urgent need to deal with climate change. The Paris Agreement propelled all the countries in the world to contribute to slowing down global warming. Achieving carbon neutrality has become an important goal for a growing number of countries. Consequently, countries across the world are planning system-level energy transition from current carbon-intensive and low-efficiency energy system to future deeply decarbonized, energy-efficient, and highly renewable solutions. Developing new energy and achieving energy transformation by reducing fossil fuel consumption and constructing a green, low-carbon energy system are the important measures to lower carbon dioxide emissions and implement global carbon neutrality. Researching low-carbon energy and sustainable energy transition is of great significance for achieving human sustainability.

After the successful publication of the first Special Issue of “Low Carbon Energy and Sustainability” in the journal Sustainability, it gained wide attention from scholars. Based on this success, we are now presenting the second edition.

This Special Issue offers a platform where topics related to low-carbon energy consumption, energy transition, low-carbon behaviour and sustainability, and corresponding policies are encouraged to be presented and published within a unified framework.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  1. Mechanism and policy for promoting the large-scale consumption of renewable energy power.
  2. Energy consumption and energy-consuming behaviour in residential sector.
  3. Technological progress and policy support for novel energy storage.
  4. Low-carbon technological innovation in the energy field.
  5. Sustainable development of new and renewable energy.
  6. Power trading mechanism design for promoting the developing renewable energy and energy storage.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Hongguang Nie
Dr. Jinhua Xu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • energy transition
  • green energy policy
  • energy-consuming behaviour
  • sustainability
  • renewable energy

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

43 pages, 1724 KiB  
Article
Digital Government Construction, Bidirectional Interaction Between Technological and Spiritual Civilization, and Achieving Dual Control of Sustainable Energy: Causal Inference Using Spatial DID and Dual Machine Learning
by Xinle Zheng, Linrong Yu, Qi Liu, Rui Xu, Junyan Tang, Xinyuan Yu and Kun Lv
Sustainability 2025, 17(11), 4975; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17114975 - 28 May 2025
Viewed by 549
Abstract
This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms through which digital government construction influences regional dual control of energy consumption (encompassing both the total volume and intensity of energy use), with a particular emphasis on exploring its indirect effects mediated by the synergistic advancement [...] Read more.
This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms through which digital government construction influences regional dual control of energy consumption (encompassing both the total volume and intensity of energy use), with a particular emphasis on exploring its indirect effects mediated by the synergistic advancement of technological and spiritual civilizations. Drawing on provincial panel data from China, we establish a nested framework that integrates spatial difference-in-differences models with double machine learning models to systematically dissect the transmission pathway linking digital government construction, the synergy between technological and spiritual civilizations, and the dual control of energy consumption. Our findings indicate the following: (1) Digital government construction significantly enhances the dual control of regional total energy consumption and energy intensity through policy coordination and optimized resource allocation. (2) While the progression of technological civilization plays a notable intermediary role in reducing energy intensity, its impact on total energy consumption is constrained by the “Jevons paradox”. (3) Advancements in spiritual civilization concurrently promote the alleviation of both total energy consumption and energy intensity by reshaping social consensus and behavioral norms. (4) The synergistic effects of technological and spiritual civilizations further amplify the efficacy of the dual control of energy consumption, although digital government construction exhibits a pronounced spatial polarization effect on energy intensity in neighboring regions. The theoretical contributions of this study are as follows: Firstly, it proposes the governance paradigm of digital government as a “technology–culture” collaborative hub, breaking through the binary opposition between technological determinism and institutional embeddedness. Secondly, it constructs a “feasible ability” expansion model to reveal the complementary mechanism between scientific and technological civilization (technology acquisition ability) and spiritual civilization (value selection ability). Thirdly, the policy black box is deconstructed through methodological innovation and provides a systematic path for emerging economies to solve the “efficiency–equity” dilemma of energy governance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low Carbon Energy and Sustainability—2nd Edition)
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23 pages, 511 KiB  
Article
Research on the Dynamic Fuzzy Evaluation and Promotion Strategy of Green and Low-Carbon Lifestyle Among the Chinese Public
by Huajun Xu, Yuefu Lai, Shuang Chen, Honglei Mu and Shengdao Shan
Sustainability 2025, 17(10), 4384; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17104384 - 12 May 2025
Viewed by 363
Abstract
The popularization of a green and low-carbon lifestyle among the public is a key link to achieve the goals of a carbon peak and carbon neutrality. By conducting an extensive questionnaire survey, this paper focuses on the current situation of a green and [...] Read more.
The popularization of a green and low-carbon lifestyle among the public is a key link to achieve the goals of a carbon peak and carbon neutrality. By conducting an extensive questionnaire survey, this paper focuses on the current situation of a green and low-carbon lifestyle among the Chinese public, and deeply explores the cognition and practical levels of a green and low-carbon lifestyle among the public. Based on the entropy weight method, a set of evaluation index systems that can comprehensively reflect the public’s green and low-carbon lifestyle has been constructed, and the core factors influencing the public’s green and low-carbon lifestyle behaviors have been extracted. At the same time, a dynamic fuzzy evaluation model has been constructed to predict and analyze the development trend in the public’s green and low-carbon lifestyle. The research results showed that the Chinese public has achieved initial results in promoting a green and low-carbon lifestyle, showing a good development trend. To further promote the popularization of a green and low-carbon lifestyle, this paper proposes countermeasures and suggestions such as strengthening the tripartite cooperation among the government, enterprises, and society, improving the market incentive mechanism, and strengthening publicity and education. This paper not only has certain theoretical significance, but also provides practical implications for the global response to climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low Carbon Energy and Sustainability—2nd Edition)
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19 pages, 956 KiB  
Article
Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Economic Analysis of e-methane in Japan and China
by Ze Ran and Weisheng Zhou
Sustainability 2025, 17(8), 3681; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083681 - 18 Apr 2025
Viewed by 757
Abstract
E-methane is considered the most important way to decarbonize the natural gas system in Japan. The advantage of e-methane is that it can use existing natural gas infrastructure and end-use facilities. There is a potential for China to produce e-methane and export it [...] Read more.
E-methane is considered the most important way to decarbonize the natural gas system in Japan. The advantage of e-methane is that it can use existing natural gas infrastructure and end-use facilities. There is a potential for China to produce e-methane and export it to Japan in the future. Therefore, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and economic analysis of e-methane should be studied in both countries. The GHG emissions of e-methane are 0.927 kg-CO2e per kg e-methane if all processes are powered by solar energy. The largest portion of GHG emissions from e-methane comes from hydrogen, which comprises more than 85% if solar energy is used for all processes. When solar energy is used to produce hydrogen, but grid electricity is used for other processes, the GHG emissions exceed the Europe Union’s Renewable Liquid and Gaseous Transport Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO) requirements, whether in Japan or in China. The levelized cost of e-methane produced in Japan is much higher than in China. The levelized cost of e-methane in Japan is 4489 USD/ton in the base case (2021), 2842 USD/ton in the 2030 case, and 1674 USD/ton in the 2050 case. In China, it is 2450 USD/ton, 1505 USD/ton, and 1082 USD/ton, respectively. The cost of hydrogen is the largest contributor to the levelized cost of e-methane, accounting for more than 60% in all cases. For China and Japan to cooperate in the value chain of e-methane, a carbon accounting mechanism and a carbon pricing mechanism mutually recognized by both Japan and China are necessary. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low Carbon Energy and Sustainability—2nd Edition)
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21 pages, 812 KiB  
Article
Fintech and Corporate ESG Performance: An Empirical Analysis Based on the NEV Industry
by Xinhao Huang, Di Li and Meng Sun
Sustainability 2025, 17(2), 434; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17020434 - 8 Jan 2025
Viewed by 3256
Abstract
With the strategic background of accelerating the transformation of the low-carbon economy in China, how to better help the new energy automobile industry realize green and high-quality development under the goal of “dual-carbon” with the strengthening of science and technology has become one [...] Read more.
With the strategic background of accelerating the transformation of the low-carbon economy in China, how to better help the new energy automobile industry realize green and high-quality development under the goal of “dual-carbon” with the strengthening of science and technology has become one of the most important issues nowadays, and it is of great significance to explore the relationship between financial technology (fintech) and the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance of the new energy automobile (NEV) industry. Using panel data from NEV companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share markets between 2011 and 2022, this study applies text mining techniques to construct a fintech index and analyze the transmission mechanisms through which fintech influences ESG performance. The findings show that fintech directly improves ESG outcomes for NEV companies, a result that remains robust across a series of validation tests. The analysis reveals that fintech reduces financing constraints and enhances corporate environmental information disclosure, which in turn drives better ESG performance. Furthermore, the impact of fintech is particularly pronounced in state-owned enterprises, large-scale firms, and technologically advanced NEV companies, as evidenced by heterogeneity analysis. This study provides empirical insights into fintech’s role in advancing sustainable development in the NEV sector, offering guidance for policymakers and industry stakeholders aiming to align technological progress with environmental and social governance objectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low Carbon Energy and Sustainability—2nd Edition)
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23 pages, 1426 KiB  
Article
Factors Impacting Consumers’ Purchase Intention of Electric Vehicles in China: Based on the Integration of Theory of Planned Behaviour and Norm Activation Model
by Zhongyang Ji, Hao Jiang and Jingyi Zhu
Sustainability 2024, 16(20), 9092; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16209092 - 20 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2991
Abstract
Understanding the factors that drive consumers to purchase electric vehicles (EVs) is critical to achieving decarbonization of China’s transportation sector, as well as mitigating global warming. This study aims to construct a research model based on altruistic and self-interested perspectives by integrating the [...] Read more.
Understanding the factors that drive consumers to purchase electric vehicles (EVs) is critical to achieving decarbonization of China’s transportation sector, as well as mitigating global warming. This study aims to construct a research model based on altruistic and self-interested perspectives by integrating the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and Norm Activation Model (NAM) to predict the psychological factors that influence Chinese consumers’ intention to purchase EVs. Data were collected from 867 participants in China and empirically tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Self-interested factors, namely subjective norms, attitudes and perceived behavioural control, all had a significant positive effect on EV purchase intention. Additionally, the results showed that personal norms had the greatest effect on EV purchase intention. It was also found that awareness of consequence, ascription of responsibility and subjective norms were positive predictors of personal norms. Awareness of consequence had a positive effect on both the ascription of responsibility and attitudes. The findings contribute to understanding the psychological drivers of Chinese consumers’ intention to purchase EVs and can provide decision-making references for policy makers and manufacturers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low Carbon Energy and Sustainability—2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 906 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Impacts of the Digital Economy on Carbon Emissions: Lessons from 268 Cities in China
by Dunping Huang, Fan Yang, Donghui Wang, Kai Yin, Bin Gong and Lianbiao Cui
Sustainability 2024, 16(18), 7974; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16187974 - 12 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1260
Abstract
Based on the panel data from 268 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011–2020, this study explores the impact of the digital economy on China’s carbon emissions and its mechanisms. The results reveal that the digital economy has a significant urban carbon emission reduction [...] Read more.
Based on the panel data from 268 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011–2020, this study explores the impact of the digital economy on China’s carbon emissions and its mechanisms. The results reveal that the digital economy has a significant urban carbon emission reduction effect, and the robustness test results confirm the reliability of this conclusion. The heterogeneity analysis indicates that regional and city endowment influences this effect, with the effect being relatively stronger in the eastern region and high-grade cities, whereas the effect is not notable in the central and western regions and low-grade cities. In addition, digital economy development in the central region and non-resource cities can reduce carbon emissions, although its impact on peripheral and resource cities remains uncertain. Further mediation effect tests show that the urban carbon emission reduction effect occurs through energy consumption reduction, industrial structure upgrading, and green technology innovation. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship between the digital economy and carbon emissions, which is significant for formulating digital economy policies to reduce carbon emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low Carbon Energy and Sustainability—2nd Edition)
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21 pages, 3464 KiB  
Article
Insight into Policy Structure and Key Characteristics of China’s Low-Carbon Policy System: Based on Text Mining Method
by Jinhua Xu, Xueying Wang and Yuanyuan Wang
Sustainability 2024, 16(14), 6183; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16146183 - 19 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1840
Abstract
Developing a comprehensive low-carbon policy system is essential for China to achieve both the “carbon peak” and “carbon neutrality” milestones, significantly contributing to sustainable development. However, research on low-carbon policy predominantly emphasizes policy tools, implementation paths, and implementation effects, neglecting the comprehensive analysis [...] Read more.
Developing a comprehensive low-carbon policy system is essential for China to achieve both the “carbon peak” and “carbon neutrality” milestones, significantly contributing to sustainable development. However, research on low-carbon policy predominantly emphasizes policy tools, implementation paths, and implementation effects, neglecting the comprehensive analysis of the systemic structure and evolutionary traits of such policy frameworks. To address the above problems, this study elucidates the structure, evolutionary stages, and key characteristics of low-carbon policies issued from 2007 to 2022 through text mining methods. Results show that: (1) China’s low-carbon policies progress through three distinct stages: initial exploration stage (2007–2015), accelerated advancement stage (2016–2019), and comprehensive implementation stage (2020–2022). (2) China’s “1 + N” policy system covers a broad spectrum of sectors, including energy, industry, construction, transportation, and finance, ensuring comprehensive coverage across various domains of policy. (3) The policy spotlight has progressively shifted from environmental protection to low-carbon development, emphasizing carbon market construction and innovative development. According to the key findings, this study provides recommendations that encompass crucial aspects such as accelerating technological innovation, strengthening carbon market mechanisms, and promoting green finance. Overall, the textual analysis of the low-carbon policy system in this study underscores the significance of policy structural coordination and evolution, offering insights for shaping China’s future roadmap in advancing low-carbon objectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low Carbon Energy and Sustainability—2nd Edition)
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