Estimating Elasticity for Residential Electricity Demand in China

Residential demand for electricity is estimated for China using a unique household level dataset. Household electricity demand is specified as a function of local electricity price, household income, and a number of social-economic variables at household level. We find that the residential demand fo...

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Main Authors: G. Shi, X. Zheng, F. Song
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:The Scientific World Journal
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2012/395629
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author G. Shi
X. Zheng
F. Song
author_facet G. Shi
X. Zheng
F. Song
author_sort G. Shi
collection DOAJ
description Residential demand for electricity is estimated for China using a unique household level dataset. Household electricity demand is specified as a function of local electricity price, household income, and a number of social-economic variables at household level. We find that the residential demand for electricity responds rather sensitively to its own price in China, which implies that there is significant potential to use the price instrument to conserve electricity consumption. Electricity elasticities across different heterogeneous household groups (e.g., rich versus poor and rural versus urban) are also estimated. The results show that the high income group is more price elastic than the low income group, while rural families are more price elastic than urban families. These results have important policy implications for designing an increasing block tariff.
format Article
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institution OA Journals
issn 1537-744X
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publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series The Scientific World Journal
spelling doaj-art-ba5253ef11d542a0b8d849262aa4c4912025-08-20T02:19:21ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2012-01-01201210.1100/2012/395629395629Estimating Elasticity for Residential Electricity Demand in ChinaG. Shi0X. Zheng1F. Song2Department of Techno-Economic Research, Development Research Center of the State Council, Beijing 10010, ChinaSchool of Economics, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, ChinaSchool of Economics, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, ChinaResidential demand for electricity is estimated for China using a unique household level dataset. Household electricity demand is specified as a function of local electricity price, household income, and a number of social-economic variables at household level. We find that the residential demand for electricity responds rather sensitively to its own price in China, which implies that there is significant potential to use the price instrument to conserve electricity consumption. Electricity elasticities across different heterogeneous household groups (e.g., rich versus poor and rural versus urban) are also estimated. The results show that the high income group is more price elastic than the low income group, while rural families are more price elastic than urban families. These results have important policy implications for designing an increasing block tariff.http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2012/395629
spellingShingle G. Shi
X. Zheng
F. Song
Estimating Elasticity for Residential Electricity Demand in China
The Scientific World Journal
title Estimating Elasticity for Residential Electricity Demand in China
title_full Estimating Elasticity for Residential Electricity Demand in China
title_fullStr Estimating Elasticity for Residential Electricity Demand in China
title_full_unstemmed Estimating Elasticity for Residential Electricity Demand in China
title_short Estimating Elasticity for Residential Electricity Demand in China
title_sort estimating elasticity for residential electricity demand in china
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2012/395629
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AT xzheng estimatingelasticityforresidentialelectricitydemandinchina
AT fsong estimatingelasticityforresidentialelectricitydemandinchina