Unpacking the Impact of E-Commerce Development on Electricity Consumption: Evidence from Chinese Cities

E-commerce has become the driving force of regional sustainable development in the digital age. E-commerce has generated considerable economic benefits, but its resource and environmental costs have not been given sufficient attention. This study utilizes the national e-commerce demonstration city (NEDC) as a quasi-natural experiment and employs the difference-in-differences (DID) model to examine the influence of e-commerce on urban electricity consumption. The results show that e-commerce significantly reduces urban electricity intensity. Further analysis reveals that population agglomeration, economic agglomeration, and green innovation are potential channels. Meanwhile, the effect of e-commerce has obvious urban heterogeneity. The promising government and efficient market can significantly regulate the role of e-commerce in electricity utilization. Moreover, with the addition of more pilot cities, the inhibitory effect of e-commerce on electricity intensity will be weakened. These findings provide empirical evidence and implications for understanding the digitalization and energy use.