China's energy inefficiency: A cross-country comparison

This paper constructs a total-factor energy technical efficiency index using the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method following the total factor productivity framework. We then compare energy technical efficiency across 156 countries from 1980 to 2007. The results show that China's energy efficiency considerably trails other countries’ although it has made significant gains within the last 28 years. Further analysis indicates that scale inefficiency rather than pure technical efficiency contributes to China's energy inefficiency.

► This paper constructs a total-factor energy technical efficiency index using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method following the total factor productivity framework.
► We then compare energy technical efficiency across 156 countries from 1980 to 2007.
► The results show that China's energy efficiency considerably trails other countries’ although it has made significant gains within the last 28 years.
► A further analysis indicates that scale inefficiency rather than pure technical efficiency contributes to China's energy inefficiency.