Iranian Economic Review

Iranian Economic Review

Exploring the Influence of Export Diversification, Technological Innovation, and Political Indices on Renewable Energy Consumption: Evidence from Oil-Exporting Nations

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Mahdi Mahdiuon
Kiumars Shahbazi
Department of Economics and Management, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
10.22059/ier.2024.371282.1007918
Abstract
The panel smooth transition regression model was employed to evaluate the role of governance indices in the impact of export diversification and technological innovation on renewable energy consumption. We estimated the relationship among the variables from 1996 to 2014 by considering the lagged form of governance indices as a transition variable. Technological innovation, international trade, governance index, CO2 emissions, OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) oil price, and income inequality were included as controlled variables. Based on the results, at high levels of governance indices and beyond the threshold point, the effect of export diversification on renewable energy consumption became negative, whereas the effect of technological innovation was positive in both regimes. The results suggest that there is a need for cutting-edge, renewable, energy-based production processes to establish non-polluting, energy-efficient, and eco-friendly procedures at both industrial and household levels. The production and consumption of renewable energy resources, in which the role of development-oriented governments is crucial, should be enhanced to simultaneously achieve environmental improvement, economic goals, and sustainable and green development.
Keywords
export diversification
political and governance indices
renewable energy consumption
technological innovation
threshold effect
Subjects
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Iranian Economic Review
Volume 30, Issue 3
Summer 2026
Pages 839-862