Cross-Regional Energy Dispatch and Firm Energy Intensity: A Quasi-Natural Experiment from China's West-To-East Natural Gas Pipeline Project

Cross-regional energy dispatch project is a crucial strategy for countries to reduce energy transportation costs and achieve optimal energy allocation. This research constructs a quasi-natural experiment based on the West-to-East Natural Gas Pipeline Project in China. It finds that cross-regional energy dispatch significantly reduces firms' energy intensity, and that firms in economically developed regions and high-polluting firms benefit more from it. The mechanism test shows that cross-regional energy dispatching reduces enterprises' coal consumption, increases the proportion of cleaner energy consumption, and optimizes their energy consumption structure. Cross-regional energy dispatch accelerates the exit of inefficient enterprises and the development of efficient enterprises. Cross-regional energy dispatch enhances the green innovation activities of enterprises and accelerates the renewal of production equipment. Governments should encourage cross-regional energy cooperation and dispatch to achieve efficient use and distribution of energy resources.