1. Introduction
Globally in the last decades, renewable energies have been the major focus of investment, specifically solar photovoltaic, and wind, and now they account for more than 80% of total investment in renewable energies globally [1]). Whereas the global investment in clean energy is estimated at USD 1.6 trillion in 2022. On average, USD 339 billion per year was committed globally for renewable power generation, compared to USD 135 billion, for fossil fuel power generation [2]. More than 60% of investment in renewables is derived from the
private sector [3]. The demand for renewable energy usage has been increasing frequently in the world, as renewable energy has been recognized as a significant factor in realizing sustainable development [4]. The last decades have been described by global crises, involving food, finance, and energy prices, and in link to disastrous climate change [5]. In the context of the global finance crisis, financial development can exert both positive and negative consequences on the economy. On the one hand, it can improve economic growth by providing capital for investment and facilitating the efficient allocation of resources [6]. On a similar line financial development can raise access to financial services for
low-income families and promote entrepreneurship by reducing poverty [7]. Likewise, financial development can also contribute to financial instability and systemic risk if financial institutions and markets are not properly controlled and regulated, further, this can result in financial crises and economic deterioration ([8]; [9]).
Meanwhile, understanding the role of financial development is crucial for renewable energy consumption for several reasons because, financial development can provide incentives for the adoption of renewable energy, such as tax credits, subsidies, and other financial incentives ([10]; [11]. These incentives can assist in decreasing the cost of renewable energy projects and make them more competitive with traditional energy sources [12]. Besides, [13] stated that the initial cost of installation is considered the key barrier to the approval of renewable energy. Financial development can afford access to capital and financing opportunities that can help overcome this barrier and increase investment in renewable energy projects [14], also, renewable energy projects can involve significant risks, such as technological risk [15]. Financial development can provide risk management tools such as insurance and hedging products [16], which can help mitigate these risks and encourage investment in renewable energy projects.
Globally since REC has increased continuously, the nexus between REC and financial development has garnered significant attention from researchers and policymakers alike over the past decades ([17]; [4]). The relationship between REC and financial development has been examined by several investigators using different datasets and applying different mathematical and econometric methods in dissimilar regions. The study investigates the relationship between REC and the financial development index in Nigeria, utilizes times series data, and uses financial institutions and financial markets indicators by Applying the fixed effects model, finding that financial development is significant for renewable energy consumption [18]. A similar study considering the impact of financial development index using the mixes of econometrics models, fully modified ordinary least square (FMOLS), Dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), and canonical cointegrating regression (CCR), Bayer and Hanck cointegration and frequency-domain causality tests for investigating the long-run interaction among the impact of financial development index on REC and environmental sustainability from a global perspective. The results show that financial development negatively influences CO2 emissions. Also, renewable energy usage boosts environmental quality in the world [19].
Also, another study conducted in the USA using the novel Fourier causality test with wavelet transforms finds that financial development encourages renewable energy consumption at high quantiles in the medium- and long run [20]. While [21] applied the ARDL co-integration indicated that financial sector intermediation had a significant positive effect on energy demand in the Nigerian economy in the long-term.
[22] investigate the long-run effect of the financial development level of developing countries on renewable energy consumption by using the FMOLS approach. The observed findings indicate the existence of a long-run connection between renewable energy consumption and financial development; besides, financial development increases the demand for renewable energy.
[23] evaluate the relationship between REC and financial development by employing panel nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) and find that the non-linear estimation approves the long-run asymmetric relationships between financial development, trade openness, capital flows, and renewable energy consumption, also under the vector error correction estimation (VECM), they observed a long-run causality of financial development for REC. In the same manner, [24] examined the relationship between energy consumption, private credit indicator as a proxy for financial development, and economic growth in Azerbaijan, employing mixed cointegration techniques (Johansen tests, Pesaran’s Bounds test, and Gregory-Hansen test) for times series data. The Johansen and Pesaran’s Bounds test showed the existence of a significant change relationship. In contrast, the Gregory–Hansen test results showed no statistically significant change in the long-run relationship.
Most of the above-mentioned studies have confirmed the appositive relation between financial development and REC, however, some studies of REC and financial development nexus did not gain consistent findings for instance, [25] investigated the impact of financial development and economic growth on REC in India using the annual data and performed DOLS model and Granger causality test under VECM model environment. Their studies argue that significant and positive influences of economic growth and financial development on renewable energy consumption. In contrast same study performed in China [26] used a combination of ARDL, pooled mean group (PMG) model, and Granger causality based on the panel data and found that in the long run economic growth stimulates REC whereas financial development negatively affects REC. But in the short-run inverse result is noted, financial development has a positive effect on REC, while economic growth negatively affects REC. Also, the study observes unidirectional causal relationships between financial development and REC [26]. Compared with other panel data methods, [27] used VECM and Granger causality test to explore the relationship between REC and foreign direct investment, their empirical results indicate that there is a long-term and stable equilibrium relationship between foreign direct investment and renewable energy consumption, however, in the short term, foreign direct investment does not significantly cause renewable energy consumption.
[28] investigated the long-run relationship between the financial development index, REC, and environment in Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries, applying the econometric approaches namely feasible generalized least square (FGLS), Augmented Mean Group (AMG), and Correlated Effect Mean Group (CCEMG), their outcomes reveal that financial development and renewable energy consumption significantly accelerate the environmental quality. Based on a system Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator, [29] found that financial development had positive influences on REC in emerging economies.
In the context of Saudi Arabia, most of the studies in Saudi Arabia search for the effect of renewable energy on ecological footprints, carbon dioxide emissions, economic growth, and renewable energy systems and types ([30]; [31]; [32] and [33]). The studies examining the
connection between renewable energy consumption and financial development are limited in Saudi Arabia. The study examines the causal relationship between renewable energy consumption, and financial development with real GDP and trade, in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries employing the multivariate Granger causality and panel error correction model (ECM), which indicates no evidence of causality in the short run between exports and REC. However, a negative impact of financial development on economic growth is observed [34]. Another study conducted in Saudi Arabia investigates the impact of financial development factors (using real domestic credit to the private sector and real capital use) on total energy consumption, using the ARDL model. It is found that in the long run, financial development improves energy demand in Saudi Arabia [35].
While considering these studies, it observed that different econometric approaches such as vector error correction model (VECM), ARDL bounds testing, ordinary least squares (DOLS), Granger Causality, Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), etc., were used in these investigations. Therefore, a few studies investigate the impact of financial development on REC by applying vector autoregressive models (VAR). [36] used time-series data applying VAR to investigate how much financial development indicators (stock market development, credit market growth, and the growth of international investment) have contributed to the growth of renewable energy in China, and found that the financial sector contributes significantly to shifting the structure of energy in China. [37] performed a study in the European Union using a GMM panel VAR, finding that the banking sector, bond market, and capital market have a positive effect on the share of renewable energy consumption.
In conclusion, the contradictory findings obtained from the mentioned review are generated by the period and
variables selected, different econometric techniques [38], and different zones [39]. From the cited literature
review some gaps were observed: Firstly, the study applies the Basic VAR for investigation of the connection between financial development indicators and REC is neglectable. Secondly, no studies have been carried out in Saudi Arabia to examine the relationship between the financial development indicators (such as stock price volatility, private credit by deposit money banks to GDP, and liquid liabilities to GDP) and total renewable energy consumption. Hence, this paper increases the existing literature to supply the observed gaps.
In the context of Saudi Arabia over the last years, the government of Saudi Arabia adopted the reduction of fossil fuel subsidies policy as a financial motivation for supporting both the production and consumption of fossil fuels, oil, coal, and gas. A further target of this policy, the country has been making efforts to enhance its utilization of renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind energy by reducing its requirement on fossil fuels and reducing its subsidies. Fig 1a displays the trend of subsidy reduction in oil, electricity, and gas. Recently, Saudi Arabia has pointed to producing 50% of its electrical energy from renewable sources by 2030, which includes a mix of wind, solar, and other sources [40]. Across 2021, the contribution of the final REC by sector accounted for 66%, 31%,2%, and 1% for residential, commercial, and industry; respectively, while the contribution of the final REC by technology accounted for 84%, 9%, 5%,1% and
< 1% for charcoal, concentrated solar power, solid biofuels, solar photovoltaic and wind; respectively [3]
Figure 1.
(a) Fossil fuel subsidies in Suadi Arabia (1000 millions USD). Source: [41]) and author design (2023). (b) Financial Developement Indicators in Saudi Arabia (1990-2021). Source: [44] and author design (2023). Note: (1) Right axis represents, SPV, PCD, CFC, LLD, and NBFI values, (2) Left axis represents NLG.
Figure 1.
(a) Fossil fuel subsidies in Suadi Arabia (1000 millions USD). Source: [41]) and author design (2023). (b) Financial Developement Indicators in Saudi Arabia (1990-2021). Source: [44] and author design (2023). Note: (1) Right axis represents, SPV, PCD, CFC, LLD, and NBFI values, (2) Left axis represents NLG.
To raise and boost the renewables share in Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Energy in Saudi Arabia launched the National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) in 2019 intending to generate 27.3 GW of renewable energy by 2024 and up to 60 GW by 2030 [40]. The program aims to develop
solar, wind, and other renewable energy projects and work on raising the renewable energy sector by establishing a competitive national market that contributes to the development of private sector investments and promotes a combination of public and private sector investments [42].
Generally, the financial sector in Saudi Arabia is dominated by the banks, the Saudi Central Bank (SCB) is a regulator of the financial sector. In recent years Saudi Arabia has made significant progress in financial development and has undergone significant reforms to become more advanced and integrated with the global financial system. The Financial Sector Development Program's partners have made continuous and boosted attempts to keep in step with the main transformations in the Kingdom since the launch of Vision 2030 [43]. SCB has launched several initiatives planned for promoting financial inclusion, involving the establishment of a credit bureau and the introduction of regulations to promote
microfinance. However, despite these developments, there are still challenges facing the financial sector in Saudi Arabia, including the need for further reforms to improve the regulatory framework, enhance corporate governance, and promote competition in the sector [43]. In addition, the financial sector system has defeated many challenges considering the consequences of the (Covid-19) pandemic.
The trend of the annual data of some important financial development indicators namely stock price volatility (SPV), private credit by deposit money banks to GDP (PCD) in (%), consolidated foreign claims of BIS reporting banks to GDP (CFC), liquid liabilities to GDP (LLD) in (%), nonbank financial institutions’ assets to GDP (NBFI) in (%) and non-life insurance premium volume to GDP (NLG) in (%) can be seen from
Figure 1b. We find that most financial development indicators have steadily declining trends in recent years with relatively fluctuating trends across the period 1990-2021.
Despite the reduction in carbon
dioxide (CO2) emission in the last decades, which accounted for 15.1, 14. 7 and 14.3 tonnes per capita, in 2018, 2019, and 2020, correspondingly Saudi Arabia still faces serious issues from fuel ignition [45], therefore, [46] works on emerging the renewable energy sector by creating a
competitive local market that contributes to the development of private sector investments and promotes partnerships between the public and private sectors. However, Saudi Arabia is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels, particularly oil, for its energy needs. However, the government's drive towards renewable energy is viewed as a step for diversifying the country's energy mix and lowering its carbon footprint. In comeback to these problems, this paper aims to explore the influence and shocks of Saudi’s financial development indicators
on REC. And to establish the direction of causality between financial development indicators and REC.
The contribution of this paper to the recent literature is threefold; first, is based on the BVAR forecasting for testing a theoretical linkage between financial development indicators and REC . Second, it enrichment the generalizability of the literature review through more appropriate outcomes of the two concepts (financial development indicators and REC), as well as the researchers can gain a better understanding of the mechanisms through which financial development can contribute to the progress of the renewable energy sector. Third, the empirical results may be more reliable for policymakers by providing them with further comprehensive knowledge to plan policies.
The study is organized as follows. An introduction has been argued in
Section 1.
Section 2 displays the review of empirical studies related to financial development and REC concepts.
Section 3 presents data, variables description, and methodological framework.
Empirical results are presented in
Section 4, and Section 5 concludes the study.
4. Conclusions and Policy Implications
During the last decades, the government of Saudi Arabia adopted the reduction of fossil fuel subsidies policy as a financial motivation for supporting both the production and consumption of fossil fuels. The country launched, the National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) plans to develop renewable energy projects and works on developing the renewable energy sector through a partnership of public and private investments sector. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the influence and shocks of Saudi’s financial development indicators on renewable energy consumption. And to establish the direction of causality between financial development indicators and renewable energy consumption.
This study uses the total renewable energy consumption in (TJ) as a proxy of sustainable development indicators, thus other three proxies of financial development indicators are incorporated in the study: stock price volatility, private credit by deposit money banks to GDP in (%), and liquid liabilities to GDP in (%) as financial development indicators. The study covers the annual data period of 1990-2021 and applies some quantitative methodologies, the Basic Vector Autoregressive model (VAR), Granger causality test, forecast error variance decomposition (FEVD) test, and impulse response function (IRF) test.
The empirical results of this study reveal that dissimilar findings of the normality test for the selected variables were observed, so all variables transformed to logarithm form, also the selected variables became stationary after their first differences. The results show significant structural breaks and single dates are spotted in renewable energy consumption and financial development indicators variables.
The VAR results concluded that in the short run, stock price volatility and private credit significantly positively influence the REC. Private credit impacts the stock price volatility while liquid liabilities exert a negative impact on stock price volatility. Likewise, private credit has a significantly positive influence on its changes and liquid liabilities.
The results from the asymmetric Granger-causality test propose a significant causality running from stock price volatility and private credit to REC. The result also shows a positive significant causality running from private credit and liquid liabilities to stock price volatility. The feedback of the hypotheses assumes that there exists unidirectional Granger casualty runs from stock price volatility and private credit to REC and bi-directional Granger causality between stock price volatility and private credit. From our Granger findings, we concluded that the results of causality between REC and financial development indicators were conflicting.
Further, the results of FEVD discover that more than half the percentage of the variation in REC was caused by itself, while liquid liabilities caused increasing variation in REC throughout 10 years. At the same time stock price volatility and private credit cause decreasing variation of forecast error in REC throughout 10 years. This indicates that REC is shocked by its own with the largest percentages of forecast error than the selected financial development indicators of forecast error throughout the 10 years. The empirical evidence indicates that stock price volatility is contributed by its shocks and REC contributes to price volatility shock. The contribution of private credit and liquid liabilities to the price volatility stock is minimal. Also, it’s noted that the shock of price volatility by itself estimates the largest percentages of forecast error than other selected financial development indicators of forecast error throughout the 10 years. We also find that REC and stock price volatility contribute to innovation shocks of private credit. A nearly high portion of private credit is significantly contributed by its innovative shock. The contribution of REC private credit is negligible in liquid liabilities shocks, while the innovative shocks of price volatility contribute to liquid liabilities change. Also, a low portion of liquid liabilities is contributed by its innovative shocks.
The IRF results concluded that the REC is a positive response to shock on private credit, liquid liabilities, and stock price volatility. Also, it notes that the impulse response function (IRF) is close to the zero line for the response of private credit on REC and liquid liabilities, which means that the system being analyzed does not respond to an unexpected shock (changes) or "impulse" in the private credit.
The policy implications of renewable energy consumption and financial development indicators are vital. Authorities can encourage investment in renewable energy consumption by providing financial incentives and motivations such as tax, and subsidies, facilitating access to financing for renewable energy projects, and establishing frameworks that will support the development of renewable energy markets. Financial policies for enhancing innovation in the renewable energy sector are significant for offering support and funds for research and supporting the development of new technologies. Adding the government can foster national partnerships between investors (financial institutions and companies), policymakers, and industry stakeholders. Besides attracting international cooperation that can assist in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy and encourage sustainable economic growth.
Further studies are suggested by employing different determinants of financial development indicators, such as nonbank financial institutions’ assets to GDP, Bank deposits to GDP (%), state-owned enterprises to GDP (%), and so on. Also, incorporating population growth in the REC function will be highly recommended for forming the renewable energy demand in Saudi Arabia.