Revisiting energy justice: Is renewable energy technology innovation a tool for realizing a just energy system?

Renewable energy technology innovation (RETI) is crucial in facilitating the energy transition while promoting a just transition. This paper examines the RETI and energy justice comprehensive indexes for 30 provinces in China between 2006 and 2019. Then, we study the relationship between RETI and energy justice and investigate their mediating roles and asymmetric relationships. Furthermore, we explore the potential of each of five RETI indicators for a just transition. The results show that RETI effectively contributes to distributive justice, procedural justice, recognition justice, and restorative justice and, in general, has a positive impact on energy justice. Moreover, all types of RETI indexes effectively promote energy justice, with wind and solar energy technology innovation having the most notable impacts. Finally, RETI also enhances energy justice by improving green total factor productivity (GTFP). Overall, this study believes that both the Chinese and global governments should actively develop renewable energy technologies, proactively seek innovation, and promote a just energy transition and sustainable development.