Digital financial inclusion role to promote renewable energy technology innovation in Chinese prefectural cities: Moderating role of environmental governance

Renewable energy technology innovation is not only an important technical component of Chinese construction of low-carbon energy systems but also a key way to realize long-term, sustainable development. Digital inclusive finance plays an indispensable role in this process. Using panel data of 275 Chinese cities from 2011 to 2022, a two-step systematic methodology is used to assess the impacts and mechanisms of digital financial inclusion and the moderating role of different environmental governance models on qualitative and quantitative renewable energy innovation. The results indicate that digital inclusive finance has an incentive effect on both qualitative and quantitative renewable energy innovations, with a stronger incentive effect on qualitative behavior. This effect can act on renewable energy technology innovation by reducing financing constraints and incentivizing information disclosure mechanisms. Moreover, different forms of environmental governance have a positive, moderating effect, while the effect of top-down environmental governance is more manifested in quantitative renewable energy innovation. Furthermore, heterogeneity analyses show that the incentive effect of digital financial inclusion is more pronounced in the PV sector and the eastern regions. The findings provide a theoretical basis and practical insights that enable policy-makers to formulate relevant renewable energy technology innovation policies and promote low-carbon energy transition.