Does energy efficiency enhance total factor productivity in case of India

The aim of this study is to explore the dynamic linkage between energy efficiency and total factor productivity (TFP) using carbon emission and trade openness as control variables for the period of 1971–2013. For this purpose, vector error correction mechanism (VECM) is employed to determine the direction of causality. A popular and simple measure of energy efficiency, GDP per unit of energy use and trade as a percentage of GDP are used for the proxy of trade openness. The result shows negative impact of energy efficiency on TFP, in other way energy intensity has a positive impact on the growth of TFP. Hence, the negative sign indicates a trade‐off between energy efficiency and TFP. There is a unidirectional causality running from energy efficiency to TFP. Whenever energy intensity increases, the TFP level increases as well. So, in the long run, a higher TFP implies higher energy consumption. Further, TFP and carbon emission Granger cause trade openness, and there is unidirectional causality from TFP to CO emission.