Measurement of green utilization efficiency of energy in the Yellow River Basin and analysis of its spatio-temporal evolution

Improving the green utilization efficiency of energy is the key to promoting the national strategy of ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin. Taking the Yellow River Basin as the research object, based on the panel data from 78 prefecture level cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2001 to 2020, the SBM model is used to measure the green utilization efficiency of energy in the Yellow River Basin, and to reveal the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics of the green utilization efficiency of energy in the Yellow River Basin. The research results show that the green utilization efficiency of energy in the Yellow River Basin shows a trend of first decreasing and then increasing. From 2001 to 2016, it shows a decline in volatility, and gradually increased from 2016 to 2020. The green utilization efficiency of energy in the Yellow River Basin has obvious spatial difference, and the downstream region as a whole is higher than the upstream and midstream regions. The overall green utilization efficiency of energy shows a positive spatial autocorrelation, and the spatial agglomeration has increased year by year since 2004. High value cluster areas（H-H type）are mainly distributed in Shandong Province and Henan Province in the downstream areas of the Yellow River Basin, and the spatial scope is expanding during the study period. Low value cluster areas（L-L type） are mainly distributed in Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Region, and the spatial scope gradually expanded during the study period, mainly because the green utilization efficiency of energy in this region is generally low and the growth is slow. High value heterogeneous regions（H-L type） and low value heterogeneous regions（L-H type） are mainly scattered in the middle and upper reaches. The research conclusion can provide theoretical support for the promotion of national strategies, energy efficiency and green utilization, and the formulation of energy-saving and emission reduction policies in the Yellow River Basin.