The effects of ICT developments on the renewable energy consumption in the economic sectors of Iran (Industry,Services،Agriculture)

This paper aimed to examine the effects of ICT developments on the renewable energy consumption in the economic sectors of Iran. The panel data for study were obtained from three sectors of agriculture, industry, and services within the 2000-2016 timeframe; the unit-root test showed that the variables were both stationary and nonstationary. As a result, the mean group was used to estimate the long-run effects, and it revealed that, in the long run, the increase in the number of the Internet and cellphone users decreases the renewable energy consumption. In addition, the GDP and investment growth increases the energy consumption, because the growth of information and communication technology infrastructures develops the e-government and teleworking and reduces the traffic, and, in turn, conserves the energy. However, the increase in the number of landline and cellphone users in the short run increases the energy consumption. The GDP increase will also raise the energy consumption in the short run.