Research on the Impact of the Industrial Cluster Effect on the Profits of New Energy Enterprises in China: Based on the Moran’s I Index and the Fixed-Effect Panel Stochastic Frontier Model

Abstract

The new energy industry is an imperative method through which to achieve sustainable development. Industrial clusters are one of the main states in the development of the new energy industry. However, few existing studies discuss the impact of industrial clusters on the relevant indicators of new energy enterprises. Based on panel data for the period 2011–2021 of 39 sample enterprises listed in China in 2011 and before, this empirical study first analyzes the spatial autocorrelation of the sample enterprises using the Global Moran’s I and Local Moran’s I, and then treats the Local Moran’s I of enterprises as a perturbation factor of the inefficiency term, using a fixed-effects panel stochastic frontier model to empirically analyze the effect of industrial clusters on the profits of the sample enterprises. The following is found: (1) The layout of new energy enterprises in China presents a specific physical spatial agglomeration phenomenon. Additionally, the layout of profit indicators shows spatial correlation to some extent. (2) When the homogeneity of clustering enterprises increases, the cluster effect can improve profits by reducing inefficiencies in enterprise production. This study provides valuable academic suggestions for the development of the new energy industry.