Exploring the impacts of industry linkage on the spatial patterns of energy-intensive industries: An empirical analysis based on 34,880 enterprises in China

Optimizing the spatial patterns of energy-intensive industries (EIIs) is important for achieving regional ecoeconomic goals. Industry linkages may influence the industrial layout of EIIs and determine the regional energy consumption and environmental status. By investigating 34,880 EIIs enterprises in Jiangsu Province, China, this study applied spatial autocorrelation analysis and spatial autoregressive models to explore the impacts of industry linkage on the spatial pattern of EIIs. Our results showed that the EIIs were closely linked. Significant spatial differentiation and spatial clustering patterns were observed in EIIs and their subsectors. Hot spots and sub-hot spots of EIIs are mainly concentrated in the southern developed parts of the studied area. There were subhot spots of oil, coal, and other fuel processing industries gathered in resource-rich regions. Industry linkages positively promote the spatial agglomeration of EIIs, and their impacts on the EIIs subsectors of nonmetallic mineral products, electricity, heat production, and supply industries were more significant. This study suggested that appropriate promotion of industry linkages would lead to a rational spatial layout of EIIs and improved efficiency of energy consumption. The insights gained from this study might be of assistance to energy and industrial policies for regional sustainability.