The Nexus between Renewable Energy Consumption and Social Development: Empirical Evidence from Morocco
Yousra BENYETHO
Abstract. The use of renewable energy has gained considerable global traction in recent decades given its advantages over fossil fuels. Morocco has progressively embraced this transition since the 2000s through large-scale renewable investments. While many studies assess energy–growth linkages, fewer examine social outcomes. This study focuses on the relationship between renewable energy consumption (REN) and human development (HDI) in Morocco over 1990-2023. Using EViews, two tests were conducted to validate cointegration and causality: the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) test and the Toda-Yamamoto approach. First, the ARDL findings confirm a long-run cointegrating relationship between HDI and its determinants (k(5,913533)>I(1)(4,06)). However, long-run estimates show no significant direct effect of REN on HDI (p=0,7280), while short-run dynamics reveal lagged positive effects of REN on HDI (D(REN(-1))= 0,322048**), indicating gradually materializing social benefits. In contrast, natural resources rent (NRR) has a positive long-run association with HDI (0,010179***), and research and development expenditures (RDE) show mixed effects (negative in the long run (-0,052998***), positive in the short run (0,016035***)). Second, the Toda-Yamamoto findings unveil significant causal links from HDI (47,899580***), GDP (46,889290***), and RDE (10,033940*) to REN, while no direct causality from REN to HDI is observed (p=0,8085). Despite this, REN’s impact on HDI is established indirectly through RDE (9,875531*). Overall, these findings suggest that socioeconomic development (HDI, GDP) are key drivers of Morocco’s renewable energy adoption, while REN indirectly contributes to human development through mediating variables (RDE), underscoring the need to improving the alignment of energy policy with social development strategies.
Keywords
Renewable Energy, Social Development, HDI, ARDL, Toda-Yamamoto, Morocco
Published online 4/25/2026, 8 pages
Copyright © 2026 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA
Citation: Yousra BENYETHO, The Nexus between Renewable Energy Consumption and Social Development: Empirical Evidence from Morocco, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 64, pp 1189-1196, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644904091-146
The article was published as article 146 of the book Energy Futures
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
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