Renewable energy and productivity in Ghana evidence from short and long run dynamics

Renewable energy and productivity in Ghana evidence from short and long run dynamics | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Renewable energy and productivity in Ghana evidence from short and long run dynamics Amos Sawyer, David Alemzero, Ernest Obeng This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9211223/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 15 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The study examines the immediate and long-term effects of renewable energy deployment on productivity growth in Ghana from 1995 to 2021. The analysis uses an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and vector error-correction (VECM) framework to accommodate mixed orders of integration due to sample characteristics. Unit root tests, ARDL bounds testing and Johansen cointegration all provide evidence that stable long-term relationships exist between the variables. The results also showed that renewable energy consumption has a positive and statistically significant influence on short-run productivity development, which confirms H1; and renewable energy will improve access to energy, thus confirming H2. Improved access to energy generates higher productivity, which aligns with the hypothesized mediation pathway in H3. The evidence supporting H5 is only partial, as labor productivity increases with improvements in energy reliability even in the absence of direct policy interventions. Conversely, assumptions relating to capital stock and trade openness (H4 and H6) are unsupported in the medium term due to adjustment costs and structural limitations. Results show that renewable energy can help Ghana’s economy grow by making it more reliable with storage facilities and through increased access. JEL Codes C32, O47, O55, Q42, Q43 Renewable energy consumption Productivity growth Energy access ARDL–VECM Ghana Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 10 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 09 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 08 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 07 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 28 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 28 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 20 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 16 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 16 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 16 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 15 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 13 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 03 Apr, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 02 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 02 Apr, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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