Exploring the nexus of electricity consumption, economic growth, energy prices and technology innovation in Malaysia

► The electricity-economic growth nexus in Malaysia is examined. ► Enhanced technology innovation could reduce electricity consumption. ► Technology innovation Granger-causes electricity consumption and economic growth. ► Technology innovation could curb wastage of electricity. ► Technology innovation could also stimulate Malaysia’s long-term economic growth. This study principally attempts to investigate the relationship between electricity consumption on the one hand and economic growth, energy prices and technology innovation in Malaysia on the other over the period, 1970–2009. The results of this study indicate that electricity consumption and its determinants are cointegrated. Specifically, the empirical results show that income positively affects electricity consumption, while energy prices and technology innovation negatively affect it in Malaysia over a long run. The Granger causality results reveal that technology innovation Granger-cause economic growth and electricity consumption in Malaysia. Moreover, we find that electricity consumption and economic growth Granger-cause each other both in the short and in the long run. Therefore, policymakers should increase investment in electricity infrastructure to ensure that electricity supply is sufficient for economic growth and development and at the same time encourage technology innovation to minimise the usage of fossil fuels. This could strike a balance between environmental quality and economic growth in Malaysia.