Abstract: From the two perspectives of innovative input & output and innovation ways, this paper makes use of the data from the Survey on the Business Environment of Chinese Enterprises of World Bank 2012 to examine the relationship between enterprise innovation and energy intensity. The results show that the corporate innovation measured by innovative input and innovative output can both reduce energy intensity, and the enterprise innovation measured by innovative output has a stronger effect on energy intensity reduction. The order of the three innovations according to their capability of reducing energy intensity is as follows: first, product innovation, second, process innovation, last, management innovation. As for reducing energy intensity through process innovation and management innovation, large and medium-sized enterprises can play a greater role than small and micro enterprises, but as for reducing energy intensity through product innovation, small and micro enterprises can play a greater role than large and medium-sized enterprises. The product innovation and management innovation of the labor-intensive industry can play a significant role in reducing energy intensity. The three kinds of innovations of the technology intensive industry can all reduce energy intensity significantly, but the three kinds of innovations in the capital intensive industry cannot play such a significant role. The three kinds of innovations of the enterprises in the Eastern region can all significantly reduce energy intensity, while the product innovation and management innovation of the enterprises in the central and western regions can significantly reduce energy intensity.

Key words: energy intensity; enterprise innovation; product innovation; process innovation; management innovation