Improving comprehensive energy efficiency in provinces along the Silk Road Economic Belt has far-reaching economic and geopolitical significance so as to enhance openness posture, promote industrial upgrading, and improve location and transportation advantages. Using the data of the provinces and cities along the Silk Road Economic Belt from 2006 to 2019, their comprehensive energy efficiencies and influencing factors were measured and analyzed by adopting the super-efficiency SBM model and geodetector model. The conclusions of the study are as follows. The comprehensive energy efficiency of the Silk Road Economic Belt could be generally characterized by a "V" shape, with the efficiency being an overall upward trend From the results of Malmquist index, technical progress contributed most to the comprehensive energy efficiency, and the technical efficiency of the provinces along the route should be strengthened. The influence of single-influence factor was significant, and the roles of energy structure and industrial structure showed an upward trend while the roles of government intervention, urbanization, Internet penetration, transportation accessibility, and environmental regulation a downward trend. The double-factor interaction was greater than the single-factor, and the energy structure combined with other factors and transportation accessibility combined with other factors were the most important double-influencing factors of the comprehensive energy efficiency of the Silk Road Economic Belt. Finally, suggestions are presented to improve the comprehensive energy efficiency of the provinces along the Silk Road Economic Belt.

silk road economic belt  /  overall energy efficiency  /  super-efficient SBM model  /  Malmquist index  /  geographic detector