Given　the　increasing　investment　by　Belt　and　Road　Initiative　(BRI)　participants　in　the　renewable　energy　industry,　it　is　imperative　to　ascertain　how　much　this　investment　contributes　to　economic　growth.　The　objective　of　this　study　is　to　ascertain　the　extent　to　which　renewable　energy　contributes　to　economic　growth　within　the　Belt　and　Road　Initiative　compared　to　non-renewable　energy　sources.　Prior　studies　have　yet　to　incorporate　oil　prices　as　a　variable　in　the　production　function,　among　other　output　aspects.　This　study　integrates　the　inclusion　of　real　oil　prices　as　a　variable　within　the　production　function　alongside　capital,　labor,　renewable　energy　consumption,　and　non-renewable　energy　consumption.　A　cohort　including　49　Belt　and　Road　Initiative　participants　was　formed,　encompassing　data　from　1990　to　2019.　The　data　has　undergone　an　initial　examination　to　assess　cross-sectional　dependence,　slope　heterogeneity,　and　structural　break(s),　and　are　verified.　Hence,　third-generation　panel　data　analysis　has　been　utilized.　The　continuously　updated　fully　modified　estimator　and　continuously　updated　biased　corrected　estimator　provide　evidence　supporting　the　notion　that　renewable　energy　plays　a　substantial　role　in　fostering　economic　growth　within　nations　participating　in　the　Belt　and　Road　Initiative.　Furthermore,　this　contribution　is　found　to　be　more　pronounced　when　compared　to　the　impact　of　non-renewable　energy　sources.　The　study＇s　findings　inform　policy　recommendations　at　both　the　BRI　and　national level.　©　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature　2024.