This paper aims to empirically assess the effect of collaborative governance of pollution reduction and carbon reduction on high-quality development of energy across China’s provinces. Against the backdrop of “peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality”, high-quality development of energy is an important part of achieving high-quality development. As China’s ecological civilization construction enters a new stage, whether the collaborative governance of pollution reduction and carbon reduction can effectively guide and empower the high-quality development of energy requires both theoretical explanation and empirical testing. To solve this problem, this paper employs China’s provincial panel data from 2013 to 2022. The projection pursuit method and the coupling coordination model are used to measure the core variables. On this basis, its direct effects, heterogeneity effects, and nonlinear effects are discussed by using a variety of models. The results show that: firstly, the collaborative governance of pollution reduction and carbon reduction has a direct role in promoting the high-quality development of energy, the influence coefficient is 0.065; secondly, the promotion effect has a heterogeneous effect, showing the gradient decline feature of “eastern > central > western” and “non-energy-rich areas > energy-rich areas”; finally, its influence has a threshold effect, when the advancement of industrial structure is higher than the threshold value of 2.474, the level of urbanization is between 0.734 and 0.748 threshold values and environmental regulation is higher than the threshold value of 2.793, the impact is more positive. This paper not only provides a scientific basis and theoretical reference for helping China to achieve the high-quality development of energy, but also further looks forward to the potential policy actions in the future. These actions include driving technological innovation, optimizing policies and regulations, deepening international cooperation, and raising public awareness of environmental protection. The paper aims to contribute to China’s energy transition and sustainable development within a broader global context.