The Rebound Effect and Energy Efficiency Policy

Energy Efficiency and the Rebound Effect: Does Increasing Efficiency Decrease Demand?

Intuitively it seems obvious to most observers that increasing energy efficiency will ultimately reduce demand for an energy resource such as electricity. Paradoxically, economic theory suggests that this decrease in demand and subsequent decrease in cost of using the resource could cause a rebound in demand. A commonly cited example is an increase in the efficiency of home air conditioning whi...

Energy Efficiency and Energy Policy

General Equilibrium Rebound from Improved Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency improvements “rebound” when economic responses undercut their direct energy savings. I develop an analytic general equilibrium framework that allows improvements in energy efficiency to affect output prices and factor prices. I show that general equilibrium channels typically amplify rebound and make it more likely that improvements in efficiency end up increasing total energy...

General Equilibrium Rebound from Energy Efficiency Policies ∗

I study the general equilibrium implications of large-scale policies to improve energy efficiency, which are being implemented around the world to mitigate climate change. Energy efficiency policies “rebound” when economic responses undercut their direct energy savings. I develop an analytic general equilibrium framework that allows improvements in energy efficiency to affect output prices and ...

Energy Conservation More Effective With Rebound Policy

This article sketches the problem of indirect energy use effects, also known as rebound, of energy conservation. There is widespread support for energy conservation, especially when it is voluntary, as this seems a cheap way to realize environmental and energy-climate goals. However, this overlooks the phenomenon of rebound. The topic of energy rebound has mainly attracted attention from energy...