Energy efficiency and consumption — the rebound effect — a survey
TL;DR: In this paper, a review of some of the relevant literature from the US offers definitions and identifies sources including direct, secondary, and economy-wide sources and concludes that the range of estimates for the size of the rebound effect is very low to moderate.
About: This article is published in Energy Policy.The article was published on 2000-06-01. It has received 1867 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Rebound effect (conservation) & Energy consumption.
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TL;DR: Wang et al. as mentioned in this paper investigated the rebound effect of decarbonization in China's power sector under ETS using an almost ideal demand system (AIDS) model and simulation analysis method.
2 citations
2 citations
07 Jan 2016
TL;DR: In this article, the authors study the net implications of energy efficiency improvement in China within alternative global climate policy regimes and show that a one percent improvement in energy efficiency in China reduces energy use by 0.38-0.59 percent per year depending on alternative international contexts.
Abstract: China has pledged to reduce its carbon intensity defined as carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 40–45% by 2020 and by 60–65% by 2030 compared to the 2005 level. To fulfill the pledges, China’s government has made energy efficiency its de facto climate policy. This article raises the question to what extent energy efficiency will be an efficient mitigation measure for reaching the targets as pledged by China to the UNFCCC. In this context, two issues blur the picture. One is the potential rebound effect, generally causing one percent improvement in energy efficiency to generate less than one percent reduction in energy-related emissions since users adapt to the direct and indirect productivity gains and cost reductions in energy use. Further, there is the impact on energy use in China from interaction with global markets, in which China has emerged as a dominant player. In the present paper, we study the net implications of energy efficiency improvement in China within alternative global climate policy regimes. Our results show that a one percent energy efficiency improvement in China reduces energy use by 0.38–0.59 percent per year depending on alternative international contexts. Hence, policy makers should consider climate policies adopted by the other regions such as carbon trading system when assessing the implications of energy efficiency for energy consumption and climate mitigation. Policy makers should also consider overlapping effects of alternative energy policies, as energy efficiency improvement might have no effect on energy and emission reduction if there is global carbon trade. However, policy makers can expect more reduction in energy use and emissions due to energy efficiency improvement in the new mechanism announced in the Paris Agreement at the COP21.
2 citations
Book Chapter•
01 Jul 2017
TL;DR: In this paper, a concurrent mixed-method research design where the research method is primarily questionnaires to understand occupants' energy consumption behaviour and lifestyle and develop a viable methodology to improve this.
Abstract: The research asserts that several domestic retrofit programmes in the UK have not achieved the expected levels of energy saving. Energy consumption is not only reliant on physical characteristics of buildings, but also on the consideration of socio-cultural and economic factors. One of the issues is that the predicted home energy use does not reflect the actual energy consumed – a phenomena acknowledged as the ‘Building Performance Gap’. This research examines the factors that impact on domestic energy performance in response to this phenomenon. It adopts a concurrent mixed-method research design where the research method is primarily questionnaires to understand occupants’ energy consumption behaviour and lifestyle and develop a viable methodology to improve this. The solution could be the development of a smart application that addresses most energy consumption habits and behaviours connected to smart meters. As a result, occupants will be advised in real-time with appropriate energy-related behaviours if inefficient energy consumption is detected. Besides, the application will also comprise of a simplified Building Energy Simulation (BES) interface to provide building energy simulation results and evaluation. It is believed that this tool could potentially increase occupants’ awareness of energy consumption behaviour and reduce the Building Performance Gap.
2 citations
TL;DR: A review of the effects of light pollution among many different species, from marine to terrestrial, with a focus on the areas that require further research to enhance our knowledge of this subject is presented in this article .
Abstract: Humans first began using artificial light at night (ALAN) during the industrial revolution and sources of light have diversified and intensified considerably over the last century. Light pollution has previously been defined under two separate branches, “ecological light pollution” where the natural light patterns are altered in marine and terrestrial environments, and “astronomical light pollution” where the view of the night sky is reduced. Natural light is vital for the regulation of animal behaviour and interactions. Surprisingly, this environmental stressor did not become a worldwide concern until 2009. Since then, research into this subject has substantially increased, with studies highlighting the detrimental effects of ALAN. These effects can be serious for many organisms and include the disruption of the essential circadian rhythms that most organisms use to time important behaviours such as foraging, reproduction, and sleep. Whether all organisms possess phenotypic plasticity to effectively adapt to increasing and changing artificial light pollution is not yet known. Here, we summarise the effects of light pollution among many different species, from marine to terrestrial, with a focus on the areas that require further research to enhance our knowledge of this subject. The aim of this review is to raise awareness and enhance understanding about this little-discussed environmental concern, including some novel ideas on camouflage and polarised light pollution, hopefully encouraging future research into the effects of light pollution on organism behaviour.
2 citations
References
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Book•
01 Jan 1980
TL;DR: Deaton and Muellbauer as mentioned in this paper introduced generations of students to the economic theory of consumer behaviour and used it in applied econometrics, including consumer index numbers, household characteristics, demand, and household welfare comparisons.
Abstract: This classic text has introduced generations of students to the economic theory of consumer behaviour. Written by 2015 Nobel Laureate Angus Deaton and John Muellbauer, the book begins with a self-contained presentation of the basic theory and its use in applied econometrics. These early chapters also include elementary extensions of the theory to labour supply, durable goods, the consumption function, and rationing. The rest of the book is divided into three parts. In the first of these the authors discuss restrictions on choice and aggregation problems. The next part consists of chapters on consumer index numbers; household characteristics, demand, and household welfare comparisons; and social welfare and inequality. The last part extends the coverage of consumer behaviour to include the quality of goods and household production theory, labour supply and human capital theory, the consumption function and intertemporal choice, the demand for durable goods, and choice under uncertainty.
3,952 citations
TL;DR: In this article, an industrial demand for energy is essentially a derived demand: the firm's demand for the energy is an input, derived from demand for a firm's output, which is an output.
Abstract: Industrial demand for energy is essentially a derived demand: the firm's demand for energy is an input is derived from demand for the firm's output. Inputs other than energy typically also enter the firm's production process. Since firms tend to choose that bundle of inputs which minimized the total cost of producing a giving level of output, the derived demand for inputs, including energy, depends on the level of output, the submitions possibilies among inputs allow by production technology, and the relative prices of all inputs.
1,422 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a model of individual behavior in the purchase and utilization of energy-using durables is presented, where the tradeoff between capital costs for more energy efficient appliances and operating costs for the appliances is emphasized.
Abstract: This article presents a model of individual behavior in the purchase and utilization of energy-using durables. The tradeoff between capital costs for more energy efficient appliances and operating costs for the appliances is emphasized. Using data on both the purchase and utilization of room air conditioners, the model is applied to a sample of households. The utilization equation indicates a relatively low price elasticity. The purchase equation, based on a discrete choice model, demonstrates that individuals do trade off capital costs and expected operating costs. The results also show that individuals use a discount rate of about 20 percent in making the tradeoff decision and that the discount rate varies inversely with income.
1,361 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that the indiscriminate use of mandated standards will backfire, but a mix of selective standards and reliance on prices as a restraint can be effective.
Abstract: Regulations which mandate appliance efficiency standards may be based on calculations which exaggerate the potential energy savings. Improved efficiency can, in fact, increase demand enough to be counterproductive unless the standards are applied selectively. As appliances improve, they are used more, new stock is demanded, and the demand for and use of related equipment increases. The policy implications of these empirical studies are that the indiscriminate use of mandated standards will backfire, but a mix of selective standards and reliance on prices as a restraint can be effective. 11 references, 5 figures, 2 tables. (DCK)
802 citations
Posted Content•
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a detailed study of automobile demand and use, presenting forecasts based on the powerful new techniques of qualitative choice analysis and standard regression techniques, which are combined to analyze situations that neither alone can accurately forecast.
Abstract: This book addresses two significant research areas in an interdependent fashion. It is first of all a comprehensive but concise text that covers the recently developed and widely applicable methods of qualitative choice analysis, illustrating the general theory through simulation models of automobile demand and use. It is also a detailed study of automobile demand and use, presenting forecasts based on these powerful new techniques. The book develops the general principles that underlie qualitative choice models that are now being applied in numerous fields in addition to transportation, such as housing, labor, energy, communications, and criminology. The general form, derivation, and estimation of qualitative choice models are explained, and the major models - logit, probit, and GEV - are discussed in detail. And continuous/discrete models are introduced. In these, qualitative choice methods and standard regression techniques are combined to analyze situations that neither alone can accurately forecast. Summarizing previous research on auto demand, the book shows how qualitative choice methods can be used by applying them to specific auto-related decisions as the aggregate of individuals' choices. The simulation model that is constructed is a significant improvement over older models, and should prove more useful to agencies and organizations requiring accurate forecasting of auto demand and use for planning and policy development. The book concludes with an actual case study based on a model designed for the investigations of the California Energy Commission.
726 citations