Technological progress and sustainable development: what about the rebound effect?

Sustainability concepts that rest on the idea of resource- or energy-efficiency improvements due to technological progress tend to overestimate the potential saving effects because they frequently ignore the behavioral responses evoked by technological improvements. Efficiency improvements also affect the demand for resources and energy, and often an increase in efficiency by 1% will cause a reduction in resource use that is far below 1% or, sometimes, it can even cause an increase in resource use. This phenomenon is commonly labeled the rebound effect, which is well-known among energy economists, but never attracted much attention in ecological economics. The paper starts with the traditional neoclassical analysis of the rebound effect in a partial equilibrium framework that concentrates on the demand of one particular energy service such as mobility or room temperature. It also provides an overview of some of the main empirical studies based on this model that mostly confirm the existence of the rebound effect, but are controversial about its actual importance. However, we have to go beyond the neoclassical single-service model in order to take care of the variety of possible feedback affecting energy use. The paper presents two important expansions of the single-service model in order to show the potential relevance of the rebound effect to ecological economics. First, it is shown that in a multi-services model it proves to be difficult to make general statements about the relevance of the rebound effect. In this case, the overall effect of an increase in energy efficiency on total energy use depends on the on the assumptions about the substitutability between the services considered and the direction of the income effect. Second, the paper also tries to take care of the fact that changes in resource use or energy use are frequently just ‘side-effects’ of other forms of technological progress. Especially technological change of a time-saving nature can have a large influence on energy use as many time-saving devices (for example, faster modes of transport) require an increase in energy consumption that is frequently reinforced by a ‘rebound effect with respect to time’. This effect will be especially strong when wages are high and, at the same time, energy prices are low, as is currently the case in most industrialized countries. Consequently, the paper also provides a strong argument for the introduction of energy taxes.     

Energy efficiency promotion backfires under cap-and-trade

Major climate-cum-energy policies and respective impact projections rest on the widespread belief that increased energy efficiency can be equated with savings in energy use and emissions. This belief is flawed. Due to the rebound effect emissions savings from energy efficiency improvements will be generally less than what is technically feasible, or even be reversed. By means of an analytical general equilibrium model we demonstrate the latter to be true in a case that is both stark and relevant: if electricity generation is subject to a cap-and-trade scheme with partial coverage, increased efficiency of electric devices leads unambiguously to increased carbon emissions. The result implies that a proper distinction between the energy rebound and the carbon rebound is warranted, and that public policy must carefully consider the interactions between energy efficiency promotion and carbon pricing.     

Implied discount rate and payback threshold of energy efficiency investment in the industrial sector

The industrial sector is responsible for about a third of the energy usage in the United States, and there is significant energy saving potential from the industrial sector. However, the phenomenon of “energy efficiency gap” – the scenario in which cost-effective energy efficient technologies enjoy only limited market success – appears frequently in the industrial sector. This article tries to explain this efficiency gap in the industrial sector by empirically estimating the implied discount rates and payback thresholds industrial firms use to evaluate their energy efficiency investments. Using the Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) database from 2002 to 2011, with more than 30 000 energy efficiency recommendations, this article builds structural models of firms’ evaluation of an energy efficiency project. The model results show that the implied discount rates of medium to small industrial firms range from 40 to 45%, and the average payback threshold is about 9 months.     

技术溢出视角下技术进步对能源消费的回弹效应研究——基于空间面板数据模型

针对现有文献测算回弹效应普遍忽略技术溢出效应的缺憾,文章构建了三要素经济增长的空间误差模型,在此基础上给出了回弹效应的估算方法,并利用1995-2010年省际面板数据对我国技术溢出视角下技术进步对能源消费的回弹效应进行了实证分析。结果表明,技术进步所导致的能源回弹效应显著存在,中、西部的平均回弹效应明显高于东部,全国的平均回弹效应呈现上升趋势。因此,政府在制定能源政策时需要注意降低单位GDP能耗可能出现的回弹效应,把提高能源效率与自主创新、产业结构调整、政府宏观调控等手段结合起来以实现既定的节能目标。     

Estimating direct and indirect rebound effects for U.S. households with input–output analysis. Part 2: Simulation

This is the second part of a two-part paper that integrates economic and industrial ecology methods to estimate the indirect rebound effect from residential energy efficiency investments. We apply the model developed in part one to simulate the indirect rebound, given an estimate of the direct rebound, using a 2002 environmentally-extended input–output model and the 2004 Consumer Expenditure Survey (in 2002$) for the U.S. We find an indirect rebound of 5–15% in primary energy and CO₂e emissions, assuming a 10% direct rebound, depending on the fuel saved with efficiency and household income. The indirect rebound can be as high as 30–40% in NO_x or SO₂ emissions for efficiency in natural gas services. The substitution effect modeled in part one is small in most cases, and we discuss appropriate applications for proportional or income elasticity spending assumptions. Large indirect rebound effects occur as the U.S. electric grid becomes less-carbon intensive, in households with large transportation demands, or as energy prices increase. Even in extreme cases, there is limited evidence for backfire, or a rebound effect greater than 100%. Enacting pollution taxes or auctioned permits that internalize the externalities of energy use would ensure that rebound effects unambiguously increase consumers' welfare.     

Estimating direct and indirect rebound effects for U.S. households with input–output analysis Part 1: Theoretical framework

This is the first part of a two-part paper providing an analytical model of the indirect rebound effect, given a direct rebound estimate, that integrates consumer demand theory with the embodied energy of household spending from environmentally-extended input–output analysis. The second part applies the model developed in part one to simulate the direct and indirect rebound for the average U.S. household in terms of primary energy, CO₂e, NO_x, and SO₂ emissions and for energy efficiency investments in electricity, natural gas, or gasoline services. Part one provides a critical review of the largely independent economic and industrial ecology literatures on the indirect rebound. By studying the two-goods case and the n-goods case, we demonstrate that the indirect rebound is bounded by the consumer budget constraint, and inversely related to the direct rebound. We also compare the common proportional spending and income elasticity spending assumptions with our model of cross-price elasticities including both substitution and income effects for the indirect rebound. By assuming zero incremental capital costs and the same embodied energy as conventional technologies for efficient appliances, we model an upper bound of the indirect rebound. Future work should also consider the increase in consumer welfare possible through the rebound effect.     

The rebound effect: Microeconomic definitions, limitations and extensions

The rebound effect results in part from an increased consumption of energy services following an improvement in the technical efficiency of delivering those services. This increased consumption offsets the energy savings that may otherwise be achieved. If the rebound effect is sufficiently large it may undermine the rationale for policy measures to encourage energy efficiency.The nature and magnitude of the rebound effect is the focus of long-running dispute with energy economics. This paper brings together previous theoretical work to provide a rigorous definition of the rebound effect, to clarify key conceptual issues and to highlight the potential consequences of various assumptions for empirical estimates of the effect. The focus is on the direct rebound effect for a single energy service — indirect and economy-wide rebound effects are not discussed.Beginning with Khazzoom's original definition of the rebound effect, we expose the limitations of three simplifying assumptions on which this definition is based. First, we argue that capital costs form an important part of the total cost of providing energy services and that empirical studies that estimate rebound effects from variations in energy prices are prone to bias. Second, we argue that energy efficiency should be treated as an endogenous variable and that empirical estimates of the rebound effect may need to apply a simultaneous equation model to capture the joint determination of key variables. Third, we explore the implications of the opportunity costs of time in the production of energy services and highlight the consequences for energy use of improved ‘time efficiency’, the influence of time costs on the rebound effect and the existence of a parallel rebound effect with respect to time. Each of these considerations serves to highlight the difficulties in obtaining reliable estimates of the rebound effect and the different factors that need to be controlled for. We discuss the implications of these findings for econometric studies and argue that several existing studies may overestimate the magnitude of the effect.     

Energy in America's future

Energy in America's Future, the book reported on in this article, assembled facts and performed analyses required for making informed energy choices. It reached broad conclusions on supply and demand prospects and on the environmental and other social aspects of policy choices. Although near-term constraints are severely binding, the nation's natural resource position is favorable for long-run supply expansion. Future technologies are also promising in cost terms. Although costs are bound to rise, a ceiling on long-run supply costs looks to be possible at real levels surprisingly close to current prices. Energy consumption in relationship to overall national output (GNP) will be growing at a slower rate than in recent decades. Consumers will use relatively less energy as a result of higher energy prices, conservation incentives, and new energy-using technology. Even so, overall energy use will grow. Major energy demand policy issues concern not just the likely rate of growth of consumption, but also the possible problems connected with optimizing energy efficiency at the expense of economic efficiency (i.e., output in relation to all inputs, particularly those of labor and capital). Environmental impacts and concerns about questions of human health and safety will continue to affect public acceptance of particular energy technologies. The public will need to be adequately informed on the comparative risks of energy supply technologies, and the technical and institutional means available for reducing these risks. The price system must be permitted to function to the maximum feasible extent. In addition, the task for political leadership is to forge a public consensus in support of achievable energy goals. This has been difficult because of conflicting public perceptions of the facts and clashes in social values among different groups. The future prospects for achieving a national energy consensus should be enhanced by the outlook for slower energy demand growth and favorable supply prospects along with potential improvements in the environmental side effects associated with new and improved supply technologies. As knowledge of these changing circumstances becomes more broadly disseminated, the ability to achieve broad public support of energy goals should grow stronger.     

China’s regional rebound effect based on modelling multi-regional CGE

Improving energy efficiency has been regarded as an important measure to reduce energy consumption, yet the rebound effect has greatly shrunken the energy saving consequences of this measure. To investigate regional rebound effect in China, a multi-region computed general equilibrium (CGE) model is established in this paper. The results show that there are obvious regional differences in the rebound effect in China. The primary energy rebound effects are positive, whereas the production-side power rebounds are below zero in most regions. We also simulated the energy subsidy reform scenarios, which indicates that reducing or even eliminating coal and oil subsidies will increase the production-side rebounds. Finally, feasible policy recommendations are put forward based on the results.     

新常态经济下技术创新对能源消耗的影响

在尝试对新常态经济内涵进行量化的基础上,运用指数分解法和索洛余数法分别测算了北京市经济新常态期间技术创新带来的分产业节能量、耗能量以及能源反弹效应,系统评价了技术创新对能源消耗的影响,进一步预测了新常态下北京市2015-2020年发展趋势,以期为北京市及全国经济发展与节能减排工作提供理论依据和科学思路。研究结果表明：1996-2013年,北京市逐渐由新常态经济的“潜伏期”进入新常态期;希克斯中性技术创新对能源消耗的影响主要体现在第二、第三产业;2000年之后技术创新节能量迅速增长,受市场机制与技术创新对经济周期的影响,反弹耗能量和反弹效应呈波动趋势;经济增长越慢,技术创新的节能效应和反弹耗能效应越小;新常态下现有要素投入规模和结构决定了短期内北京市GDP年均增速不能低于4.50%,否则会由于经济增长过慢导致技术创新动力不足,抑制技术创新发展。     

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 analysts, but has been surprisingly neglected in environmental economics, even though economists generally are concerned with indirect or economy-wide impacts of technical change and policies. This paper presents definitions and interpretations of energy and environmental rebound, as well as four fundamental reasons for the existence of the rebound phenomenon. It further offers the most complete list of rebound pathways or mechanisms available in the literature. In addition, it discusses empirical estimates of rebound and addresses the implications of uncertainties and difficulties in assessing rebound. Suggestions are offered for strategies and public policies to contain rebound. It is advised that rebound evaluation is an essential part of environmental policy and project assessments. As opposed to earlier studies, this paper stresses the relevance of the distinction between energy conservation resulting from autonomous demand changes and from efficiency improvements in technology/equipment. In addition, it argues that rebound is especially relevant for developing countries.     

Financing energy efficiency retrofits in Chilean households: The role of financial instruments,savings and uncertainty in energy transition

High firewood consumption for heating produces high levels of pollution in cities in central and southern Chile, with serious consequences for health and quality of life. Energy efficiency measures (EEMs) have been identified as the best strategy to reduce air pollution and maximize social benefits. However, their adoption has been slow. The objective of this article is to investigate household preferences for financial incentives needed to promote private investments in EEMs in Central-Southern Chilean households and study the role of energy savings and the uncertainty about potential savings in the investment decision, with the aim of finding solutions to increase the adoption of these technologies. We use a choice experiment to explore the trade-off between the investment costs, financial instruments, energy savings, and the uncertainty about achieving the theoretical savings provided by engineering and architectural models. The results show that financial instruments play the most important role in this decision, followed by the savings achieved by the retrofit. Householders prefer to finance their investments with a mix of their personal resources and medium-term credits, trying to avoid long-term commitments. Although uncertainty was found to be a significant variable, it seems to play a small role in the investment decision.     

能源回弹效应下高碳产业低碳转型过程中的技术突变性

考虑能源回弹效应下,分析高碳产业低碳技术突变技术门槛,发现技术碳减排存在由量变到质变的门槛效应,另外还发现能源回弹对门槛效应具有显著影响。运用Hansen门限面板模型、结合CD生产函数的能源回弹模型发现：①不考虑能源回弹效应,高碳产业低碳化过程中的技术突变存在两个门槛;②考虑能源回弹作用,将减少为一个门槛,并且将延长高碳产业完成低碳技术突变所需时间。因此,为加快高碳产业低碳技术突变,有效减少碳排放,一方面应缓解能源回弹效应的影响,对能源回弹效应较大的高碳产业采取实时监控,对能源回弹较小的高碳产业采取定期检查和不定期抽检方式监控;货币政策、财政政策和产业政策相互配合,在高碳产业拉动经济增长的同时,最大限度控制能源回弹效应。另一方面,市场手段和政府职能双管齐下,协助企业低碳技术升级和设备改造,优化税收结构,弥补低碳技术升级导致的负外部性,完善高碳产业转移或市场退出机制。     

能效研究方法和中国各地区能源效率的比较

如何科学地评价各地区能源效率(EE)的现状是中国实现"十一五"节能降耗战略目标的重要的科学前提和保证。使用一种单要素方法和三种全要素方法对以2005年数据为基础的中国各地区的能源效率的比较研究表明:(1)全要素方法在揭示一个地区要素禀赋结构对其能效的影响方面有着传统的单要素方法替代不了的优势。(2)即使以国内的先进能效水平做参照,中国的总体能效水平也还很低。如果各地区可以达到上海等先进地区的能效水平,中国大约可以节约30%左右的能源消耗。(3)东西部之间巨大的能效差距表明了在现阶段实现地区间节能合作、推动先进生产技术在东西部之间扩散的现实必要性。     

能源消费、经济资本化与节能减排

本文借助面板协整技术考察能源消费与中国经济增长的关系,基于经济资本化视角经验分析中国节能减排战略的现实选择.研究结果显示:(1)能源消费与经济增长存在长期稳定关系,无论长期还是短期,“能源中性”假说均不成立;(2)地区间能源产出弹性差异较大,各地区适宜制定差别化的节能减排目标;(3)为增长而挖掘和重估各项资源经济价值的经济资本化模式不利于节能减排战略的实施.     

Climate policy vs. agricultural productivity shocks in a dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) modeling framework: The case of a developing economy

The main objective of this paper is to compare the cost of climate policy consistent with the 2 °C global warming target (Paris Agreement target) with the cost of climate change induced agricultural productivity shocks, using a recursive dynamic CGE model for India. The social cost of carbon, in terms of loss in agriculture sector, is estimated to be about 2 percent of GDP, at zero rate of discount, under conservative forecasts of fall in agricultural productivity. In comparison, the cost of climate policy consistent with the Paris Agreement target of 2 °C is about 1 percent of GDP. Thus, there is a strong case for the adoption of ambitious climate policy in India, provided other countries also adhere to the same. Besides, revenues generated from the carbon tax and emission allowance could be a means to support the development and adoption of new energy and agricultural technologies, to increase social sector expenditure and to reduce abatement costs.     

Explaining slow diffusion of energy-saving technologies; a vintage model with returns to diversity and learning-by-using

This paper studies the adoption and diffusion of energy-saving technologies in a vintage model. An important characteristic of the model is that vintages are complementary: there are returns to diversity of using a mix of vintages. We analyse how diffusion patterns and adoption behaviour are affected by complementarity and learning-by-using. It is shown that the stronger the complementarity between different vintages and the stronger the learning-by-using, the longer it takes before firms scrap old vintages. We argue that this is a relevant part of the explanation for the observed slow diffusion of energy-saving technologies. Finally, we show that an energy price tax reduces energy consumption, because it speeds up the diffusion of new energy-saving technologies and induces substitution from capital to labour.     

基于技术进步的浙江省能源消费回弹效应研究

基于技术进步对经济增长的贡献和环境负荷分解模型,对浙江省1990年以来技术进步对GDP增长的贡献、能源消费回弹效应及能源回弹量进行实证分析。其中,对技术进步的测定采用城镇单位在岗职工工资总额和农村居民纯收入作为劳动因素,以期更合理地体现劳动对经济增长的贡献,同时对多元回归模型的多重共线性进行滞后差分变换,以期得到更为精确的实证数据。     

能源回弹效应最新研究进展:理论与方法

能源回弹效应是指能源效率提高并未达到预期节能效果的经济现象,其对能源、经济与环境系统协调与可持续发展产生了不利影响。自“Khazzoom-Brookes(K-B)假说”提出以来,学术界试图利用新古典经济学及新兴经济学分支学科理论探究回弹效应的机制,揭示回弹效应的影响因素,旨在完善回弹效应的分析框架,为回弹效应的实证检验奠定坚实的理论与方法论基础。基于此,本文首先在宏观和微观两个层面上总结了回弹效应的内涵界定,阐明了不同界定形式的适用性;然后依据回弹效应发展脉络,系统梳理了回弹效应在新古典经济学框架下的理论机制,以及在新兴经济学分支学科视角下的拓展性阐释;进而,对回弹效应的研究方法进行了归纳,探讨了不同方法的适用范围、优缺点及其修正或改进;最后,总结了能源回弹效应研究中存在的问题并对未来需要关注的方向进行了展望。     

Energy Transition Under Irreversibility: A Two-Sector Approach

This paper analyses the optimal energy transition of a two-sector economy (energy and final goods) under irreversible environmental catastrophe. First, it proposes a general appraisal of optimal switching problems related to energy transition showing: (1) the possibility of a catastrophe due to accumulation of pollution; and (2) technological regimes with the adoption of renewable energy. Second, it numerically shows that for given baseline parameter values, the most profitable energy transition path may correspond to the one in which the economy starts using both resources, crosses the pollution threshold by losing a part of its capital, and never adopts only clean energy. Third, it extends the model to allow for additional investment in energy saving technologies. We then find that this additional investment favours full transition to the sole use of renewable energy. It is then profitable to take advantage of these synergies by jointly promoting deployment of clean energy and providing incentives for investment in energy saving technologies.