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Energy and Environment
Published in T.M. Aggarwal, Environmental Control in Thermal Power Plants, 2021
The energy system is extensive and complex. Various configuration changes can reduce its costs – and are economically efficient. Various configuration changes can reduce its emissions – and are environmentally sound. And, various configuration changes can reduce the energy required to supply a service – and these are thermodynamically efficient. In this report, we consider “energy efficiency” measures, which normally meet all three of these goals: they are environmentally sound, economically and thermodynamically efficient (while there are energy efficiency measures which can increase costs, emissions and induce energy use rebound, those and their trade-offs are not discussed here, but should be born in the policy-makers’ mind). The rebound effect refers to increases in emissions and/or energy use that results from actions (such as energy efficiency measures) intended to reduce the former.
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Published in Barney L. Capehart, Wayne C. Turner, William J. Kennedy, Guide to Energy Management, 2020
Barney L. Capehart, Wayne C. Turner, William J. Kennedy
There are two criticisms of energy efficiency improvements which are ubiquitous: rebound effects and free ridership. Rebound effects are generally defined as a behavioral response to improvements in energy efficiency that reduce the net potential savings. For example, when a facility upgrades a cooling system to more efficient technology they may simultaneously decide to condition additional spaces since they can now provide more services while staying within the current utility bill budget. Some experts view rebound effects as a major problem that justifies reducing investments in energy efficiency, while others find the effects are over-estimated and argue that some types of rebound provide positive welfare effects. Solutions to mitigate rebound effects have been proposed such as increasing investment in behavior change programs as more efficient technologies are adopted, adjusting facility energy purchase budgets, and increasing education and awareness programs designed to change values and culture10.
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Published in Barney L. Capehart, William J. Kennedy, Wayne C. Turner, Guide to Energy Management, 2020
Barney L. Capehart, William J. Kennedy, Wayne C. Turner
There are two criticisms of energy efficiency improvements which are ubiquitous: rebound effects and free ridership. Rebound effects are generally defined as a behavioral response to improvements in energy efficiency that reduce the net potential savings. For example, when a facility upgrades a cooling system to more efficient technology they may simultaneously decide to condition additional spaces since they can now provide more services while staying within the current utility bill budget. Some experts view rebound effects as a major problem that justifies reducing investments in energy efficiency, while others find the effects are over-estimated and argue that some types of rebound provide positive welfare effects. Solutions to mitigate rebound effects have been proposed such as increasing investment in behavior change programs as more efficient technologies are adopted, adjusting facility energy purchase budgets, and increasing education and awareness programs designed to change values and culture10.
Large-scale statistical analysis and modelling of real and regulatory total energy use in existing single-family houses in Flanders
Published in Building Research & Information, 2023
M. Y. C. Van Hove, M. Deurinck, W. Lameire, J. Laverge, A. Janssens, M. Delghust
All these studies showed that the regulatory building energy calculation method overestimated the real thermal energy use and thus also the potential energy savings. This applied largely to existing, old, poorly insulated dwellings, yet less to dwellings with improved energy performance levels (Branco et al., 2004; Majcen et al., 2013a; Sunikka-Blank & Galvin, 2012). Both in Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland and the UK, the average prediction error (i.e. the difference between the real and regulatory calculated energy use) shifted further into an under-estimation of the energy use when reaching high performance levels. This shift was often referred to by authors as the ‘rebound effect’ (Berkhout et al., 2000; Brogger et al., 2018; Druckman et al., 2011; Nässén & Holmberg, 2009) and reversely the ‘prebound effect’ (Galvin, 2013; Galvin & Sunikka-Blank, 2016; Sorrell et al., 2009; Sunikka-Blank & Galvin, 2012). The rebound effect occurred when a proportion of the energy savings was consumed by additional energy use (i.e. increased consumption of services). The prebound effect on the other hand was referred to as an under-consumption of services in old, poorly insulated houses.
The elasticity of residential electricity demand and the rebound effect in 18 European Union countries
Published in Energy Sources, Part B: Economics, Planning, and Policy, 2022
For residential energy policymaking, the elasticities of residential electricity demand should be considered along with additional information, such as the rebound effect. Price decomposition enables the simultaneous estimation of elasticities and rebound effect. We adopt a method to measure the energy rebound effect using the price variable indirectly (Jin and Kim 2019). This method can help understand the dynamics between price and demand by decomposing the price variable into three components: price cut, price recovery, and max price (Figge, Young, and Barkemeyer 2014). The energy rebound effect indicates the energy that is potentially saved by energy efficiency improvement. Sometimes the rebound effect exceeds 100%, called the backfire effect (Joyce et al. 2019). It is usually estimated using energy efficiency elasticities of the energy service, as shown in the following:
Residential energy efficiency investment and behavioural response under different electricity pricing schemes: a physical-microeconomic approach
Published in International Journal of Sustainable Energy, 2021
There is also a wide body of literature that suggests there could be direct rebound effect as a result of energy efficiency improvement (e.g. Gillingham, Rapson, and Wagner 2016; Wei and Liu 2017). The direct rebound effect refers to the behavioural phenomenon where the actual energy savings as a result of higher energy efficiency are lower than would be expected from engineering computations. Gillingham et al. (2013) discuss that the literature has predominantly analysed this issue using a costless energy efficiency, and that its effect, even if it arises, should not be a hindrance to energy efficiency programmes. Although the direct rebound effect is limited, Alfawzan and Gasim (2019) empirically find that it reduces social welfare. This ties into this study because any potential incentive programme could result in a near costless efficiency improvement for the household.