IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/envpol/v24y2022i1d10.1007_s10018-021-00316-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The rebound effect in air conditioner usage: an empirical analysis of Japanese individuals’ behaviors

Author

Listed:
  • Minoru Morita

    (Takasaki City University of Economics
    Research Institute for Environmental Economics and Management, Waseda University)

  • Kazuyuki Iwata

    (Matsuyama University)

  • Toshi H. Arimura

    (Research Institute for Environmental Economics and Management, Waseda University
    Waseda University)

Abstract

Many studies have empirically examined to what extent energy efficiency improvement causes rebound effects for various products. Energy efficiency improvement potentially induces behavioral changes resulting in a rebound effect. However, a limited number of studies have addressed what kind of behavioral changes the energy efficiency improvement of appliances can cause. For example, the energy efficiency improvement of air conditioners can induce a change in the room temperature setting. This paper examines whether the energy efficiency improvement of air conditioners impedes energy-saving behaviors. Specifically, using a Japanese household survey, we examined the energy-saving behaviors related to air conditioner usage: (1) setting the room temperature at 28 °C or higher in summer, (2) reducing unnecessary power consumption, and (3) cleaning the filters. We found that energy efficiency improvements reduce the probability of the behavior of setting air conditioner temperatures at 28 °C or more by approximately 25–45% during summer, while they have no impacts on the reduction of unnecessary air conditioner usage or filter cleaning. This finding implies that energy efficiency improvements may counteract the energy-saving behaviors of the temperature setting, resulting in a rebound effect. Thus, we clarified a mechanism of the rebound effect in the case of air conditioners.

Suggested Citation

  • Minoru Morita & Kazuyuki Iwata & Toshi H. Arimura, 2022. "The rebound effect in air conditioner usage: an empirical analysis of Japanese individuals’ behaviors," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 24(1), pages 99-117, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:envpol:v:24:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s10018-021-00316-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10018-021-00316-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10018-021-00316-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10018-021-00316-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kenneth Gillingham & Karen Palmer, 2014. "Bridging the Energy Efficiency Gap: Policy Insights from Economic Theory and Empirical Evidence," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 8(1), pages 18-38, January.
    2. Hausman, Jerry, 2015. "Specification tests in econometrics," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 38(2), pages 112-134.
    3. Terza, Joseph V. & Basu, Anirban & Rathouz, Paul J., 2008. "Two-stage residual inclusion estimation: Addressing endogeneity in health econometric modeling," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 531-543, May.
    4. A. Greening, Lorna & Greene, David L. & Difiglio, Carmen, 2000. "Energy efficiency and consumption -- the rebound effect -- a survey," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(6-7), pages 389-401, June.
    5. Kenichi Mizobuchi & Kenji Takeuchi, 2019. "Rebound effect across seasons: evidence from the replacement of air conditioners in Japan," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 21(1), pages 123-140, January.
    6. Kenneth Gillingham & David Rapson & Gernot Wagner, 2016. "The Rebound Effect and Energy Efficiency Policy," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 10(1), pages 68-88.
    7. Sorrell, Steve, 2009. "Jevons' Paradox revisited: The evidence for backfire from improved energy efficiency," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 1456-1469, April.
    8. Jeffrey M Wooldridge, 2010. "Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 2, volume 1, number 0262232588, December.
    9. Font Vivanco, David & Kemp, René & van der Voet, Ester, 2016. "How to deal with the rebound effect? A policy-oriented approach," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 114-125.
    10. Haas, Reinhard & Biermayr, Peter, 2000. "The rebound effect for space heating Empirical evidence from Austria," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(6-7), pages 403-410, June.
    11. J. Daniel Khazzoom, 1980. "Economic Implications of Mandated Efficiency in Standards for Household Appliances," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 4), pages 21-40.
    12. Jerry A. Hausman, 1979. "Individual Discount Rates and the Purchase and Utilization of Energy-Using Durables," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 10(1), pages 33-54, Spring.
    13. Sorrell, Steve & Dimitropoulos, John & Sommerville, Matt, 2009. "Empirical estimates of the direct rebound effect: A review," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 1356-1371, April.
    14. Lucas W. Davis, 2008. "Durable goods and residential demand for energy and water: evidence from a field trial," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 39(2), pages 530-546, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Inoue, Nozomu & Matsumoto, Shigeru, 2019. "An examination of losses in energy savings after the Japanese Top Runner Program?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 312-319.
    2. Belaïd, Fateh & Youssef, Adel Ben & Lazaric, Nathalie, 2020. "Scrutinizing the direct rebound effect for French households using quantile regression and data from an original survey," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    3. Toroghi, Shahaboddin H. & Oliver, Matthew E., 2019. "Framework for estimation of the direct rebound effect for residential photovoltaic systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    4. Adha, Rishan & Hong, Cheng-Yih & Firmansyah, M. & Paranata, Ade, 2021. "Rebound effect with energy efficiency determinants: a two-stage analysis of residential electricity consumption in Indonesia," MPRA Paper 110444, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. David Font Vivanco & Jaume Freire‐González & Ray Galvin & Tilman Santarius & Hans Jakob Walnum & Tamar Makov & Serenella Sala, 2022. "Rebound effect and sustainability science: A review," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(4), pages 1543-1563, August.
    6. David Font Vivanco & Serenella Sala & Will McDowall, 2018. "Roadmap to Rebound: How to Address Rebound Effects from Resource Efficiency Policy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-17, June.
    7. Aydin, Erdal, 2016. "Energy conservation in the residential sector : The role of policy and market forces," Other publications TiSEM b9cedba8-1310-4097-90fb-b, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    8. Chen, Qian & Zha, Donglan & Wang, Lijun & Yang, Guanglei, 2022. "The direct CO2 rebound effect in households: Evidence from China's provinces," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    9. Benjamin Volland, 2016. "Efficiency in Domestic Space Heating: An Estimation of the Direct Rebound Effect for Domestic Heating in the U.S," IRENE Working Papers 16-01, IRENE Institute of Economic Research.
    10. Thomas, Brinda A. & Azevedo, Inês L., 2013. "Estimating direct and indirect rebound effects for U.S. households with input–output analysis Part 1: Theoretical framework," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 199-210.
    11. Vélez-Henao, Johan-Andrés & García-Mazo, Claudia-Maria & Freire-González, Jaume & Vivanco, David Font, 2020. "Environmental rebound effect of energy efficiency improvements in Colombian households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    12. Wang, Zhaohua & Lu, Milin & Wang, Jian-Cai, 2014. "Direct rebound effect on urban residential electricity use: An empirical study in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 124-132.
    13. Andersen, Kristoffer Steen & Wiese, Catharina & Petrovic, Stefan & McKenna, Russell, 2020. "Exploring the role of households’ hurdle rates and demand elasticities in meeting Danish energy-savings target," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    14. Louis-Gaëtan Giraudet & Antoine Missemer, 2023. "The History of Energy Efficiency in Economics: Breakpoints and Regularities," Post-Print halshs-02301636, HAL.
    15. Rocha, Felipe Freitas da & Almeida, Edmar Luiz Fagundes de, 2021. "A general equilibrium model of macroeconomic rebound effect: A broader view," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    16. Rabindra Nepal, Muhammad Indra al Irsyad, and Tooraj Jamasb, 2021. "Sectoral Electricity Demand and Direct Rebound Effects in New Zealand," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 4).
    17. Mier, Mathias & Weissbart, Christoph, 2020. "Power markets in transition: Decarbonization, energy efficiency, and short-term demand response," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    18. Wen, Fenghua & Ye, Zhengke & Yang, Huaidong & Li, Ke, 2018. "Exploring the rebound effect from the perspective of household: An analysis of China's provincial level," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 345-356.
    19. Freire González, Jaume, 2010. "Empirical evidence of direct rebound effect in Catalonia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 2309-2314, May.
    20. Martín Bordon Lesme & Jaume Freire-González & Emilio Padilla Rosa, 2020. "The Direct Rebound Effect of Electricity Energy Services in Spanish Households: Evidence from Error Correction Model and System GMM estimates," Working Papers wpdea2002, Department of Applied Economics at Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Energy saving behavior; Rebound effects; Energy air conditioner;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • Q55 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Technological Innovation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:envpol:v:24:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s10018-021-00316-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.