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On the rebound: estimating direct rebound effects for Australian households

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  • Peters, Bianca
  • McWhinnie, Stephanie F.

Abstract

Reducing dependence on fossil fuels by decreasing energy consumption is a common environmental policy. One mechanism used to achieve this is to encourage increased energy efficiency. However, improving efficiency may have an opposing effect and cause an increase in energy consumption if the intensity of use changes. This phenomenon is known as the rebound effect. We estimate direct rebound effects for energy use in Australia based on both aggregate residential energy use data and on household energy expenditure data. Our approach implements a new methodology developed by Hunt and Ryan (2014, Catching on the rebound: Why price elasticities are generally inappropriate measures of rebound effects. Surrey Energy Economics Discussion Paper Series SEEDS 148; 2015, Energy Economics 50, 273) that explicitly relates energy service use with energy source demand and directly incorporates measures of efficiency changes. The results indicate that the rebound effect is relatively high for energy use by Australian households. Due to the unique nature of our household data set, we can examine the influence of demographic and housing characteristics. We find that lowincome households and households with vulnerable members have the largest rebound effects. The relatively large rebound effects found here suggest that consumers gain from efficiency by improved energy services, and thus, policy targeting energy efficiency is not likely to be successful at reducing energy consumption.

Suggested Citation

  • Peters, Bianca & McWhinnie, Stephanie F., 2018. "On the rebound: estimating direct rebound effects for Australian households," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 62(1), January.
  • Handle: RePEc:ags:aareaj:313562
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.313562
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hunt, Lester C. & Ryan, David L., 2015. "Economic modelling of energy services: Rectifying misspecified energy demand functions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 273-285.
    2. Gibson, John & Kim, Bonggeun, 2013. "Quality, Quantity, and Nutritional Impacts of Rice Price Changes in Vietnam," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 329-340.
    3. Fan, Shu & Hyndman, Rob J., 2011. "The price elasticity of electricity demand in South Australia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 3709-3719, June.
    4. Deaton, Angus S & Muellbauer, John, 1980. "An Almost Ideal Demand System," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 70(3), pages 312-326, June.
    5. Lester C Hunt & David L Ryan, 2014. "Catching on the Rebound: Why Price Elasticities are Generally Inappropriate Measures of Rebound Effects," Surrey Energy Economics Centre (SEEC), School of Economics Discussion Papers (SEEDS) 148, Surrey Energy Economics Centre (SEEC), School of Economics, University of Surrey.
    6. 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.
    7. McKelvey, Christopher, 2011. "Price, unit value, and quality demanded," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(2), pages 157-169, July.
    8. Gibson, John & Kim, Bonggeun, 2019. "Quality, quantity, and spatial variation of price: Back to the bog," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 66-77.
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    Cited by:

    1. Galvin, Ray, 2024. "The economic losses of energy-efficiency renovation of Germany's older dwellings: The size of the problem and the financial challenge it presents," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    2. Wang, Lijun & Zha, Donglan & O’Mahony, Tadhg & Zhou, Dequn, 2023. "Energy efficiency lags and welfare boons: Understanding the rebound and welfare effects through China's urban households," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    3. Hendrik Schmitz and Reinhard Madlener, 2020. "Direct and Indirect Energy Rebound Effects in German Households: A Linearized Almost Ideal Demand System Approach," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 5), pages 89-118.

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