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The ICT/electronics question: Structural change and the rebound effect

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  • Galvin, Ray

Abstract

ICT and related electronic appliances consumed 4% of global electrical energy in 2007, growing to 4.7% in 2012, with projections of continued increase in coming decades. This is despite an average annual increase in energy efficiency of about 30% in ICT/electronics throughout the last 5 decades. Mainstream studies of energy-related rebound effects have yet to produce a conceptual framework that adequately encapsulates a unique feature of ICT/electronics: its tendency to induce changes in social practice and socio-technical structures. This study attempts to fill this gap. Surveying rebound effect literature, it builds on studies which explore ‘transformational’ change caused by energy efficiency increases. It identifies structural changes in business, education, the military and households caused by energy efficiency increases in ICT/electronics, which lead to a proliferation of ICT/electronic devices and consequently increased energy consumption. It shows the cause-and-effect logic between energy efficiency and energy consumption in ICT/electronics, and tentatively estimates rebound effects ranging between 115% and 161% in eight diverse empirical examples. The history of ICT/electronics shows that energy efficiency increases inevitably lead to increases in energy consumption, hence firm controls on CO2e emission allowances may offer the best hope of curbing energy consumption and CO2e emissions in this sector.

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  • Galvin, Ray, 2015. "The ICT/electronics question: Structural change and the rebound effect," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 23-31.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:120:y:2015:i:c:p:23-31
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.08.020
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    Cited by:

    1. Szalavetz, Andrea, 2018. "Digitális átalakulás és fenntarthatóság. A technológiaoptimista környezetgazdászok és a pesszimista ökológiai közgazdászok közötti vita újraindítása [Digital transformation and environmental sustai," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(10), pages 1067-1088.
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    4. Lange, Steffen & Pohl, Johanna & Santarius, Tilman, 2020. "Digitalization and energy consumption. Does ICT reduce energy demand?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    5. Sun, Hongye & Kim, Giseung, 2021. "The composite impact of ICT industry on lowering carbon intensity: From the perspective of regional heterogeneity," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    6. Bakry, Walid & Nghiem, Xuan-Hoa & Farouk, Sherine & Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2023. "Does it hurt or help? Revisiting the effects of ICT on economic growth and energy consumption: A nonlinear panel ARDL approach," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 597-617.
    7. Ray Galvin, 2024. "How Not to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions: An Unbalanced Focus on Energy Efficiency in Germany’s Building Rehabilitation Policies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-20, September.
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    9. Huntington, Hillard G., 2024. "US gasoline response to vehicle fuel efficiency: A contribution to the direct rebound effect," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    10. Jia, Shanghui & Chen, Xinhui & Jin, Jiayu, 2024. "Digital disruption and energy efficiency: The impact of regional digitalization on China's industrial sector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
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    12. Yi Lin & Xin Qi & Lijuan Wang, 2024. "Digital Transformation and Carbon Intensity: Evidence from Chinese Tourism Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-22, October.
    13. Ruzzenenti, Franco & Basosi, Riccardo, 2017. "Modelling the rebound effect with network theory: An insight into the European freight transport sector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 272-283.
    14. Ying Ping & Zhuolin Li, 2024. "Is There a Digital Rebound in the Process of Urban Green Development? New Empirical Evidence Using Ensemble Learning Methods," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-32, May.
    15. Xu, Qiong & Zhong, Meirui & Li, Xin, 2022. "How does digitalization affect energy? International evidence," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    16. Sun, Xianming & Xiao, Shiyi & Ren, Xiaohang & Xu, Bing, 2023. "Time-varying impact of information and communication technology on carbon emissions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    17. Lin, Boqiang & Huang, Chenchen, 2023. "Nonlinear relationship between digitization and energy efficiency: Evidence from transnational panel data," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    18. Ahmadova, Gozal & Delgado-Márquez, Blanca L. & Pedauga, Luis E. & Leyva-de la Hiz, Dante I., 2022. "Too good to be true: The inverted U-shaped relationship between home-country digitalization and environmental performance," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    19. Ma, Jinjin & Yang, Lin & Wang, Donghan & Li, Yiming & Xie, Zuomiao & Lv, Haodong & Woo, Donghyup, 2024. "Digitalization in response to carbon neutrality: Mechanisms, effects and prospects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    20. Galvin, Ray, 2016. "Rebound effects from speed and acceleration in electric and internal combustion engine cars: An empirical and conceptual investigation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 207-216.
    21. Wang, Jiangquan & Nghiem, Xuan-Hoa & Jabeen, Fauzia & Luqman, Adeel & Song, Malin, 2023. "Integrated development of digital and energy industries: Paving the way for carbon emission reduction," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
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