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Technology and Energy Substitution: A Path toward Climate Change Mitigation

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Abstract

Mitigating climate change is critically linked to reducing an economy’s reliance on fossil energy. This paper examines U.S. energy dependence, measured by its factor share, using a neoclassical framework systematically. We present the degree of substitution between different factors of production as a simple, explicit mechanism for climate change mitigation and for interpreting energy-saving technical change. With time varying capital equipment-energy substitutability, changes in observed factor quantities alone can account for most of the variations in the income share of energy over 1963-2019. Advancing capital equipment access and quality and integrating the dynamic substitutability between energy and equipment into the design of climate policies can help economies achieve environmental goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Nida Çakır Melek & Musa Orak, 2023. "Technology and Energy Substitution: A Path toward Climate Change Mitigation," Research Working Paper RWP 23-15, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, revised 02 Aug 2024.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedkrw:97654
    DOI: 10.18651/RWP2023-15
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John Hassler & Per Krusell & Conny Olovsson, 2021. "Directed Technical Change as a Response to Natural Resource Scarcity," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 129(11), pages 3039-3072.
    2. David Domeij & Lars Ljungqvist, 2019. "Public Sector Employment and the Skill Premium: Sweden versus the United States 1970–2012," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 121(1), pages 3-31, January.
    3. Linnea Polgreen & Pedro Silos, 2008. "Capital-Skill Complementarity and Inequality: A Sensitivity Analysis," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 11(2), pages 302-313, April.
    4. Kenneth Gillingham & James H. Stock, 2018. "The Cost of Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 32(4), pages 53-72, Fall.
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    Cited by:

    1. Känzig, Diego R. & Williamson, Charles, 2024. "Unraveling the drivers of energy-saving technical change," Working Paper Series 2984, European Central Bank.
    2. Òscar Jordà & Fernanda Nechio & Toan Phan & Felipe Schwartzman, 2026. "Financial Conditions and Capital Investment Choices," Working Paper Series 2026-05, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E13 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Neoclassical
    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production
    • E25 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Aggregate Factor Income Distribution
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices
    • Q42 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Alternative Energy Sources
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q55 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Technological Innovation

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