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The influence of energy efficiency on other natural resources use: An input-output perspective

Freire-González, J; Font Vivanco, D; (2017) The influence of energy efficiency on other natural resources use: An input-output perspective. Journal of Cleaner Production , 162 pp. 336-345. 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.06.050. Green open access

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Abstract

Energy efficiency improvements reduce the costs of energy services, and under some circumstances, increase the available income. This generates an additional increase of consumption of goods and services that need additional energy to be produced, distributed and consumed. This effect is known as the indirect rebound effect in the literature. However, beyond this additional increase of global energy consumption, there is also a variation of the use of other natural resources due to the same mechanism. This effect, which we label as direct and indirect cross rebound effect, is generally not considered by academia nor policy-making when designing and implementing energy policies. This research conceptualizes this effect, develops a methodology for its estimation and provides estimates for the Spanish economy. Results show that an energy efficiency in households could increase the use of minerals and water, while reducing the use of energy, fossil fuels and metal ores in Spain. These reductions, however, are lower than the expected ones from an input-output perspective, leading to positive direct and indirect cross rebound effects: between 64.6% and 74.7% for energy (equivalent to direct and indirect rebound effect); 48%–63% for fossil fuels. 84%–89% for metal ores; backfire for non-metallic minerals (147%–134%) and extreme backfire for water (1191%–1628%).

Type: Article
Title: The influence of energy efficiency on other natural resources use: An input-output perspective
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.06.050
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.06.050
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Energy efficiency, cross rebound effect, resource use, input-output
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10039404
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