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Energy-related behaviour and rebound when rationality, self-interest and willpower are limited

Nature Energy volume 6, pages 1104–1113 (2021)Cite this article

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An Author Correction to this article was published on 04 August 2022

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Abstract

The extent to which adopting energy-efficient technologies results in energy savings depends on how such technologies are used, and how monetary savings from energy efficiency are spent. Energy rebound occurs when potential energy savings are diminished due to post-adoption behaviour. Here we review empirical studies on how six behavioural regularities affect three energy-relevant decisions and ultimately rebound: adoption of energy-saving products or practices, their intensity of use and spending of associated monetary savings. The findings suggest that behaviours that reflect limited rationality and willpower may increase rebound, while the effects of behaviours driven by bounded self-interest are less clear. We then describe how interventions associated with each of the behavioural regularities can influence rebound and thus serve to achieve higher energy savings. Future research ought to study energy-relevant decisions in a more integrated manner, with a particular focus on re-spending as this presents the greatest challenge for research and policy.

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Fig. 1: Illustration of the three types of rebound.
Fig. 2: A schematic representation of the review.
Fig. 3: Dominant effects of behavioural regularities on energy-relevant decisions and rebound.
Fig. 4: Smart meter adapted to indicate the days left for the initial investment on house insulation to be paid back.

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Acknowledgements

This study has received funding through an ERC Advanced Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 741087).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Filippos Exadaktylos & Jeroen van den Bergh

  2. ICREA, Barcelona, Spain

    Jeroen van den Bergh

  3. School of Business and Economics and Institute for Environmental Studies, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jeroen van den Bergh

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  1. Filippos Exadaktylos
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  2. Jeroen van den Bergh
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Correspondence to Filippos Exadaktylos.

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Exadaktylos, F., van den Bergh, J. Energy-related behaviour and rebound when rationality, self-interest and willpower are limited. Nat Energy 6, 1104–1113 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-021-00889-4

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