The “energy rebound effect” within the framework of environmental sustainability

Abstract

The energy rebound effect, characterized by increasing energy use despite enhanced efficiency, has emerged as a complex interdisciplinary topic in the literature, reflecting its significance in both production and consumption sustainability. Recognizing the pivotal role of academic research in shaping energy management strategies and policies, this study conducted a comprehensive bibliometric review, accessing 530 articles from major citation indexes. This analysis provides insights into the evolution of the energy rebound field and potential future directions. Understanding the existing literature on the rebound effect serves as a valuable foundation for forthcoming research endeavors, addressing the intricate challenge of reconciling energy efficiency with sustainable energy consumption and production. The review explores the extensive literature on the energy rebound effect, highlighting a predominant focus on residential (e.g., cooling, heating, lighting, transportation) and industrial energy consumption in the majority of studies. Empirical applications primarily emphasize the measurement of the energy rebound effect, with a notable trend of increasing research concentration in China in recent years. Additionally, there is a growing body of economy‐wide analyses in this field. However, the literature exhibits complexity in both the analyses conducted and the methods employed for measuring the rebound effect. Research gaps are apparent, numerous studies tend to concentrate solely on the rebound effect at the overall energy consumption level, neglecting variations in energy types and the behavioral patterns of economic actors. Furthermore, despite consistent findings of a higher rebound effect in developing nations, there is a noticeable lack of scholarly literature addressing this issue about these countries.This article is categorized under: Sustainable Energy > Energy Efficiency Human and Social Dimensions > Behavioral Science Policy and Economics > Governance and Regulation