A historical perspective on energy innovation: energy transitions, efficiency improvements, rebound effects, and consumer welfare impacts

Roger Fouquet

Chapter 2 in Handbook of Energy Innovation, 2026, pp 10-35 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The chapter offers a historical perspective on energy innovation, which is important given how innovation often takes decades to unfold. Two types of historical innovation are discussed: first, transitions in energy sources and their associated technologies; and second, improvements in energy efficiency. Historical energy transitions were often driven by the adoption of new technologies in the pursuit of more affordable and better energy services. Long-term improvements in energy efficiency were the result of technical refinements or better operational management of the service provision. These improvements have led to rebound effects, although they have tended to decrease with economic development. Estimates indicate that while they take decades to accrue, consumers have substantially benefited from energy innovations. However, those benefits have not been shared equally – with the rich having benefited far more than the less affluent but also responsible for a disproportionate share of the environmental damage caused. Finally, the chapter notes the importance of timing in energy innovation and of synergies across technologies and industries, which will be key to successful investment and policy design in the future.

Keywords: History; Technological Development; Energy Transitions; Energy Efficiency; Rebound Effects (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035310401
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