Time-saving innovations and their impact on energy use: some lessons from a household-production-function approach

Mathias Binswanger

International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy, 2004, vol. 2, issue 3, 209-218

Abstract: This paper highlights a specific aspect of time allocation within households: the impact of time-saving technological progress on time use as well as on energy use for non-productive activities. It shows that, under standard assumptions, time-saving technological progress causes a feedback on time use (a rebound effect). If the feedback is strong, households may not save any time at all although they constantly invest in time-saving devices. Moreover, innovations of a time-saving nature tend to have a substantial impact on energy consumption. When the opportunity costs of time (the wage rate) are high and energy prices are low, time-saving innovations are also likely to increase energy consumption.

Keywords: household production; time allocation; time-saving innovations; rebound effect; energy use; energy consumption. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2004
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijetpo:v:2:y:2004:i:3:p:209-218

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