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Re-Identifying the Rebound: What About Asymmetry?

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  • Manuel Frondel
  • Colin Vance

Abstract

Rebound effects measure the behaviorally induced offset in the reduction of energy consumption following efficiency improvements. Using panel estimation methods and household travel diary data collected in Germany between 1997 and 2009, this study identifies the rebound effect in private transport by allowing for the possibility that fuel price elasticities—from which rebound effects can be derived—are asymmetric. This approach rests on empirical evidence suggesting that the response in individual travel demand to price increases is stronger than to decreases. We argue that such an asymmetric response would require referencing price elasticities derived from price decreases in order to identify the rebound effect, as it represents the response to a decrease in unit cost for car travel due to improved fuel efficiency. Failing to reject the null hypothesis of a symmetric price response, we alternatively estimate a reversible specification and obtain a rebound estimate for single-vehicle households being in the range of 46 to 70%, which is in line with an earlier German study by Frondel, Peters, and Vance (2008).

Suggested Citation

  • Manuel Frondel & Colin Vance, 2013. "Re-Identifying the Rebound: What About Asymmetry?," The Energy Journal, , vol. 34(4), pages 43-54, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:enejou:v:34:y:2013:i:4:p:43-54
    DOI: 10.5547/01956574.34.4.3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Adeyemi, Olutomi I. & Broadstock, David C. & Chitnis, Mona & Hunt, Lester C. & Judge, Guy, 2010. "Asymmetric price responses and the underlying energy demand trend: Are they substitutes or complements? Evidence from modelling OECD aggregate energy demand," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 1157-1164, September.
    2. Joshua D. Angrist & Jörn-Steffen Pischke, 2009. "Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricist's Companion," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 8769.
    3. Adeyemi, Olutomi I. & Hunt, Lester C., 2007. "Modelling OECD industrial energy demand: Asymmetric price responses and energy-saving technical change," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 693-709, July.
    4. Frondel, Manuel & Vance, Colin, 2010. "Fixed, random, or something in between? A variant of Hausman's specification test for panel data estimators," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 107(3), pages 327-329, June.
    5. Dermot Gately & Hillard G. Huntington, 2002. "The Asymmetric Effects of Changes in Price and Income on Energy and Oil Demand," The Energy Journal, , vol. 23(1), pages 19-55, January.
    6. Manuel Frondel & Colin Vance, 2010. "Fixed, Random, or Something in Between? – A Variant of HAUSMAN’s Specifi cation Test for Panel Data Estimators," Ruhr Economic Papers 0160, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
    7. repec:zbw:rwirep:0160 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Severin Borenstein & A. Colin Cameron & Richard Gilbert, 1997. "Do Gasoline Prices Respond Asymmetrically to Crude Oil Price Changes?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(1), pages 305-339.
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    Cited by:

    1. Frondel, Manuel, 2024. "Die hohen unbekannten CO2-Vermeidungskosten ordnungsrechtlicher Klimaschutzmaßnahmen: Empirische Beispiele aus Deutschland und Europa," RWI Materialien 168, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung.
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    3. Alpizar, Francisco & Carlsson, Fredrik & Lanza, Gracia, 2024. "On the perils of environmentally friendly alternatives," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).

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