Rebound Effect Trips-up 'Cheap Gas Forever'

摘要

Energy economists like to use the term "rebound" to describe the phenomenon that results from technology or efficiency improvements that initially lead to lower costs of a commodity. These lower costs typically prompt greater demand— as has been happening with natural gas in recent years. It's an ironic result for certain advocacy groups that want to see a net reduction—not an increase—in consumption of fossil energy sources tarred as "dirty," or "unsustainable," or "cause global warming" or "exacerbate foreign energy dependence."