This note is a part of my Zettelkasten. What is below might not be complete or accurate. It is also likely to change often.
31st July, 2020

Jevon's Paradox

Jevon's Paradox was first proposed by William Stanley Jevons when he observed that technological improvements to coal usage efficiency lead to an overall increase in consumption of coal.

He observed this when Watt's steam engine came into being but this can be seen in many different instances. Example: people who own more energy efficient cars tend to drive more than others.

This is because, increased efficiency lowers the resource consumption, hence lowering the cost. This can effect in two ways:

  • If the Rebound Effect due to reduced cost offsets the decrease in resource usage and results in a net increase.
  • Increased economic activity due to cheaper energy results in economic growth and leads to higher net energy consumption.