Short answers, pulled from the story.
Energy economics is a scientific subject area that examines the supply and use of energy in societies, including the cost of energy services and the efficiency at which energy can be produced. It covers topics ranging from household energy decisions at the microeconomic level to resource management and environmental impacts at the macroeconomic level. The field draws on economics, engineering, geology, political science, and ecology.
The rebound effect describes the pattern in which improvements in energy efficiency produce less actual energy saving than expected, because people increase their use of the more efficient service. It has three sub-forms: the direct rebound (greater use of the improved service), the indirect rebound (savings get spent on other energy-consuming goods), and an economy-wide effect from broader demand increases.
The energy efficiency gap refers to the persistent difference between the level of energy efficiency that markets actually achieve and the optimal level a rational, fully informed decision-maker would choose. It arises from market failures, environmental externalities, and uncertainty about future energy prices, which discourage optimal investment in efficiency improvements.
Green nudges are government interventions, coined by Thaler and Sunstein in 2008, that reshape consumer choices without mandating them. An example is providing feedback on energy bills that shows households how their consumption compares to neighbours. They are designed to address behavioural anomalies that the energy efficiency gap framework did not fully account for.
The International Association for Energy Economics was founded in 1977, during the energy crisis. It has over 4,500 members worldwide across more than 100 countries, and operates more than 25 national chapters. It is incorporated under United States laws and is headquartered in Cleveland.
The IAEE publishes three regular publications: The Energy Journal, a quarterly academic journal; the Economics of Energy and Environmental Policy, a semi-annual publication; and the Energy Forum. The Energy Journal also presents the Campbell Watkins Best Paper Award annually.