The Economics of Energy and the Production Process

The economics of energy has been a contested issue over the past century. Although it has not figured prominently in mainstream economics, numerous alternative proposals have called for energy to play a more central role in economic theory. In this highly original and enlightening volume, Guido Buenstorf develops a new conceptual approach to the economics of energy which originates from recent advances in evolutionary economics.The book proposes a non-reductionist, evolutionary approach to the economics of energy and sets out by asking how energy use in production contributes to the use value of goods. Based on a sequential production framework, the author re-interprets the notion of factors of production, identifies long-term patterns of change in energy use, and highlights the role of technical interdependence in adopting new energy technologies. This approach is then applied to three historical cases of energy innovation: the transition from wood to coal, the introduction of the steam engine, and the electrification of industrial production. Academics and researchers in the fields of evolutionary economics, ecological economics and innovation will welcome this fresh and illuminating interpretation of the economics of energy and its role in the process of production.