Rebound Renewables

Abstract

In an attempt to better understand the effects of renewable energy as it continues to grow in preference, this capstone will focus on Southern Arizona - primarily the Tucson area. Arizona has an arid environment, with an abundance of sunshine making it the ideal location to utilize solar power. As more people realize the potential of renewable energy, a new problem begins to emerge. This capstone explored how the effectivity and efficiency of renewable energy can create a rebound effect. Through the use of qualitative and quantitative data, a strong positive correlation was found that shows that consumers use more energy after switching to renewable energy than before. The study also found that there is a contradiction between how people perceive themselves in terms of environmental consciousness versus how environmentally conscious they behave.