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Seven Centuries of Energy Services: The Price and Use of Light in the United Kingdom (1300-2000)
Abstract and Figures
Before the mid-eighteenth century, most people lived in near-complete darkness except in the presence of sunlight and moonlight. Since then, the provision of artificial light has been revolutionised by a series of innovations in appliances, fuels, infrastructures and institutions that have enabled the growing demands of economic development for artificial light to be met at dramatically lower costs: by the year 2000, while United Kingdom GDP per capita was 15 times its 1800 value, lighting services cost less than one three thousandth of their 1800 value, per capita use was 6,500 times greater and total lighting consumption was 25,000 times higher than in 1800. The economic history of light shows how focussing on developments in energy service provision rather than simply on energy use and prices can reveal the ÔtrueÕ declines in costs, enhanced levels of consumption and welfare gains that have been achieved. While emphasising the value of past experience, the paper also warns against the dangers of over-reliance on past trends for the long-run forecasting of energy consumption given the potential for the introduction of new technologies and fuels, and for rebound and saturation effects.
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... ver the past few centuries, the total installed lighting devices have increased rapidly with the growing human activity [1], leading to a continuous rise in the overall Nighttime Light (NTL) intensity in most countries in recent years [2]. Nighttime light remote sensing allows us to monitor the intensity and changes of surface NTL from a space perspective on a large scale. ...
... In the field of remote sensing, downscaling algorithms can be categorized as follows: (1) Interpolation-based spatial prediction downscaling methods (e.g., inverse distance weighting interpolation [29]). (2) Regression modeling downscaling methods (e.g., various statistical and machine learning models including neural networks [30], and geographically weighted regression (GWR) [31]). ...
... The proposed loss function simultaneously minimizes the prediction differences at 260 m and 130 m resolutions, as defined in (4) -(6). 1 , , 11 , ...
Global-scale remotely sensed nighttime light (NTL) data, such as the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership with the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (NPP/VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB) NTL data, has been widely applied across multiple disciplines. However, its broader application is still limited by its coarse spatial resolution. We proposed the NTL Conditional Multi-Scale Downscaling Model (NTL-CMDM) for downscaling NPP/VIIRS DNB. The model uses multi-source scale factors as conditional constraints, progressively integrating NTL and scale factors to downscale NPP/VIIRS DNB from 500 m to 130 m using data from 201 Chinese cities. The downscaled results were validated against the 130 m Loujia1-01 suggest that the NTL data quality was improved after downscaling, yielding higher the coefficient of determination (R: 0.407 vs. 0.702) and lower root-mean-square error (RMSE: 7.020 vs. 26.424 nWcm-2sr-1) values than those of the original NPP/VIIRS DNB. The downscaled results exhibit richer NTL feature details and show similarity to Luojia-1-01. More importantly, the downscaling enhances the accuracy of NTL statistical metrics, improving illuminated area by 10.23% and radiance estimation by 6.12%. Furthermore, the usability of the downscaled results was assessed by estimating county-level GDP. The GDP estimates based on the downscaled data were superior to those from the original NPP/VIIRS DNB data and consistent with the estimates obtained from Luojia1-01. Lastly, generalization ability test using different algorithms in multiple cities demonstrate that NTL-CMDM is robust to cities with different NTL structures. The study verifies the practicability of employing deep learning methods to downscale NTL data, providing a feasible pathway for acquiring high-resolution NTL data over an expanded area.
... It provides our societies with an unprecedented freedom from the natural illumination cycles, enabling the extension of human activities into night-time and the use during the day of many indoor spaces lacking enough natural light. A long and rich history of technological breakthroughs enabled the production and control of ever-increasing amounts of light since ancient times [1], a process intensely accelerated in the past centuries [2,3]. The industrial supply of artificial light is nowadays an integral feature of many societies, and its widespread availability is so taken for granted that lighting has become part of the 'invisible infrastructures' [4,5], essential for everyday life but whose existence is properly noted only if (and when) they fail. ...
... R. Soc. B 378: 20220352 larger amounts of emitted light (via the extension of the illuminated surface, the number of users and the new uses of light), and in the long run to net increases in energy consumption [2], a rebound associated with the reduction of the effective price of light [114]. The present process of deployment of solid-state lighting provides no compelling reason for expecting a different outcome. ...
Light pollution is the alteration of the natural levels of darkness by an increased concentration of light particles in the night-time environment, resulting from human activity. Light pollution is profoundly changing the night-time environmental conditions across wide areas of the planet, and is a relevant stressor whose effects on life are being unveiled by a compelling body of research. In this paper, we briefly review the basic aspects of artificial light at night as a pollutant, describing its character, magnitude and extent, its worldwide distribution, its temporal and spectral change trends, as well as its dependence on current light production technologies and prevailing social uses of light. It is shown that the overall effects of light pollution are not restricted to local disturbances, but give rise to a global, multiscale disruption of the night-time environment.
This article is part of the theme issue ‘Light pollution in complex ecological systems’.
... The cost of lighting from 1800 to 2000 fell by a factor of 3,300, while efficiency increased 700 times [9]. Over the last 50 years, the cost of information, data storage, and computation fell more than any other commodity in human history. ...
Cold fusion will lower the cost of energy because:
The fuel costs far less than any other.1
Generators will be optimized for low cost.
It can be decentralized with no distribution grid.
With a decentralized system, consumers will purchase their own home generator instead of using electric power company
equipment. Subtracting the cost of power company equipment and fuel, and adding in the cost of the home generator, cold fusion should reduce the cost of energy by a factor of 21.
Ultimately, the cost of generators is likely to fall by a factor of ~200, from 10/kW, which is the cost difference between a power company generator and a mass produced automobile engine. I wrote a paper about this in 2016 [1]. This is an expanded look at the subject.
... This extension of activities into the night and the facilitation of indoor spaces lacking sufficient natural light during the day are contributions of artificial lighting. Over the course of history, numerous technological advancements have made the production and control of light increasingly achievable [1], a trend that has accelerated in recent centuries [2,3]. Presently, the widespread availability of artificial light is a cornerstone of many societies [4], with its pervasive use so ingrained that lighting has evolved into an "invisible infrastructure" [5,6]. ...
Light pollution imposes significant and far-reaching adverse effects on human society, necessitating its stringent regulation. However, intervention policies could be customized to suit the unique characteristics of each region, taking into account local conditions. To address this challenge, we have developed a comprehensive light pollution risk assessment model using a combination of objective and subjective weighting methods, including analytic hierarchy process (AHP), independent weighting method (IWM), entropy weight method (EWM), coefficient of variation (CV), criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC), and principal component analysis (PCA). This model facilitates a systematic evaluation of light pollution risk levels across diverse regions in China. Subsequently, we have proposed intervention policies targeting light pollution risk reduction and assessed their efficacy using the synthetic control method. Our findings reveal elevated light pollution risk levels in coastal and mountainous regions with heightened concentrations closer to urban centers. Strategies focused on enhancing lighting hardware, optimizing lighting schedules, and upgrading light sources demonstrated the impact on reducing light pollution risk levels (LPRL). This study not only lays a solid theoretical foundation for assessing urban light pollution risks but furnishes empirical evidence to aid relevant authorities in formulating effective light pollution control strategies.
... During that time biomass was the only means of energy whether it is domestic or commercial. Mostly gases were utilized for lighting purpose (Fouquet and Pearson, 2006). As times passed, modification came in gasifiers and gradually they were used for the manufacture of more useful gaseous products that were further utilized to power the cars in late 0930's. ...
Large effluents including harmful pollutants like personal care products,
surfactants, dyes, heavy metals, pesticides, industrial, and pharmaceuticals from
agricultural, as well as the resources of the municipal into the water streams
have damaged the world's water supply. Water contamination and its
management have become a growing problem throughout the world. In current
years, the extraordinary efforts were been undertaken for addressing the
difficulties associated with wastewater treatment. For the treatment of
wastewater, a number of approaches, including chemical ones like
electrochemical oxidation and Fenton oxidation, the physical ones such as
membrane filtration and adsorption, as well as many biological ones, were been
recognized. In order to eliminate diverse water contaminants, this abstract
conveys insights into the current research advancements in various treatment
strategies. Research holes have also been found in a variety of approaches to
comprehending critical elements that are crucial for large- or pilot-scale
systems. On the basis of this analysis, it may be concluded that, among all other
technologies now in use, adsorption is a straightforward, long-term, affordable,
and environmentally beneficial method for treating wastewater. The integrated
process still requires additional study and development, optimization, and
practical application for a variety of applications.
... During the twentieth century, the overall energy consumption associated with outdoor lighting increased remarkably, despite increases in the luminous efficiency of light sources ( Jevons paradox) 134 . For example, although luminous efficacy in the UK doubled between 1950 and 2000, per capita electricity consumption for lighting increased fourfold 135 . Continued reductions in the cost of light could lead to an increase in light emissions throughout the twenty-first century 136 , but careful lighting design and new technologies (for instance, lighting on demand 137 ) will allow light to be used more precisely. ...
... During the twentieth century, the overall energy consumption associated with outdoor lighting increased remarkably, despite increases in the luminous efficiency of light sources ( Jevons paradox) 134 . For example, although luminous efficacy in the UK doubled between 1950 and 2000, per capita electricity consumption for lighting increased fourfold 135 . Continued reductions in the cost of light could lead to an increase in light emissions throughout the twenty-first century 136 , but careful lighting design and new technologies (for instance, lighting on demand 137 ) will allow light to be used more precisely. ...
Light pollution has increased globally, with 80% of the total population now living under light-polluted skies. In this Review, we elucidate the scope and importance of light pollution and discuss techniques to monitor it. In urban areas, light emissions from sources such as street lights lead to a zenith radiance 40 times larger than that of an unpolluted night sky. Non-urban areas account for over 50% of the total night-time light observed by satellites, with contributions from sources such as transportation networks and resource extraction. Artificial light can disturb the migratory and reproductive behaviours of animals even at the low illuminances from diffuse skyglow. Additionally, lighting (indoor and outdoor) accounts for 20% of global electricity consumption and 6% of CO2 emissions, leading to indirect environmental impacts and a financial cost. However, existing monitoring techniques can only perform a limited number of measurements throughout the night and lack spectral and spatial resolution. Therefore, satellites with improved spectral and spatial resolution are needed to enable time series analysis of light pollution trends throughout the night.
... Artificial light at night (ALAN) is increasingly disrupting natural light cycles, with profound consequences for ecosystems across the globe [1]. Over the last century, ALAN has been steadily increasing due to the rise of electrical lighting [2], posing an unprecedented threat to natural ecosystems. While artificial light provides many benefits to humans, it also disrupts natural light/dark cycles, causing changes in the behaviour [3,4], distribution [5], physiology and survival of species [6,7]. ...
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a growing threat to coastal habitats, and is likely to exacerbate the impacts of other stressors. Kelp forests are dominant habitats on temperate reefs but are declining due to ocean warming and overgrazing. We tested the independent and interactive effects of ALAN (dark versus ALAN) and warming (ambient versus warm) on grazing rates and gonad index of the sea urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii. Within these treatments, urchins were fed either ‘fresh’ kelp or ‘treated’ kelp. Treated kelp (Ecklonia radiata) was exposed to the same light and temperature combinations as urchins. We assessed photosynthetic yield, carbon and nitrogen content and C : N ratio of treated kelp to help identify potential drivers behind any effects on urchins. Grazing increased with warming and ALAN for urchins fed fresh kelp, and increased with warming for urchins fed treated kelp. Gonad index was higher in ALAN/ambient and dark/warm treatments compared to dark/ambient treatments for urchins fed fresh kelp. Kelp carbon content was higher in ALAN/ambient treatments than ALAN/warm treatments at one time point. This indicates ocean warming and ALAN may increase urchin grazing pressure on rocky reefs, an important finding for management strategies.
The material scope of the analysis in the text encompasses theoretical aspects of the processes and changes in the energy sector, referred to as energy transitions or transformations. Next to the theoretical aspects of the processes and changes in social sciences, the analysis includes a cross-sectional approach to the accomplishments of the studies of the energy transition and transformation in the literature. A selection of assumptions and categories in the studies is used in the synthetic study of the processes and changes in the energy sector, as exemplified by Poland. In order to elaborate the objective scope of the analysis, the following research questions have been presented in the text: (1) Which one of the factors, within the group of factors, substantially influences the speed of the processes and changes in the energy industry in Poland?, (2) Which one of the factors, within the group of factors, substantially influences the shutting off of the paths leading to processes and changes in the energy industry in Poland? Therefore, one can recognise that the content and essence of the questions fall within the compass of the issues addressed by various approaches within social studies of technology, as focused on the substitution of energy technologies and carriers. The theoretical and methodological framework in the text is provided by the assumptions and categories originated by, inter alia, the following researchers: S. Huntington (with regard to the analogy with political transitions), F.W. Geels and J. Schot (with regard to the typology of technological transitions in the approach of Multi-level Perspective), and A. Cherp, V. Vinichenko, J. Jewell, E. Brutschin and B. K. Sovacool (with regard to the integrative and meta-theoretical approach to a variety of directions in the studies of energy transition). - ROSICKI Remigiusz, ROSICKI Grzegorz (2022), The scenarios of energy transitions and transformations as exemplified by Poland, [in:] Ł. Wojcieszak (ed.), Bezpieczeństwo energetyczne Polski na początku trzeciej dekady XXI w., FNCE: Poznań, pp. 183–215.
This article is a contribution to the debate on the significance of the principle of laissez-faire for nineteenth-century government based on a detailed analysis of the London gas industry. It argues against the accepted viewpoint that the gas industry moved from a period of free competition among companies in the early years to an era of monopoly, government regulation and municipal ownership as a result of a mid-century change in public opinion, a growing civic consciousness, and a progressive acceptance of collectivist ideology. Instead it maintains that the fortunes of the gas industry can only be satisfactorily explained by the economic changes within the industry itself. Indeed, these changes may have altered political opinion and policy rather than the reverse. Although Parliament was prepared from the start to intervene in the industry this had no more effect by the end of the period than it had at the beginning. Growing municipalization also had no influence on the operation of the gas industry and should be seen simply as the replacement of private with ratepayer investment.
What happens when a radically-new fuel or technology transforms the energy system? How does the energy system evolve at different stages of economic development? What are the implications for people’s lives and their environment? Building on an award-winning article, in this exciting book Roger Fouquet investigates the impacts of technological innovations and economic development over the last seven hundred years on our ability to provide heat, power, transport and light. Using a unique data set, collected over a decade, the analysis identifies the forces driving revolutions in energy services. It highlights the tendency of markets to produce ever-cheaper energy services, which in turn incite greater energy consumption. It also examines how these revolutions affect people’s well-being and the environment. The framework, analysis and insights in this book offer an original perspective on future energy markets, transitions to low-carbon economies and strategies for addressing climate change.
Heat, Power and Light is an invaluable and unique contribution to this profoundly important topic. As such it will appeal to a wide audience of energy economists, climate change analysts, policymakers, economic and technology historians and economists more broadly.