Jevons Paradox doesn’t always apply to software
When it comes to fighting climate change, I strongly believe that getting involved in politics is one of the most useful things you can do.
But given how energy-intensive software is these days, writing more efficient software also seems worth doing, especially if your software is used at scale.
However, whenever efficiency is brought up, Jevons Paradox rears its head.
Writing in the 19th century, Jevons pointed out that increased efficiency in the use of coal didn’t decrease the amount of coal used, it actually increased it.
As it became more cost-effective and more useful, coal ended up being used in far more places.
So what about software: will faster software result in more usage, completely undoing the energy-consumption benefits of efficiency?
Rebound effects, Jevons Paradox,