In this paper, we first present and discuss the basic logic underlying all neoclassical economic theories of “optimal” energy supply: maximization of the present value of some stream of economic returns. We then discuss how the economic theory of optimal resource depletion has evolved since...

Whether economic growth can be sustained in a finite natural world is one of the earliest and most enduring questions in economic literature. Even with unprecedented growth in human population and resource consumption, humans have been quite adept at finding solutions to the problem of scarce...

The cutoff grade problem arises when technological infeasibility or high cost prevents an extractive firm from exploiting a heterogeneous deposit in strict sequence. The optimal cutoff grade varies directly with anticipated changes in present value price. A stochastic price path induces a higher...

Nonrenewable resource theory often is summarized by Hotelling's rule. This paper reviews theoretical extensions and empirical investigations of resource extraction models. Observed data are often inconsistent with the Hotelling rule, suggesting that other characteristics of nonrenewable resource...

Recent papers have examined sustainability in overlapping generations models with a nonrenewable resource or a renewable resource with a fixed rate of regeneration. When the regeneration of the resource depends upon the resource stock, a competitive economy can generate a variety of outcomes,...