Promoting energy conservation in small and medium-sized companies

Gruber, Edelgard; Brand, Michael

doi:10.1016/0301-4215(91)90152-e

Cited by 91 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…Also, the lack of confidence in governmental sponsored energy audits together with the high trust in the Swedish Foundry Association seem to indicate that campaigns such as sponsored energy audits are more effective if carried out by other more trusted actors than government associations. Similar results were found in other countries and sectors (de Groot et al, 2001;Gruber and Brand, 1991;Stern and Aronsson, 1984).…”

Section: Concluding Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Barriers to and drivers for energy efficiency in the Swedish foundry industry

Rohdin

Thollander

Solding³

2007

Energy Policy

266

267

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Despite the need for increased industrial energy efficiency, studies indicate that cost-efficient energy conservation measures are not always implemented, explained by the existence of barriers to energy efficiency. This paper investigates the existence of different barriers to and driving forces for the implementation of energy efficiency measures in the energy intensive Swedish foundry industry. The overall results from a questionnaire show that limited access to capital constitutes by far the largest barrier to energy efficiency according to the respondents. A comparison between group owned and privately owned foundries shows that, except for limited access to capital, they face different high-ranked barriers. While barriers within group owned companies are more related to organizational problems, barriers within private foundries are more related to information problems. This study also found that energy consultants or other actors working with energy issues in foundries are of major importance in overcoming the largest barriers, as the foundries consider them trustworthy. They may thus help the 2 foundries overcome organisational problems such as lack of sub-metering and lack of budget funds by quantifying potential energy efficiency investments. The two, by far, most important drivers were found to be people with real ambition and longterm energy strategies.

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Section: Concluding Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Barriers to and drivers for energy efficiency in the Swedish foundry industry

Rohdin

Thollander

Solding³

2007

Energy Policy

266

267

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“…Gruber and Brand (1991) observed in an empirical study covering 500 small and medium-sized German companies from a total of eight different industries that less than 50% of the surveyed firms conduct a systematic economic calculation to determine the return on investment (ROI). The average required payback period for those companies that perform investment calculations was at that point of time about four years.…”

Section: Implementation/operationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy management in industry – a systematic review of previous findings and an integrative conceptual framework

Schulze

Nehler

Ottosson

et al. 2016

Journal of Cleaner Production

316

277

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Current research points to a large energy efficiency potential in industry which is still left unexploited. One of the most promising means of reducing energy consumption and related energy costs is implementing an energy management. This paper provides a systematic review of existing academic journal publications on energy management in industry. Five essential key elements of an energy management based on overarching themes are identified within the body of literature (strategy/planning, implementation/operation, controlling, organization and culture) and the specific findings relating to each key element are synthesized. Subsequently a conceptual framework of an energy management is developed which illustrates that a comprehensive approach is necessary in order to effectively exploit the existing energy efficiency potential. Finally implications for further research are described.

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“…However, both policy documents and the academic literature state that cost-effective energy measures are not always implemented. This discrepancy between optimal and actual implementation is often referred to as the energy efficiency gap, which has been illustrated and examined in multiple academic articles (e.g., York et al, 1978;Blumstein et al, 1980;Stern and Aronsson, 1984;Hirst and Brown, 1990;Gruber and Brand, 1991;Stern, 1992;DeCanio, 1993;Jaffe and Stavins, 1994;Sanstad and Howarth, 1994;Weber, 1997;Ostertag, 1999;Sorrell et al, 2000;Brown, 2001;de Groot et al, 2001;Schleich, 2004;Sorrell et al, 2004;Thollander, 2006, Thollander et al, 2007;Rohdin et al, 2007;Thollander and Ottosson, 2008;Schleich and Gruber, 2008;Sardianou, 2008;Hasanbeigi et al, 2010;Fleiter et al, 2011;Trianni and Cagno, 2011;Chai and Yeo, 2012). One of the most cited of these articles is by Jaffe and Stavins (1994), who explain the gap and how its extent differs depending on the definition of energy efficiency potential used and the perspective addressed.…”

Section: The Energy Efficiency Gapmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extending the energy efficiency gap

et al. 2012

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In order to reach the EU: s 20-20-20 primary energy savings target, energy efficiency needs to increase. Previous research on energy use and energy efficiency has focused mainly on the diffusion of energy efficient technologies. The discrepancy between optimal and actual implementation of energy efficient technologies has been illustrated in numerous articles and is often referred to as the energy efficiency gap. However, efficient technologies are not the only ways to increase energy efficiency. Empirical studies have found that a cost-effective way to improve energy efficiency is to combine investments in energy-efficient technologies with continuous energy management practices. By including energy management into an estimated energy efficiency potential this paper introduces 2 an extended energy efficiency gap, mainly in manufacturing industries and the commercial sector.The inclusion of energy management components in future energy policy will play an important role if the energy savings targets for 2020, and later 2050, are to be met in the EU.

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Promoting energy conservation in small and medium-sized companies

Cited by 91 publications

References 1 publication

Barriers to and drivers for energy efficiency in the Swedish foundry industry

Barriers to and drivers for energy efficiency in the Swedish foundry industry

Energy management in industry – a systematic review of previous findings and an integrative conceptual framework

Extending the energy efficiency gap

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