This paper addresses energy efficiency, intended as a major component of firm’s economicsustainability and competitiveness. The study intends to explore the main barriers to energyefficiency for Italian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) according to the perspective of keyactors in the energy industry: energy suppliers, as well as technology and services suppliers (i.e.energy service companies). In addition, it intends to investigate possible relationships amongbarriers. A qualitative approach is adopted to analyze the data collected though 27 face-to-faceinterviews. The findings suggested three major recurring associations among barriers: 1) lowpriority of investment and lack of knowledge about profitability; 2) high costs of investments andlack of government incentives; and 3) lack of energy metering and difficulties in identifyingefficiency costs and benefits

Barriers To Energy Efficiency For Italian SMEs: The Suppliers’ Perspective

VIGOLO, Vania;TESTA, Federico
2015-01-01

Abstract

This paper addresses energy efficiency, intended as a major component of firm’s economicsustainability and competitiveness. The study intends to explore the main barriers to energyefficiency for Italian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) according to the perspective of keyactors in the energy industry: energy suppliers, as well as technology and services suppliers (i.e.energy service companies). In addition, it intends to investigate possible relationships amongbarriers. A qualitative approach is adopted to analyze the data collected though 27 face-to-faceinterviews. The findings suggested three major recurring associations among barriers: 1) lowpriority of investment and lack of knowledge about profitability; 2) high costs of investments andlack of government incentives; and 3) lack of energy metering and difficulties in identifyingefficiency costs and benefits
2015
978-9963-711-37-6
sustainability, energy efficiency, barriers, firms, energy suppliers, technology suppliers,services suppliers, energy service companies, SMEs
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11562/929687
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