Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Barriers to Energy Efficiency: Theoretical Baseline, Previous Research, and Methodological Approaches

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Improving Energy Efficiency in Industrial Energy Systems

Abstract

In this chapter, we will discuss earlier research into the often acknowledged “energy efficiency gap.” This concept refers to the assumption that though technologies, methods, and processes exist for reducing energy use in industry, barriers hinder their implementation. To reduce the energy efficiency gap, researchers have defined and analyzed barriers identified in industry. Studies classify these barriers in various ways; here, we will discuss a categorization of these barriers as market failure, nonmarket failure, behavioral, and organizational barriers. This chapter also deals with the major research design approaches used in barrier research and cites examples from studies of barriers. We also believe that structural barriers, unrelated to the site level, as well as energy services must be considered when discussing the energy efficiency gap and how to resolve the gap.

Part of this chapter was previously published in an earlier version in Thollander et al. (2010a, b).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bertoldi P, Rezessy S, Bürer MJ (2005) Will emission trading promote end-use energy efficiency and renewable energy projects? In: Proceedings of the 2005 ACEEE summer study on energy efficiency in industry “Cutting High Costs of Energy”, vol 4. American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, pp 1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Beer S (1981) Brain of the firm: the managerial cybernetics of organization. Wiley, Chichester

    Google Scholar 

  • Blumstein C, Krieg B, Schipper L, York CM (1980) Overcoming social and institutional barriers to energy conservation. Energy 5:355–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown MA (2001) Market failures and barriers as a basis for clean energy policies. Energy Policy 29:1197–1207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bryman A (2001) Social research methods. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Cebon PB (1992) Twixt cup and lip: organizational behavior, technical prediction and conservation practice. Energy Policy 20(9):802–814

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Groot H, Verhoef E, Nijkamp P (2001) Energy saving by firms: decision-making, barriers and policies. Energy Econ 23:717–740

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeCanio S (1993) Barriers within firms to energy efficient investments. Energy Policy 9:906–914

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EC (European Commission) (2006) Communication from the commission. Action plan for energy efficiency: realizing the potential. COM, 545 final

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleiter T, Worrell E, Eichhammer W (2011) Barriers to energy efficiency in industrial bottom-up energy demand models—a review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 15:3099–3111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forester JW (1965) Industrial dynamics. MIT Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Gebremedhin A (2003) Regional and industrial co-operation in district heating systems. Linköping studies in science and technology, Dissertation No. 849, Division of Energy Systems, Linköping University, Linköping

    Google Scholar 

  • Gruber E, Brand M (1991) Promoting energy conservation in small and medium-sized companies. Energy Policy 19:279–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hasanbeigi A, Menke C, du Pont P (2010) Barriers to energy efficiency improvement and decision-making behavior in Thai industry. Energy Effic 3:33–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hein L, Blok K (1995) Transaction costs of energy efficiency improvement. In: Proceedings of the 1995 ECEEE summer study, Panel 2:1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirst E, Brown MA (1990) Closing the efficiency gap: barriers to the efficient use of energy. Resour Conserv Recycl 3:267–281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaffe AB, Stavins RN (1994) The energy-efficiency gap: what does it mean? Energy Policy 22:60–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johansson P-E, Thollander P, Moshfegh B (2011) Towards increased energy efficiency in industry: a manager’s perspective. In: Proceedings of the World Renewable Energy Congress 2011, Linköping

    Google Scholar 

  • Löfstedt RE (1993) Hard habits to break: energy conservation patterns in Sweden. Environment (35):11–15, 33–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Ostertag K (1999) Transaction costs of raising energy efficiency. In: Proceedings of the 2007 IEA international workshop on technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: engineering-economic analyses of conserved energy and carbon

    Google Scholar 

  • Palm J, Thollander P (2010) An interdisciplinary perspective on industrial energy efficiency. Appl Energy 87:3255–3261. doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2010.04.019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramirez CA, Patel M, Blok K (2005) The non-energy intensive manufacturing sector. An energy analysis relating to the Netherlands. Energy 30:749–767

    Google Scholar 

  • Rohdin P, Thollander P (2006) Barriers to and driving forces for energy efficiency in the non-energy intensive manufacturing industry in Sweden. Energy 31:1836–1844

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rohdin P, Thollander P, Solding P (2007) Barriers to and drivers for energy efficiency in the Swedish foundry industry. Energy Pol 35:672–677

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanstad A, Howarth R (1994) ‘Normal’ markets, market imperfectionmarket imperfections and energy efficiency. Energy Policy 22:811–818

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sardianou E (2008) Barriers to industrial energy efficiency investments in Greece. J Clean Prod 16:1416–1423

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schleich J (2004) Do energy audit help reduce barriers to energy efficiency? An empirical analysis for Germany. Int J Energy Technol Policy 2:226–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schleich J, Gruber E (2008) Beyond case studies: barriers to energy efficiency in commerce and the services sector. Energy Econ 30:449–464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shove E (1998) Gaps, barriers and conceptual chasms: theories of technology transfer and energy in buildings. Energy Policy 26:1105–1112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simon HA (1957) Models of man. Wiley, London

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Sorrell S, Schleich J, Scott S, O’Malley E, Trace F, Boede E, Ostertag K, Radgen P (2000) Reducing barriers to energy efficiency in public and private organizations, SPRU’s (Science and Technology Policy Research). http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Units/spru/publications/reports/barriers/final.html. Accessed 8 Oct 2007

  • Sorrell S, O’Malley E, Schleich J, Scott S (2004) The economics of energy efficiency: barriers to cost-effective investment. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern PC (1992) What psychology knows about energy conservation. Am Psychol 47:1224–1232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stern PC, Aronson E (eds) (1984) Energy use: the human dimension. Freeman, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland RJ (1996) The economics of energy conservation policy. Energy Policy 24(4):361–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thollander P, Danestig M, Rohdin P (2007) Energy policies for increased industrial energy efficiency: evaluation of a local energy programme for manufacturing SMEs. Energy Policy 35:5774–5783

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thollander P, Ottosson M (2010) Energy management practices in Swedish energy-intensive industries. J Clean Prod 18(12):1125–1133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thollander P, Palm J, Rohdin P (2010a) Categorizing barriers to energy efficiency: an interdisciplinary perspective. In: Palm J (ed) Energy efficiency, Sciyo, Croatia. Available at http://www.intechopen.com/books/show/title/energy-efficiency

    Google Scholar 

  • Thollander P, Palm J, Sakao T (2010b) Energy services in industry—an interdisciplinary approach with engineering- and social science aspects. In: Proceedings of the IPS2 conference, pp 51–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Trianni A, Cagno E (2011) Dealing with barriers to energy efficiency and SMEs: some empirical evidences. Energy 37(1):494–504

    Google Scholar 

  • Trygg L, Karlsson B (2005) Industrial DSM in a deregulated European electricity market: a case study of 11 plants in Sweden. Energy Policy 33:1445–1459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weber L (1997) Some reflections on barriers to the efficient use of energy. Energy Policy 25:833–835

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yin RK (2003) Case study research: design and method. In: Applied social research methods, 5th edn. Sage, London

    Google Scholar 

  • York CM, Blumstein C, Krieg B, Schipper L (1978) Bibliography in institutional barriers to energy conservation. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and University of California, Berkeley

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden

    Patrik Thollander

  2. Department of Thematic Studies, Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden

    Jenny Palm

Authors
  1. Patrik Thollander
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jenny Palm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrik Thollander .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer-Verlag London

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Thollander, P., Palm, J. (2013). Barriers to Energy Efficiency: Theoretical Baseline, Previous Research, and Methodological Approaches. In: Improving Energy Efficiency in Industrial Energy Systems. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4162-4_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4162-4_3

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-4161-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-4162-4

  • eBook Packages: EnergyEnergy (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation