Adoption of energy-efficiency measures in SMEs - An empirical analysis based on energy audit data

Tobias Fleitera (), Joachim Schleich and Ployplearn Ravivanpong ()
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Tobias Fleitera: Fraunhofer ISI - Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research - Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft - Fraunhofer
Ployplearn Ravivanpong: Fraunhofer ISI - Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research - Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft - Fraunhofer

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Abstract: This paper empirically investigates the factors driving the adoption of energy-efficiency measures by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Our analyses are based on cross-sectional data from SMEs which participated in a German energy audit program between 2008 and 2010. In general, our findings appear robust to alternative model specifications and are consistent with the theoretical and still scarce empirical literature on barriers to energy efficiency in SMEs. More specifically, high investment costs, which are captured by subjective and objective proxies, appear to impede the adoption of energy-efficient measures, even if these measures are deemed profitable. Similarly, we find that lack of capital slows the adoption of energy-efficient measures, primarily for larger investments. Hence, investment subsidies or soft loans (for larger invest-ments) may help accelerating the diffusion of energy-efficiency measures in SMEs. Other barriers were not found to be statistically significant. Finally, our findings provide evidence that the quality of energy audits affects the adoption of energy-efficiency measures. Hence, effective regulation should involve quality standards for energy au-dits, templates for audit reports or mandatory monitoring of energy audits.

Keywords: Energy efficiency in SMEs; barriers to energy efficiency; adoption of energy-efficiency measures (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cse, nep-eff, nep-ene, nep-ent, nep-eur, nep-reg and nep-sbm
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00805748
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (60)

Published in Energy Policy, Elsevier, 2012, 51, pp.863-875

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