Barriers to and Driving Forces for Energy Efficiency in the Portuguese Industrial SMEs
Barriers to and Driving Forces for Energy Efficiency in the Portuguese Industrial SMEs

Author(s): Vasco Manuel Figueiredo Pereira, João J. Ferreira
Subject(s): Economy, Business Economy / Management, Energy and Environmental Studies, Accounting - Business Administration
Published by: ASERS Publishing
Keywords: barriers; energy efficiency; SMEs; sustainable growth
Summary/Abstract: This chapter analyzes the barriers to and driving forces for energy efficiency in the Portuguese Industrial SMEs. Industry accounts for about one-third of global final energy use. However, despite the need for increased industrial energy efficiency, studies indicate that cost￾effective energy efficiency measures are not always implemented, resulting in an ‘energy efficiency gap’, which is explained by the existence of barriers to energy efficiency. Considering that SMEs are usually less efficient than Large Enterprises (LEs), this study based on a survey among Portuguese industrial SMEs, investigates the barriers that are inhibiting the adoption of energy efficiency measures and how they vary over firm’s characteristics and over sector. Additionally the chapter points some drivers that could overcome those barriers. The results support the existence of barriers to energy efficiency in Portuguese industry, where lack of capital and other investments priorities were considered the most important ones. Furthermore it concludes that factors related with public policy could overcome those barriers, suggesting the need of public intervention to increase the levels of energy efficiency in the Portuguese industry. Thus by reducing their costs, SME’s could be more competitive and that could improve economic sustainable growth.

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