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

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.