Tools for assessing obstacles in implementation of energy saving measures by enterprises

Abstract

Purpose. To create methodological tools for assessing obstacles to implementation of energy saving measures by enterprises. Methodology. In the course of the research the following methods were used: economic-mathematical modeling (substantiation of parameters of preferential crediting of energy-saving projects of enterprises on the basis of building models of repayment of loans and obtaining financial and economic results from these projects), classification and generalization (when grouping obstacles to reduction of consumption of non-renewable energy resources), system analysis (in the development of methodological principles for assessing barriers to energy efficiency); economic analysis and technical and economic calculations (when performing empirical studies on barriers to reducing natural gas consumption), questionnaire (when conducting a survey of owners and managers of surveyed enterprises on factors that hinder the implementation of projects), mathematical statistics (to process the results). Findings. Based on the results of a survey of owners and managers of 74 Ukrainian enterprises belonging to three industries characterized by significant volumes of natural gas consumption, the most significant barriers to reducing the consumption of non-renewable energy resources were identified and grouped. Methods for estimating the level of these barriers by the totality of the studied enterprises and by certain types of financial and economic barriers to reducing the consumption of energy resources are proposed. Models of substantiation of parameters of preferential crediting of energy saving projects which have for the purpose of realization of measures for reduction of consumption of natural gas at the enterprises are constructed. Originality. Existing methods for grouping barriers to reducing the consumption of non-renewable energy resources have been supplemented by introducing such additional features as the stages of development and implementation of energy saving measures and the factors of occurrence of relevant barriers. The methodological basis for assessing these barriers has been improved by substantiating the approach according to which the height of the barrier is determined by the cost of resources to overcome it. Formalized models of preferential lending for energy-saving projects of enterprises have been built, taking into account the efficiency of budget expenditures for such lending. Practical value. The obtained results can be used by both enterprises and public authorities and local governments in assessing obstacles to reducing the consumption of non-renewable energy resources and developing a set of organizational and economic measures to overcome them.