Multiple Impacts of Energy Efficiency Measures and Other Key Factors That Rule the Adoption: Insights From the Italian Wood and Metal Working Sectors

Abstract

Energy efficiency is recognized as a cornerstone for industrial decarbonization, yet its uptake remains very limited in the manufacturing firms leading to energy efficiency gap. Whilst the low uptake of energy efficiency measures in industry is a well‐known issue, research has not sufficiently investigated the role of comprehensive factors in the adoption of energy efficiency measures (EEMs). To address this research gap, this study aims to look at the adoption of EEMs through a multidimensional lens that integrates EEM characteristics, their impacts on operational resources and the contextual conditions shaping implementation. In doing the study, EEMs are first categorized into objective and type‐related and implementation‐related characteristics, which is further applied and empirically validated in the Italian wood and metal manufacturing companies. The findings show that the impacts generated by the adoption of an EEM on a company's resources are primarily associated with energy savings (82%), followed by reductions in operation and maintenance costs (68%). Besides, the results demonstrate that a holistic understanding of EEM adoption requires assessing the following three critical dimensions: the intrinsic characteristics of the measures, their impacts beyond energy outcomes and the specific contexts in which they are implemented.