Energy Efficiency Improvement in the Interface between Industry and Its Service Providers

This paper focuses on the interface between industry and its service providers in Finland to describe the current situation of barriers to energy efficiency improvement. The paper is based on empirical data from two interview studies carried out in industry and its equipment, systems and service providers. The results indicate an increasing interest in energy efficiency. The most important barriers to energy efficiency improvement are related to principal agent problems, i.e. incomplete information and information asymmetry in carrying out energy analyses and energy efficiency investment projects. These problems may be overcome by investing in energy performance measurement and building a more analytic and discussion-oriented investment project culture