Multiple energy benefits from regional policy programs within Europe – a social construction perspective

The benefits of energy efficiency (EE) improvements in industry include multiple energy benefits (MEBs) that have not been studied extensively. Although MEBs are assumed to result from energy efficiency measures (EEMs), they have not been examined simultaneously with EE, creating a knowledge gap that needs to be addressed. This paper investigates MEBs among industrial small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in different regions in Europe. The study suggests that MEBs are social constructs and argues that EEMs and MEBs belong to the same culture, with interactions occurring at macro, meso, and micro levels. This research examines the influence of regional energy policy contexts on SMEs using a questionnaire distributed across five European regions. The analysis considers regional differences and explores how contextual factors influence the prioritization of various MEB categories. The results show that “increased knowledge about energy use in the company” is the top-ranked MEB among the investigated SMEs. Although all regions have supportive energy policies available, there is a tendency to prioritize certain benefit categories over others. Companies in Groningen, the Netherlands, demonstrate stronger engagement with market, competition, and production-related benefits. SMEs in Hessen, Germany, focus mainly on production-related benefits, while companies in Burgenland, Austria, show engagement in organizational, knowledge, production, and waste-related benefits. Meanwhile, companies in La Rioja, Spain, and South-West Oltenia, Romania, do not appear to be engaged in a particular category of benefits but demonstrate strengths in specific areas and noticeable gaps in others. The findings indicate that MEBs are socially constructed outcomes shaped by interactions between regional contexts and company-level practices. The study highlights the importance of considering MEBs alongside EEMs rather than as separate outcomes. Further research examining meso- and micro-level interactions is suggested to broaden the understanding of how MEBs emerge and develop among industrial SMEs.