Summary

The aim of the Energy Gain is to increase awareness of energy issues in SME in Lidköping, Sweden, by combining education with a voluntary agreement on action taken by the companies. The objective is to have 100 participating companies (manufacturing companies, industrial workshops, agricultural enterprises, real estate companies, groceries, supermarkets and automotive retailers etc) that are making efforts to make their energy use more efficient as well as investing their possibilities to change from fossil fuels to renewable energy, decreasing CO2-emissions as well as emissions of other polluting substances. 86 companies have been given the education and the objective is very likely to be reached and exceeded during the programme. The first evaluation shows very content participants and increased activity, including concrete measures, at many companies. Crucial for success has been the contact with the local organisations for SME.