Please eco-drive your tractor! : a study of advisors and key-persons working with energy saving instruments for farmers

Sammanfattning: The Swedish government strives to be independent from fossil fuels and be an example regarding environment and sustainability. This goal requires development in renewable energy production as well for energy efficiency. Swedish agriculture faces challenges when it comes to the renewable energy production. Farmers can lower their energy-use by changing behaviour and routines or by changing energy systems. Researchers and energy experts are confident that it is possible to reduce farmers’ energy use radically. Although changes require some kind of economic costs and the effects can be uncertain. The Swedish Board of Agriculture and the Energy Agency are two authorities, which provide instruments for energy efficiency. Agricultural advisors are seen as the main carriers for the instruments for energy savings. The instruments consist of contribution and counselling where advisors competence is essential. At the same time, there are fewer advisors with the right skills that work with energy and these instruments in the agricultural sector. Theory of Practice has been used to describe the practice for individuals within multiple of different situations and areas of research. A primary methodological aim is an approach that can capture and analyse individuals in their everyday practices in an intricately way. Additionally, Stakeholder Theory is used in this study to bring out an understanding for the different actors. Their needs and behaviours, which are affected or can, affect the instruments for energy savings. There are several studies about the instruments for energy savings, which focus on farmers’ motivation for the environmental work. There is a lack of studies about the advisors and authorities work with the instruments for energy savings. Therefore this study fills a gap in the existing literature. The aim of this study is to explore advisors and key-persons activities working with instruments for energy savings for reducing GHG emissions on farms. Thus 18 interviews were performed with advisors and key-persons that works with the instruments provided to farmers. This study has a flexible design and an explorative approach where the researcher used the theoretical framework, Theory of Practice and Stakeholder Theory, to categorize and analyse the empirical findings. The results of this study show that advisors are located in a complex context between authorities and farmers. It is not explicitly stated what their obligations for implementing marketing for the instruments are. Further, it has arisen that it is troublesome to attain a satisfying overview of the instruments for energy savings. The findings also confirm the lack of advisors and reveal that almost every advisor has their methodology and opinion about the instruments. The insights gained from this study may be of assistance to provide a broad perspective about the advisors and key-persons working with the instruments. It would be interesting to investigate further what different aspects are essential for the advisors in the marketing of the instruments for energy savings.