The efficiency of the transfer of energy from supernovae into interstellar cloud motions is investigated. A lower limit of about 0·002 is obtained, but values near 0·01 are more likely. Taking all uncertainties in the theory and observations into account, the energy per supernova, in the form of relativistic particles or high-velocity matter, needed to maintain the random motions in the interstellar gas is estimated as 1051·4±1ergs.
