Events March 2, 2018

Lecture: Ørsted and Tomorrow on Energy Sustainability

Author image

oikos International

Author

As part of Oikos Green Week 2018, join our exciting lecture in collaboration with Ørsted and Tomorrow. Get your ticket for free with the link above!

About the speakers:
Climate Change is the biggest challenge of our time, and living sustainably requires navigating through a jungle of complex trade-offs, not easily understood and not always accessible. Information has to precede action. Olivier Corradi, founder of the startup Tomorrow, will come to explain their ambition to quantify the greenhouse gas emissions of our daily activities, enabling anyone to understand the climate impact of their decisions.

OIKOS GREEN WEEK 2018:
Do you want to learn about sustainability, network with companies and develop skills you can use for your future career? Then join CBS Green Week 2018 on March 13th-15th!

CBS Green Week is back with plenty of interesting lectures, engaging workshops and entertaining social events – all related to sustainability!

Come and learn about what prominent companies like Ørsted, Accenture and Rambøll as well as ambitious start-ups do to address the sustainable challenges the world is facing. Through lectures, workshops, a networking fair, a green tasting and many more events you will be introduced to the challenges concerning sustainability and the many solutions the business world can offer. Some of the companies you will have the chance to meet include Accenture, Rambøll, Ernst & Young, Voluntas, Siemens, Nimb and many more.

Show up, get curious and network with interesting companies in order to gain knowledge about sustainability. And last but not least: get a view of how businesses can lead the way towards a more sustainable future.

The future of business lies in sustainability!

Read more information here.

Author image

oikos International

posted March 2, 2018

This might be for you.

Cases June 19, 2017

The Fall of SunEdison – A Solar Eclipse?

Author image

oikos International

Author

Abstract

In 2016, one of the largest renewable energy companies in the world, US-based SunEdison Inc., filed for bankruptcy when it couldn’t service the debt it had raised to achieve aggressive growth. SunEdison had had an illustrious past; it had grown to become the largest solar installation company in the US and a global  renewable energy giant. By 2016, solar power had attained grid parity in some parts of the world and solar was reaching its peak growth in the developed world. Governments from the developed world, which were boosting solar power through tax rebates and subsidies were rolling back their incentivization schemes and resorting to stricter guidelines for green project funding.. On the other hand, there was tremendous growth potential in the emerging markets where millions still lived in the dark.

By 2016, one of the most contrasting features of the solar industry was that there was little innovation and differentiation and the market was still defining its business model. The industry had gone into consolidation mode and SunEdison preferred to grow inorganically. To tap the opportunity in emerging markets and win projects, SunEdison started offering rock bottom rates.

When SunEdison’s balance sheet got heavier and the company couldn’t raise further debts, it decided to form subsidiaries called Yieldcos. Yieldcos were essentially energy asset holding public listed companies which assured stable dividends (from sale of electricity which the solar assets generated). Yieldcos issued shares to raise capital using which a completed solar asset was bought from its parent (SunEdison). SunEdison used the capital for further growth.

In an industry where technological innovation was rare, financial innovation became the norm. The case describes SunEdison’s fall from grace. It throws light on the economics of the solar business and the need for robust sustainable finance for renewable projects.

AuthorsAlok Kavthankar & Indu Perepu
InstitutionIBS Hyderabad, IFHE University, India
Competition Year2017
PlaceSecond Prize
TrackSustainable Finance
Key WordsCSR, Socially Responsible Investing, Environmental Performance, Social Performance
CoursesSustainable Finance, Strategic Management, Finance, Business Sustainability, Business and Society, or Environmental Entrepreneurship
Target AudienceMBAs, Undergrads
Permission rightsThis case will be published at the Case Centre shortly. You find an inspection copy for download below.
DownloadInspection Copy
Author image

oikos International

posted June 19, 2017

This might be for you.

Cases

Wind in the Sails: Managing Social Acceptance of Large Wind Energy Projects in Switzerland

Author image

oikos International

Author

Abstract

Shortly after the Fukushima meltdown of 2011, the Swiss government developed an Energy Strategy 2050, aimed to build up renewable energy capacity, improve energy efficiency and phase out nuclear energy. Yet, growth in the wind sector had been disappointing. This case study examines the factors that took the wind out of sails of large wind projects in Switzerland, paying special attention to the risks associated with public policy and stakeholder opposition. Though focusing on Switzerland, the lessons learned from the case study are applicable internationally, with multiple examples of large infrastructure projects being halted or severely delayed by public opposition and red tape.

Staged in May 2017, the case centers around Nadine Haller, who has been developing a large wind project for the last five years. She has just learned the news that the Energy Strategy 2050 has been accepted by the popular vote and she is contemplating what this result means for her project.

The case study is based on interviews with more than 20 wind project developers and permitting authorities. Several teaching options are included. The storyline can be updated as relevant news develops, creating new challenges for Nadine. The case offers an accompanying cash flow calculation model, teaching students that social acceptance and regulatory compliance come at a significant cost. Another option is a role-play game, where students try wearing hats of different project stakeholders: the project developer, the head of municipal government, a local landowner, a journalist, and a member of an environmental NGO, among others. The case also offers a framework to systematically approach project-related risks and develop risk-mitigating strategies. It should be relevant to graduate students from a variety of backgrounds, including communications, finance, law, and economics.

AuthorsAnna Ebers Broughel
InstitutionUniversity of St.Gallen, Switzerland
Competition Year2017
PlaceThird Prize
TrackCorporate Sustainability
Key WordsCSR, Socially Responsible Investing, Environmental Performance, Social Performance
CoursesSustainable Finance, Strategic Management, Finance, Business Sustainability, Business and Society, or Environmental Entrepreneurship
Target AudienceMBAs, Undergraduates
Permission rightsThis case is part of the oikos free case collection. Download a free online copy below. If you are a faculty member and you are interested in teaching this case, you can request a free teaching note by sending us an email to freecase@oikos-international.org.
DownloadFree Case
Author image

oikos International

posted June 19, 2017

This might be for you.

News May 10, 2017

New Report: Digital Economy and Sustainability

Author image

oikos International

Author

Digitalization – the increased use of information and communication technologies (ICT) – is affecting all areas of our lives. Rapid progress in the development of hardware and software is steadily moving us towards a fully-digital society.

The ways how we learn, communicate, and consume are cases in point. Applications and devices make it “easier” (in inverted comma, because sometimes technology makes things more complicated or confusing) to do routine work or to stay in contact with each other. Many of them have already become so embedded in our daily experiences that it is hard to imagine living without them. Instant e-mail delivery, navigating with online maps, and an internet at our fingertips, available 24/7, has become second nature to us. The increased use of digital technologies to transfer money, to hail a taxi or to control energy consumption provides an illustration.

The impact of digitalization on our lives is profound. A typical day in the internet today comprises 2.3 billion GB of web traffic, 152 million Skype calls, 207 billion e-mails sent, 36 million purchases on Amazon, 8.8 billion videos watched on Youtube, and 4.2 billion Google searches.  The speed with which digital technologies continue to make inroads into societies is constantly on the rise. And the lines between the old economy and a new digital one are becoming increasingly blurred.

Against this background, Christoph Rappitsch explores the opportunities and risks of the digital economy for a broad sustainability agenda and thus for people, communities and the planet in the first oikos Associate Report.  Enjoy the read!

Author image

oikos International

posted May 10, 2017

This might be for you.

News December 1, 2016

Smart Cities: The Link between Housing, Mobility and Energy

Author image

oikos International

Author

On November 15, oikos Alumni came together for the fifth Alumni Debate  in Zurich, Switzerland. The developments on the intersection of urbanization and digitalization were at the center of the debate.

Because the way we live in cities is drastically changing, oikos Associate Christoph Rappitsch chose the rubric Smart City as the vantage point of the discussions. What are the innovative technologies which will rebuild the foundations of housing, mobility and energy and form Smart Cities?

To discuss the different aspects of Smart Cities a handful of oikos Alumni joined him as panelists in the discussion:

Annette Kern Ulmer (Head Strategic Projects, ewz; oikos St. Gallen)
Ronny Kaufmann (CEO, SwissPower; oikos St. Gallen)
José Ibarra (Independent consultant; oikos Lausanne)

The debate started with a discussion on how much technology is needed for our homes to save energy and how much could and should be done with analog methods, e.g. turning down the heat and switching off lights. Even though the panelists all work in the energy industry that is under heavy pressure to implement the newest technology, points of view on the matter diverged. Expectedly, the argument emerged that we need technology, if only to remind and “nudge” us to live more sustainably. On the other side, technology would need agents who are aware of their actions and act responsibly. And to put it quotable, the most important aspect of a Smart City are Smart People.

The discussion then moved into the technical realm: how should and could houses be designed? The best solution, it emerged, would be a combination of the newest measuring tools for energy and electricity, together with smart design and materials, which are able to keep the house cool or warm without additional energy input.

The next big topic covered was mobility. The discussion centered around how technology can improve the situation from an environmental perspective: reducing emissions by car sharing; reduce inefficiencies via smart mobility apps; make traffic more efficient in cities via navigation tools; making the use of existing infrastructure more convenient.

The last topic covered was the role policy makers should play in the transformation to a Smart City. They should offer incentives for creating a sustainable infrastructure (solar panels, loading stations for e-cars, financial support for efficient buildings, etc.) and should foster the change towards a more sustainable way of living in a city.

The debate could be watched live on Facebook, where it is still available on our page. We thank again to the panelists and all the participants (offline or online), who joined us for this debate.

Author image

oikos International

posted December 1, 2016

This might be for you.

News October 27, 2016

Smart Cities – Really Smart or Just Digital?

Author image

oikos International

Author

oikos Alumni Debate on “Smart Cities” announced

The way we live in cities is drastically changing. Under the rubric Smart City innovative technologies rebuild the foundations of housing, mobility and energy. That’s why oikos Associate Christoph Rappitsch has chosen the future of urban living as one research focus. In just a few weeks, on November 15, he will moderate a panel of distinguished oikos alumni in Zurich.

Indeed, the future of cities seems bright: In our homes, smart devices automatically turn off for the purpose of energy preservation. Within the smart grid, power station produce and store green energy and cut emissions, while smart meters meticulously collect client data and let energy producers optimize their supply. Electric cars communicate with each other to reduce traffic jams and accidents, while at night they function as big, mobile batteries for the grid.

In spite of all the great promises of Smart Cities, one should not forget the potential drawbacks. Could life in a Smart City lead to a lack of privacy and 24/7 surveillance? Would hackers be able to control whole power stations and cause a blackout for days? And what about the environmental impacts of constantly updating the soft- and hardware components of the smart infrastructure? And where are the opportunities for the city to become smart – and not just digital?

These questions will be the vantage point of the upcoming alumni debate. To discuss the opportunities and drawbacks of Smart Cities we are delighted to host the following oikos Alumni as panelists:

Annette Kern Ulmer (Head Strategic Projects, ewz; oikos St. Gallen)
Ronny Kaufmann (CEO, SwissPower; oikos St. Gallen)
José Ibarra (Independent consultant; oikos Lausanne)

Moderation:
Christoph Rappitsch (oikos Associate on Digital Economy and Sustainability; oikos Vienna)

Time, data and place: November 15, 2016 at 6pm at LGT Venture Philanthropy, Zurich. To register click here.

For questions email Christoph Rappitsch.

Author image

oikos International

posted October 27, 2016

This might be for you.

News October 26, 2016

Energy Storage, the Future? Not in Switzerland

Author image

oikos International

Author

Leading voices from the Swiss energy sector came together on October 21st at the University of St. Gallen for the annual oikos Conference, hosted and organized by oikos St. Gallen.

The topic of the one-day event: Energy Storage Solutions for the Future. To the surprise of the audience, which comprised oikos members and alumni, as well as faculty and students from major Swiss universities, the experts quickly agreed that energy storages will not play a major role in Switzerland in the near future: The grid is simply too good. Instead of storing homegrown electricity in local batteries, energy can flow freely to large-scale solutions like pump storage plants. This is made possible by the circular design of the grid, that not only delivers but has the potential to pick up energy at households.

Nevertheless, the experts from Siemens, the energy suppliers of Zurich ewz, its equivalent for the region of St. Gallen and SwissPower, an industry association, had great insights into what may be the use of energy storage. While Siemens sees most potential in large scale batteries used by businesses and industry, the local electricity and energy suppliers already experiment with solutions on the household and community level. This contrasting approach to harvesting the new technologies – like sustainable energy sources, batteries have become cheaper and more efficient – was reflected in the case studies presented to the students.

Both Siemens and ewz challenged the present students with a case. While the technical expertise among the management students was expectedly narrow, the groups came up with interesting solutions.

The conference was concluded by a high-level panel, which included National Council Member and SP floor leader Roger Nordmann, as well as Sonja Lüthi, local politician for the Green Party and energy expert, Gianni Operto, industry old hand and president of an association promoting renewables and energy efficiency, and Doris Schmack, a longstanding researcher and currently head of the MicrobEnergy project.

Author image

oikos International

posted October 26, 2016

This might be for you.

Theses September 10, 2016

Shale Gas and Hydraulic Fracturing: Risk and Opportunity Analysis for Oil and Gas Companies, Investors and The Future Energy Sector – Lessons from the US

Author image

oikos International

Author

The present Masters (MEng) thesis aims to analyse both qualitatively and quantitatively, the risks and opportunities arising from shale gas development in the US. The thesis draws upon multiple studies in order to identify the most prominent shale development impacts and most pressing risks. Through the literature review and Scopus database analysis, the thesis illustrates both the exponential rise in shale gas related research in the past few years and the fact that academic research has yet to catch up with the numerous challenges this industry poses.

Next, risks are quantified at the company level, regional level and US wide level. A case study on shale gas development in Pennsylvania (PA) is illustrated through production, wastewater and shale operator violations statistics. The study further shows that the number of unconventional well permits has surpassed those awarded for conventional oil and gas development and in addition, shale gas production volumes are 7 times higher than conventional gas production volumes. On the other hand, the cumulative unconventional wastewater volumes in PA have been 6 times larger than wastewater coming from conventional oil and gas activities. On average, the wastewater per gas produced ratio in unconventional wells is lower than conventional ones.

Shale gas production and water risk statistics are extrapolated at the US wide level based on industry datasets and the case study built on Pennsylvania. Shale gas operator risks are quantified using production, wastewater and violations metrics, together with company ESG scores. Last but not least, the thesis presents an outlook of shale gas development around the world together with different global shale gas estimation approaches.

Author image

oikos International

posted September 10, 2016

This might be for you.

Cases June 27, 2016

Polarstern Energy – Sustainable Change Led by Innovative Entrepreneurs

Author image

oikos International

Author

Abstract

In 2011 three young entrepreneurs, Jakob Assmann, Florian Henle and Simon Stadler, set out to revolutionize the energy market by offering a radical solution for customers to switch from non-renewable fossil fuels to renewable energies. Through their start-up Polarstern, they aimed to offer the first comprehensive sustainable energy package, derived from 100% renewable resources and at competitive price points to compete with the handful of large companies, which dominated this industry. The added global social dimension of their service provided a clear point of differentiation but communicating their innovative service to customers proved to be very challenging. The founders had to be entrepreneurial in their marketing approach to gain the trust of potential customers and to encourage their switching from their existing energy providers.

AuthorsJulia K. Binder
InstitutionTUM School of Management at Technical University of Munich, Germany
Competition Year2016
PlaceFirst Prize
TrackSocial Entrepreneurship
Key WordsSustainable entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, sustainable marketing, entrepreneurial marketing, energy industry
CoursesSustainable/ Social Entrepreneurship, Sustainable/ Social Marketing, Entrepreneurial Marketing, Business and Society, CSR
Target AudienceAdvanced undergraduate students, graduate students
Permission rightsThis case is part of the oikos free case collection. Download a free online copy below. If you are a faculty member and you are interested in teaching this case, you can request a free teaching note by sending us an email to freecase@oikos-international.org.
DownloadFree Case
Author image

oikos International

posted June 27, 2016

This might be for you.

Cases

The Rise of a New Industry: Business Model Innovation at the Intersection of Energy and Mobility

Author image

oikos International

Author

Abstract

Cofely, a large international technical services provider, is observing important changes at the fringes of its industry. Two industries that have experienced pressure towards being more environmentally responsive in the past, the automotive industry and the energy industry, are converging due to the emergence of electric cars. The Dutch subsidiary of Cofely is therefore searching for new business models at the intersection of energy and e-mobility. In the Netherlands, a front runner of sustainable mobility, firms and other stakeholders are increasingly identifying the essential role electric vehicles can have for a balanced and sustainable energy system in the future. This new industry at the intersection of energy and e-mobility is developing at a fast rate, with innovative start-ups as well as existing firms establishing themselves across a new, not yet clearly defined, value chain. This value chain is highly integrated via ICT and stretches from energy production on the one end of the spectrum to mobility services on the other. Cofely wants to become pioneer in this new industry and particularly see how it can position itself with a new business model building on its core competences.

AuthorsRené Bohnsack and Pico van Heemstra
InstitutionCatólica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, Portugal, and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands
Competition Year2016
PlaceSecond Prize
TrackCorporate Sustainability
Key WordsSustainable business models, e-mobility, utilities, smart grid
CoursesStrategic management, innovation management
Target AudienceMBAs, MSc students
Permission rightsThis case will be published at the Case Centre shortly. You can download an inspection copy below.
DownloadInspection Copy
Author image

oikos International

posted June 27, 2016

This might be for you.