Sustainable Mobility

Produced for and published by Vermont Energy Investment Corporation and written by David Fribush, Erb ’10, Scudder Parker, and Shawn Enterline.

Summary: In many ways, the U.S. electric grid is a product of evolution. Originating in the laboratories of Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison, it has grown and extended its reach into virtually every space that we inhabit. Despite its tremendous complexity, it faithfully supplies energy 99.97% of the time. Yet the daily per-capita cost to reliably power our homes’ refrigerators, televisions, air conditioners, computers, and all other electricity-using devices is a mere $1.22. There is perhaps no greater testament to its evolutionary success than the degree to which we take the grid for granted.

Evolution is, however, a continual process, and many forces are now converging on the grid to make the evolutionary leap to become “smart.” The Smart Grid has the potential to significantly improve upon its progenitor by delivering energy from cleaner sources, with greater efficiency and reliability, while also providing more equity and transparency for both electricity consumers and producers.

That implementation actually delivers fully upon this promise, however, will require an unprecedented level of leadership, cooperation, understanding, and foresight from the major players creating the Smart Grid. In particular, federal and state legislators and regulators will significantly influence both the form that the Smart Grid evolution takes and the speed at which it evolves.

This document presents an overview of the driving forces in this process and some important implications they have for decision makers. It also seeks to articulate some underlying policy and program opportunities that this continuing evolution could make possible.

Our goal is not to present an exhaustive list of considerations for decision makers, as relevant considerations will vary considerably by region. Rather, we provide a big-picture understanding of the Smart Grid and a contextual foundation from which relevant questions about technology and policy can be explored. Our broader goal is that the Smart Grid evolve to provide the greatest efficiency and reliability in the generation, delivery, and use of electricity, while minimizing long-term consumer and environmental costs.

Read the Report: Electric Evolution (pdf)

By Brewster Boyd ’08, Nina Henning ’08, Emily Reyna ’08, Daniel Wang ’08, Matthew Welch ’08

This report explores trends and lessons learned from hybrid organizations pursuing environmental sustainability missions. It hypothesizes that hybrid organizations, defined here as entities that are market-oriented and mission-centered, can positively contribute to some of humanity’s most pressing challenges by deploying their inherent business models. These organizations, which place equal emphasis on their common-good mission and financial performance, blur the distinction between nonprofit and for-profit entities. Building on prior work conducted by researchers on corporate social responsibility, sustainable entrepreneurship, and social enterprise, this research was motivated by a desire to fill a gap in the existing literature on the contributions of privately held, for-profit businesses with environmental sustainability missions.

The research includes an analysis of survey data from 47 hybrid organizations,investigating their business models and strategies, finances, organizational structures, processes, metrics, and innovations. The survey data reveal trends related to the integration of business practices that enable companies to meet both mission and market goals, such as employing innovative products in niche markets,leveraging patient capital to meet non-financial objectives, and encouraging sharedauthority rather than top-down leadership styles. The sample size is biased towardsyoung, small, U.S.-based hybrids, and although respondents show varying levels of profitability, they maintain consistently high levels of integrating environmental sustainability throughout their firms. Moreover, information gleaned from five in depth case studies with best-in-class companies selected from the survey, reveals instructive lessons for hybrid practitioners and researchers alike. These companies demonstrate how to infuse an organization’s culture with its mission, and develop deliberately close personal relationships with suppliers, customers, and share holders. In addition, these case studies exemplify the challenges of patience and limits to growth rate that are common to many hybrid organizations. They also illustrate a strategic trend toward premium product offerings, which allow these businesses to avoid competing on price.

This research suggests that hybrid organizations offer an effective organizational model for contributing solutions to global environmental issues. While there may be limits to the speed of growth or scaling the impact of these organizations, they may also be more effective and self-sustaining than traditional organizations in meeting humanity’s common challenges.

Read the Report