Strategic Intelligence

The clean energy ecosystem is diverse and competitive, with organizations striving to surpass their peers and lead in innovation and performance. Our role is also to prepare clients for external events driving changes. In either case we can help you acquire a richer understanding of your organization’s strengths and vulnerabilities in the context of broader market dynamics.

Competitor Analysis. Every project we undertake is as unique as the client and the specific questions or challenges at hand. Our projects have involved sensitive matters and our work is conducted with the highest level of professionalism and commitment to client confidentiality. We have performed investigations across the clean energy ecosystem to empower clients.

    • Retained by an investment banking firm to assess the value of an energy services company. This included an analysis of the ESCO’s flagship product, the value chain, distribution paths and market prospects.

    • Conducted an analysis of power marketers believed to be targeting a client’s most desirable high load factor C&I customers.  This included an evaluation of the relative strengths and vulnerabilities of suspected poachers.

    • Participated in a study for a utility client to assess one of its hallmark programs by analyzing similar programs at other utilities and identifying the attributes that signify excellence.

    • Conducted a study for a client that wanted to monetize its intellectual property by interviewing 17 IP commercialization companies.

    • Developed a set of best practices and recommendations for a client pursing strategic building electrification.

    • Benchmarked a utility client’s clean power electrification pathway against similar initiatives at peer companies.

Governance. Even the best run organizations benefit from a periodic assessment of their performance and governance structure. These are the processes, customs and policies that characterize how an organization operates. They encompass the goals of that organization and its interactions. We leverage our industry experience to help organizations strengthen their governance by revisiting its vision, policies and agility. Our governance projects were performed under the leadership of management consultant Marc Goldsmith.

    • Assessed the extent to which goals of a client’s organization overlapped with a similar organization, and investigated options for a common agenda.

    • Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative. Participated in an annual evaluation of CMEEC’s Board of Directors to assess progress toward achieving its goals.

    • American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Participated in an evaluation of the Board of Governors, collecting and analyzing data from board members and staff about accomplishments, behaviors, strengths and performance gaps.

    • Reading Municipal Light Department.  Participated in a study to improve operational efficiency through better alignment of Board of Commissioners with the citizen’s advisory board and senior RMLD staff.

    • ISO-NE.  Participated in a redesign of the Board to comply with legislation.

    • Engineers Week. Participated in a project to redefine the organization’s mission.

Market Studies. Organizations require reliable technical and market information to empower prudent action. We can help by benchmarking your performance against industry peers, assessing the viability of particular investments, identifying competitive threats or by simply educating your organization about the unique ecosystem in which you operate to inform internal conversations to initiate forward momentum.

    • Supported commercialization of a client’s distributed generation product by targeting market segments and technology applications.

    • Helped a utility client develop strategies to develop demand response capabilities to participate in California ISO markets.

    • Participated in a client strategy for selecting the most essential smart grid technology options.

    • Helped a fuel cell company find strategic partners for commercializing a new product.

    • Assessed the extent to which the goals of the client’s organization seemed to overlap with those of a similar entity, and explored options for establishing a common agenda.

    • Contributed to an analysis of the feasibility of a manufacturing company entering the stationary power market.

    • Participated in a project to develop best practices and recommended options for strategic building electrification.

    • Assisted a client by estimating the market potential and available incentives of heat pump water heaters.

    • Analyzed the top manufacturing sectors in the northeast for demand response and energy efficiency potential.

    • Summarized relevant takeaways from a PUC rate design forum to brief utility staff.

    • Provided input to the development of a business plan for the Illinois smart energy design center.

    • Participated in a demand response market potential study for a Canadian utility.

    • Performed a market characterization of the geothermal heat pump ecosystem to quantify the monetary value of the installed technology base throughout the value chain.

    • Identified market opportunities and risks associated with co-generation at the company’s global manufacturing plants, with a goal of selling surplus electricity to the regional grid.

    • Provided information to support litigation for a co-generation plant that was cancelled by estimating the value of this project based on a cost analysis of similar projects and interviews with independent power producers and financial entities.

    • Worked with an EV charging station manufacturer on early stage strategies for developing demand response capabilities and market share.

    • Participated in a strategic plan for bidding demand-side resources into a wholesale market forward capacity market.