Author Archives: kzt5170

Decentralization

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There will be positives and negatives of greater decentralization of power generation. There will be an increase in competition with new and/or smaller companies being able to enter the market and this could drive price in either direction. Usually when there is more competition in a market it drives the price down because consumers have options. But if there are only a couple options for consumers to get energy from, then prices could actually been driven up. Decentralization will also lead to an upgrade in the electrical grid. There will be more renewable power that will need to be put on the grid and in order for the grid to handle that, there will need to be improvements made. This will most likely lead to a more stable grid.

The new businesses that will evolve are renewable energy businesses and all the parts that go along with it. Smaller renewable energy businesses will be created to supply the energy to the consumers and these alone will range in all shapes and sizes. There will be businesses that specialize in wind and/or solar and probably biofuels. With that we will see technology evolving around those businesses. There will be companies that are created so make wind turbines smaller for homes, and PV’s that are durable but less expensive. Construction companies will evolve that specifically specialize in the installation of these products.

The business that I see myself creating is the business I have wanted to create all along: working with developing countries to survive off the grid. I want to have a business that builds renewable energy grids for communities in developing countries so they can live healthier lifestyles. By building a grid for each community that relies of solar and wind power it will supply communities with more electricity than they have and is self-sustainable.

Convincing Investors

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The major point to make to a potential funder is that by investing in my renewable energy project, they will make a profit. Renewable energy is the future, but I do believe that most people already know that. To convince an investor to put money into my project I need to show that my renewable project will make them money. To do this I need to have a complete business plan drawn up. The equipment that I need and the cost, projected number of employees, a marketing campaign to get my project known to the public and an estimated time period of return. I think another great thing to show would be that there are other investors willing to invest. By having more investors that gives each investor a little security that other people believe that the idea is profitable and they aren’t as much at risk.

 

Return on Equity is the best process to explain the potential for success. Return on Investment is good, but ROE encompasses everything that goes into a business, therefore giving investors a more realistic idea of how profitable a business will be. Net Present value would also be great to show since it portrays cash flow over a period of time. This is great because then investors can see what cash flows are going to look like over short or long periods of time to assess if the business will be successful in the long run.

Energy Efficient Buildings

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There are so many policies the government could promote energy efficiency, where to start…I think that one policy that would have a large impact would be policies that have to do with construction of new buildings. For example, in certain (colder) states, there should be a policy that all new buildings have to be constructed with fiberglass window frames for better insulation. I even believe that in states that receive 200+ sun days a year should have a policy that all new buildings automatically have solar panels installed. By installing the solar panels at the time of construction, it makes it cheaper than adding them on later and will produce energy for that building. Other things to consider for building construction is also the direction the building is facing and the amount of foliage around the building. I think that having policies regarding building construction would be great to promote energy efficiency.

The business I would develop would be an environmental consulting firm. My consulting firm would be help to help in the planning and implementation of all environmental aspects of the building. Help pick out and order the correct window frames, work with PV companies (and hopefully get a little discount by using them) for solar panels. Help in the design of the building so that it is energy efficient as possible. This consulting firm would be really involved in the construction of new buildings to make sure that all governmental policies relating to new buildings are met.

Kaitlyn Tully-Renewable Projects

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Renewable energy projects are failing to receive the same degree of support because it takes longer to receive the benefits of the projects and make up the initial cost. Nuclear is expensive to construct but still cheaper than the other options and the payback time is pretty quick. Renewable energy projects like solar and wind come at a higher cost and take up more land than nuclear compared to the energy they produce. If a financial institution decides to invest in power, they want to get their initial investment as quick as possible and nuclear offers that.

One opportunity I see is developing buildings using renewable energy in other countries. It is much easier to build a building from the ground up using PVs than to reconstruct a previous building to add on the PVs. Developing countries offer this opportunity to build from the ground up. Once they have been established and proven to lower energy costs and operate off the grid, then others will want to copy that idea. Another perk of building using renewable sources in developing countries is an opportunity to create jobs. Locals can be taught and then help build solar operating buildings, creating more opportunities of employment. Especially places like Africa, where there is an ample amount of sunlight and the need to reliable buildings, renewable energy projects would flourish here!

Kaitlyn Tully- Intro

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Hi my name is Kaitlyn but I go by Kaity. I am in my last year of the ESP program and currently live in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. I moved here after living in Australia for a year and before that I lived my whole life in California, so I’m adjusting to the cold in Wyoming. I have a BS in Hospitality and my current job mixes the two as I’m working for a lodging company as the environmental coordinator. I love my job but I would like to get into working with other countries to help them build sustainable developments/communities. I have even thought of starting my own business doing this sometime in the future so this class is exactly what I need to figure out if it is even possible!

During my senior year of high school we had to start a business for a class so my friends and I made t-shirts but that’s about all the start up experience I have. I think my idea of helping developing countries build sustainable communities would have a significant impact on the industry since they would be starting sustainable from the beginning rather than what we are doing now trying to back track.