Description
EnerNOC is an energy company with an innovative business model: it serves as an intermediary between electric utilities and electricity users. It contracts with electricity users willing to reduce demand during periods of peak energy demand, and sells this as excess capacity to electric utilities. The company is facing an upheaval in the energy markets due to the dramatic growth in natural gas fracking and the resulting increase in natural gas supply. The case enables students to evaluate the EnerNOC's business model--including its environmental implications--and the potential impact of fracking on its business. The case is accessible to non-specialists, as it provides background on the electric utility industry and the debate about fracking for natural gas. Given the substantial environmental impact of the energy and electricity industries, the case is particularly relevant for courses that focus on energy, the natural environment, and environmental sustainability.
Keywords
Blue-sky laws
Board of Directors
Business & government relations
Business Models
Collaborative innovation
Cross-functional management
Demographics
Energy
Environmental protection
Environmental sustainability
Financial planning
Government regulations
Incubators
Innovation
Inventions
Laws & regulations
Management
Managing uncertainty
Market opportunities
Models
Patents
Planning
Production
Productivity
Products
Risk
Social Security
Supply chain management
Sustainability
Uncertainty