Mgmt 609: Renewables and the Energy Transition Class Project
When a three-woman MBA team researched energy agency outlooks for a project in their Renewables and the Energy Transition class, the result was much more significant than the grade they earned. It was about truly understanding that “outlooks are highly sensitive to a handful of key assumptions.” That means not depending on a forecast and knowing how to use resources to make informed decisions. The women recognized that those skills will be critical in their careers going forward. Get to know the three classmates and more about the project.
Christina Barry, MBA '22
Jennifer Gutierrez, MBA '22
Courtney Williams, MBA '22About the Project
What was the project?
Researching & understanding energy agency outlooks and using what we learned to challenge key assumptions behind it
Why did you pick the topic area to report on?
As the consumption of energy continues to increase at a steep rate globally, we believe consideration for feasible and viable renewables becomes even more important. Our team was interested in why the YoY forecast for hydroelectric energy was relatively flat, given our belief that it was likely very feasible and viable for OECD and Non-OECD countries alike.
What are the 1 to 3 points a reader should understand from their paper?
Data for viable hydroelectric sites globally is incomplete and inconsistent. Hydroelectric energy could present as a good renewable resource for non-OECD countries. Reevaluating the assumptions behind the forecast for hydroelectric energy, pace of development and supply could be likely to increase YoY.
Can you describe the process to develop the paper and how you worked together?
The bulk of the project was spending time heavily researching energy agency data and outlooks. After the team had done considerable research independently, we discussed our learnings and started identifying key questions. From there, we did more focused research to narrow the focus for our paper and begin to answer our key questions.
What was the biggest thing you learned from the project and course?
While the energy agency outlooks are helpful to consider, they shouldn’t be considered as a 100% source of truth. Much of the outlooks are highly sensitive to a handful of key assumptions. To truly understand the outlook, it is critical to understand and question those assumptions.
How do you believe this will help you in your careers?
This course has enhanced our critical thinking and familiarity around energy resources. The topic of energy is very relevant across multiple industries and knowing how to use those resources will be critical in our careers.