Information and Management System for Renewable Energy Business

The basis of any analysis is done by the elements that are processed in an information system: data, information, knowledge, wisdom, highlighting the characteristics and differences between them. A higher level of organization and information processing involve analysis of information systems and management information system. There is a strong relationship between business architecture and software architecture, taking into account their interdependence and their parallel evolution in the business. SCADA, as technology for supervising and controlling industrial processes is presented through its characteristics and how it has contributed to the reorganization of the electricity system. The main objective of the chapter is to understand that the information processed in the REB cannot be treated chaotically, but should be treated properly, within a management information system, that allows processing of a huge volume of data in real time.

Economic and Ecologic Analysis of Wind Energy as Steps in Starting a New Business

Wind energy has a long history but in the last decades the technological development and the increasing energy efficiency push this business on a top position for the installed renewable energy capacity worldwide. For a better understanding of the economic and ecologic analysis of the business into the wind energy sector, in this chapter, are presented the main principles and energy concepts related to renewable energy, especially for wind energy. The analysis is focused on the importance of the main elements of a wind turbine and its costs structure. The wind turbine is analyzed also along its lifecycle in order to identify the environmental impact from the row material extraction to the end of lifetime. The main objective of this chapter is to understand the importance of wind energy as a renewable energy and how to use the kinetic energy of wind in order to generate electric energy taking into account its efficiency and also its impact on the environment.

Entrepreneurship, Start Up, and Corporate Entrepreneurship in the Renewable Energy Industry

Economic growth, development and grow in living standards as prosperity are associated with entrepreneurship. This chapter defines entrepreneurship as thinking and acting through a process oriented approach which starts with opportunity identification and includes the complete life-cycle of an enterprise. It should also give an overview of the entrepreneur and its main distinctive characteristics. Sustainable entrepreneur, ecopreneur, bioneer, entrepreneurial ecosystem are other specific entrepreneurship concepts that are analyzed and are close related to the renewable energy field. Last but not least the corporate entrepreneurship and its core element corporate venturing are analyzed. The main objective of this chapter is to understand what entrepreneurship and corporate entrepreneurship are and how an entrepreneur can contribute to society development in general, and to the promotion of renewable energy in particular.

Trends and Conclusions for Business Development in the Renewable Energy Industry

The renewable energy industry represents a very dynamic sector, connected with other economic sectors. The trends in this field are numerous and various. The setting of EU targets for greenhouse gas emission reduction is a policy at European level. The huge amount of data calls for the use of complex data processing equipment and systems, so now we can talk about the smart grid, decentralization, the Energy Management System and the Energy storage system. Business development requires very large investments and various financing methods, but especially well-detailed and reasoned business models that can be adapted to local conditions. There are changes at the level of HR through the creation of new specific jobs, as well as continuous training for specialists. The main objective of this chapter is to present the major trends related to the renewable energy sector and their impact on the economic development and on the environment. This chapter presents 18 main trends identified by the authors and analyzed in the renewable energy field. Each of these trends follows in a brief overview the actual situation and the future perspective.

Business Models in the Renewable Energy Industry

Business models in the energy field are continuously developed in parallel with the transformation stages of the energy systems from the decentralized energy systems to centralized energy systems, to distributed energy systems and to smart energy systems. Concerning different specific approaches to business models we have selected a structure that helps the understanding of the main elements of a business model and also its specificity for renewable energy. The business models based on added value and the innovation as main added value represent the core of this chapter. The global trend to clean energy, to a low carbon economy and the related new technologies and new life standards represent opportunities that could be used by entrepreneurs in order to develop and implement new business ideas. The process of business ideas development is analyzed starting with creativity technics and it also includes also innovative measures to protect new business ideas. The main objective of this chapter is to understand the importance of business models and to know how to develop a business model with its specificity for the renewable energy field.

Economic and Ecological Analysis of Bioenergy and Steps in Starting a New Business

This chapter explains the main concepts related to bioenergy and analyses the high potential of biomass and its forms for producing energy. The importance of this field is illustrated due to the continuous innovation process regarding the conversion technologies for obtaining energy from biomass. The complexity of these conversions technologies is very high and includes thermochemical (esterification), physical or chemical or even biochemical (fermentation) processes. From an economic point of view, the decision to invest in a specific bioenergy technology is influenced by the bioenergy pathway, that includes several activities: biomass production, collection or harvesting, pre-processing and storage, transport, storage after transport, conversion of biomass to energy or energy carrier, transport of energy carrier and energy consumption. From an environmental point of view, this chapter analyzes also the indirect effects off biofuels on the environment. The main objective of this chapter is to understand the role of biomass in the low carbon economy and to reflect on the principles for producing energy from biomass under taking into account the energy efficiency and also its environmental impact.

Business Development in the Renewable Energy Industry

The renewable energy industry represents a change in the energy field. This change is also reflected in the business, which registered a continuous growth in the last two decades. This chapter presents the business growth cycle in the renewable energy field from an entrepreneurship approach. The growth analysis enables the understanding of the main growth strategies, such as the concentration strategy or the diversification strategy which are developed by companies in the energy field. These strategies are analyzed based on different perspectives for a company: the internal or external one which includes the Merger and Acquisition principles or new types of cooperation and networks in the energy field. In practice, there are also situations when companies have to think on retrenchment and this is the reason that this chapter also presents main retrenchment strategies that allowed companies to focus on a new business. The main objective of this chapter is to understand the importance of growth for business development and the related business strategies with their specific characteristics in a life cycle perspective.

Energy Security and European Union Energy Market

The evolution of the EU is aimed at eliminating development gaps between states and creating single markets for goods in the EU. More, the creation of a single energy market will lead to profound changes both at the level of EU and national energy regulatory instruments, major infrastructure changes, and the creation of an integrated management system at European energy corridors. These involve massive investments in the field of research and implementation of performing technologies, where information systems and process digitization play a decisive role. The main objective of this chapter is to understand the necessity and purpose of creating a single energy market in the EU and to guarantee energy security through the development of non-polluting and high-efficiency alternative technologies at EU level, but also in partnership with the states in the area with huge resources.

Business Models for Energy Storage

Energy storage is an important component of the renewable energy system. Besides the economic advantages of this process, to delivery energy when have high price, there are diverse advantages: from the technical issues concerning network (frequency control, voltage control, management of peak demand) to development of performant industries (electronic industry, car industry). There are presented the main technologies of energy storage: mechanical, electromechanical, electrical, thermal and chemical technologies, with their advantages and limitations. Application of business-sided models, customer-sided and hybrid business models, models with theoretical and practical consistency, are analyzed in terms of their position towards the meter and the methods of settlements. The main objective of this chapter is to understand the concept of energy storage in its complexity, as important element of renewable energy system, applied in various business models and as element of influence over economic dynamics, by their opportunities and new business ideas.

Economic and Ecological Analysis of Photovoltaic Energy as Steps in Starting a New Business

Based on the use of semiconductor materials, photovoltaic systems have evolved over several generations. The most important achievements in the field are Solar Power Concentrate (CSP), and the main technologies are: solar power tower (SPT), parabolic collector (PTC), linear Fresnel reflector (LFR), parabolic (PDS) electric systems. Many PV parks have been developed, and for some of them representative, a comparative study is being carried out. Investing in a photovoltaic project should take into account the high investment value and the long recovery period, as well as the different types of risks that need to be overcome. The main objective of this chapter is to analyze how solar energy is transformed by different technologies and equipment into electricity, calculations of economic indicators on investment made, project risks and environmental implications by reducing greenhouse gases.