The speed at which society can transition to a low-carbon future depends on multiple variables including new technologies, financial costs, policies and regulations, and consumer behavior. The difficulty of navigating these considerations and how they interact is an important reason why IGS Energy decided to become the first foundational member of the Sustainability Institute at The Ohio State University in 2021. The company agreed to invest $1 million over five years in sustainable energy research and student learning at the university with an aim of developing new innovations and emerging leaders to accelerate the transition toward decarbonization.
More than halfway through the collaboration, there is much to show.
Like any good relationship, the first step was getting to know the other side better. To do this, representatives from IGS Energy met with faculty affiliated with the Sustainability Institute through a “discovery session” curated by the Center for Innovation Strategies in the Fisher College of Business. The process led to a suite of focus areas that reflected the business interests of the company and the research capabilities of the university. IGS Energy then prioritized four of these focus areas – electrification, carbon management, residential solar and batteries, and understanding consumer demand for renewable energy – for further exploration.
The discovery session led to three initial research projects aimed at helping the company gain insights into specific sustainability challenges. In each case, Sustainability Institute staff matched the sponsor’s needs with a researcher who has the expertise for the work. “The Institute has been a great way-finder that has helped us make connections we could not have made on our own,” said Jen Bowden, Vice President for Brand and Social Impact at IGS Energy.
The goal of the first research project is to model future supply and pricing of carbon offsets to help IGS Energy decision-making related to carbon-neutral energy products. The company offers customers an option to purchase natural gas with nature-based offsets to be carbon neutral. It wants more information about the long-term viability of this business strategy based on forecasts of carbon offset prices. The research is led by Brent Sohngen, a professor of environmental and resource economics in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who is internationally known for his research on land-based carbon sequestration.
Another research project investigated the psychographics and motivators that influence residential and community solar purchase decisions. Jessica Spencer, Director of Brand and Product Marketing at IGS Energy, explained that there are many factors that influence the individuals who ultimately make the decision to install solar panels. Fortunately, Ohio State has researchers who could help the company make sense of what their customer data reveals about solar adoption. The project was led by Nicole Sintov, an environmental psychologist in the School of Environment and Natural Resources, whose work focuses on the role of consumer behavior and decision-making in sustainable consumption with an emphasis on energy.
A final research project delved into policy questions about behind-the-meter distributed solar and how it contributes to sustainable energy. The project paired a graduate student studying under Noah Dormady, a professor of economics and energy policy in the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, with the IGS Energy team focused on distributed energy resources. “Even though there is regulation for electricity markets down to the meter, much of what occurs behind the meter continues to be the Wild West and an unregulated portion of the market,” said Dormady. “It is important to understand the policy implications of what happens in this space.”
The collaboration with the Sustainability Institute has also turbo-charged talent recruitment efforts by IGS Energy at Ohio State. Lindsay LaSala, Talent Relationship Partner at IGS Energy, works with universities, colleges, technical schools, and community groups to build talent pathways into the company. She understands that sustainability is an important consideration for many recent graduates who are choosing where they want to work. “When we talk to recent grads and others in a job search, they’re excited by the idea that they could contribute to the clean energy transition,” she said.
Increasing diversity is also a priority for IGS Energy’s talent recruitment and retention efforts. Through its collaboration with the Sustainability Institute, the company has become a formal sponsor of Ohio State’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, providing it with new avenues to meet with students from all walks of life. Among other things, the company hosted a “career trek” for interested students to visit its headquarters and learn about career opportunities in the industry. More recently, IGS Energy helped Ohio State celebrate Earth Month by sponsoring the Sustainability Institute’s annual Women in Sustainability networking forum.
The collaboration will also support Ohio State engineering students who are interested in expanding solar access to remote communities that lack reliable access to the grid. IGS Energy recently launched a new purpose-driven initiative called Clean Energy for Everyone that aims to improve lives through more jobs in the solar industry and increased access to solar energy, including Native American communities. It chose to invest in a new Ohio State student service-learning project to respond to the energy needs of a community in the Navajo Nation. The sponsorship will lower the financial barrier for engineering majors interested in humanitarian projects to participate. “IGS’s support will impact our students and the community in a huge way and contribute to the growth of our larger Humanitarian Engineering program,” said Leslie Callihan, Director of International Initiatives in the College of Engineering.
An added benefit of engaging students is the opportunity for IGS Energy employees to mentor the next generation of energy industry leaders by sharing professional insights, imparting technical knowledge, and highlighting so-called soft skills like working on a team that are essential to future success in the workplace. Through its collaboration with the Sustainability Institute, volunteers from the company have enhanced the student learning experience by advising capstone projects, serving as guest lecturers, and meeting with student groups and communities of practice to talk about sustainable energy.
The relationship has had its learning moments, but good planning and regular communications has helped produce tangible outcomes. “The collaboration between IGS Energy and Ohio State has lifted both organizations,” said Kate Bartter, Executive Director of the Sustainability Institute. “Our researchers and students have had opportunities to work on real-world problems and practical applications thanks to our engagement with IGS.” Part of the collaboration also provides annual support to the Institute.
Everyone involved in this collaboration knows that much is at stake in terms of building a more sustainable energy future. “While the population is growing and people need more energy, the climate is changing, and everyone has a choice in how they use power,” said IGS Energy’s LaSala. Making sense of the many variables affecting sustainable energy can be challenging and collaborations like the one between Ohio State and IGS Energy can help illuminate the road ahead.