Biodigesters: Transforming Universities to Waste to Energy (WtE) Hubs for Environmentally Sustainable Cities
Dean Rolland wanted to mark his tenure with a significant leadership, transforming his university to a waste to energy hub for the surrounding cities and contribute to the sustainability practices of his campus. To minimize the carbon print by recycling the energy in waste implementing a biodigester was the best option. To invest in a biodigester was however a complex decision. A biodigester was a system that biologically digests organic material (e.g., most food, including fat, greases, and even animal manure) using microbes and other bacteria and turns them into renewable energy called biogas (methane and carbon dioxide) and fertilizer. If biodigesters were appropriately used, they would have several environmental and financial benefits. Specific concerns on the other hand included the potential risks, profitability, and the best ownership model.
In completing this assignment, students should be able to
1. Explore the clean energy conversion challenges and opportunities available for large organizations, such as universities for long-term sustainability management.
2. Conduct a PESTLE analysis for examining macro environments for clean energy conversion and sustainability-based strategic decisions.
3. Evaluate a business venture using capital budgeting analysis.
4. Appraise the viability of funding sources for implementing a biodigester on the university campus.
5. Analyze and interpret data to decide on the most effective strategy to adopt a biodigester with a specific ownership structure for campuses.