Corporate Impact Roles in Catalyzing Energy Transition: A Case Study of Google’s Clean Energy Projects

Posted: 21 Apr 2022 Last revised: 6 Sep 2023

See all articles by Soh Young In

Soh Young In

Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST); Stanford University - School of Engineering

Andrew Peterman

Stanford University - School of Engineering

Ashby Monk

Stanford University

Date Written: March 24, 2022

Abstract

Companies play a crucial role in the net-zero transition, spanning from decarbonizing internal operations to reshaping their entire supply chains. This study delves into the multifaceted roles companies can adopt through projects to catalyze the energy transition. We examined eight project cases undertaken by Google and identified seven corporate impact roles: direct investments in clean energy –sub-categorized into seeding, scaling, and sustaining clean energy projects; advocacy; infrastructure development; education; and coalition-building. While each role stands distinct, they often concurrently operate, reinforcing one another, as observed from our findings. By exploring multiple projects within a single entity, this research presents a rich context of how companies can strategize projects to encompass varied roles aligning with company-specific resources, constraints, objectives, and challenges. Our findings are expected to refine sustainable project strategies, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive decarbonization and providing enriched criteria for the international project management community.

Keywords: corporate net-zero strategies; energy transition projects; corporate investment; corporate impact roles; impact assessment

Suggested Citation

In, Soh Young and Peterman, Andrew and Monk, Ashby, Corporate Impact Roles in Catalyzing Energy Transition: A Case Study of Google’s Clean Energy Projects (March 24, 2022). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4066014 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4066014

Soh Young In (Contact Author)

Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) ( email )

291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu
Daejeon, 34141
Korea, Republic of (South Korea)

Stanford University - School of Engineering ( email )

Stanford, CA 94305-9025
United States

Andrew Peterman

Stanford University - School of Engineering

Ashby Monk

Stanford University ( email )

United States

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