A Mission to Change the World

There is a growing community of companies that are successfully changing the way the world works. One example of how this is happening is through upgrading the energy infrastructure, an approach that has given rise to an industry of rapid growth and a greener economy. 

As renewable energy industries take off, they face the major task of changing the very foundation of the electric grid that we rely on today. To understand how big of an accomplishment this would be, think about the last time we upgraded the way the grid works: when Thomas Edison launched the Pearl Street Station power grid in Manhattan in 1882.

Over a century later, we're beginning to see progress. In 2014, the solar industry in the United States installed 32% of the country's new generating capacity, beating wind and coal for the second year in a row. This industry is changing the way we buy power by allowing average American homeowners to put a power plant on their roof and pay less than their electric company is charging. 

Beyond the growth of distributed generation sources, energy storage solutions burst onto the scene in 2015 with an announcement by Tesla that residential battery storage is commercially available -- the storage industry is expecting 250% growth by the end of the year. In addition, the electric vehicle market grew substantially in 2014, putting more gas-free vehicles on the road than any previous year.

These are a few of the many examples that green industries are making progress in rebuilding the energy infrastructure that we depend on. They are gaining momentum and changing the world; however, there are signs that this approach may only be scratching the surface.

In a recent Energy Gang podcast, Jigar Shah, the former founding CEO of SunEdison and co-founder of Generate Capital, references a belief by major oil producers that renewable energy cannot grow fast enough to offset growing energy demand. The sentiment behind this belief exposes the reality of just how massive the challenge is that lies ahead for renewable energy. Not only must the renewable energy install unprecedented amounts of generation capacity, but it must also relieve the oil & gas industry from its responsibility of meeting the demand for electricity.

There is no denying the economic potential and environmental value for renewable energy to displace the fossil fuel sources that we are dependent on today. In order to make this monumental shift towards a sustainable infrastructure, the companies behind this evolution must also show progress. This means that it is not only improvements in technology that will protect us from the environmental problems looming in the near future, but a change in the way companies behave and interact with their customers.

An example of the way companies are redefining themselves today is described by the founder and CEO of NewCo, John Battelle, in an article on creating positive change. Companies today publicize their intention to change the world through a mission statement describing a goal of creating positive change. In theory, if the company succeeds, the world becomes better somehow. But to Battelle's point, there is a difference between companies with a mission from companies on a mission. The latter is the kind of company that believes the world should be different in some way and is intent on facilitating that change.

One exciting change that is occurring is that more and more companies are adopting this philosophy: the customer is not the only reason to be more sustainable. In fact, customers are rarely concerned with the sustainability of the products they purchase. Instead, consumer decisions are driving by quality, rating and price rather than environmental responsibility. 

For now, it must become the responsibility of companies to prioritize a lower environmental impact. In the spirit of "identifying, celebrating, and connecting the engines of positive change in our society," wouldn't it be cool if companies benefited from sustainability as much as from profitability?