Business Models for Renewable Energy Technology. A case study of Perpend AB

Abstract

Abstract The concept of business models (BM) have gained a lot of interest from both companies and academics during the last century. Prominent frameworks such as the Business Model Canvas (BMC) and the Value Proposition Canvas (VPC) are applied extensively throughout a large variety of industries for the purpose of mapping out how the company can create, deliver and capture value from their offers. However, not much research connecting such BM-frameworks to the rapidly evolving renewable energy sector have been conducted. This thesis explores that very gap in academic literature by studying how a case company (Perpend AB) with a novel technology for renewable energy production can develop a BM for their products. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how Perpend can make the benefits of their novel technological products visible and accessible to potential customers with the abovementioned BM-frameworks as starting point. Findings show several potential approaches to creating BMs for the renewable energy sector in general and for Perpend’s products in particular. This study culminates in developing two different BMs for Perpend, both with different possibilities and challenges to take into consideration. Additionally, an action plan for how Perpend can manage the process of applying the proposed BMs in a dynamic fashion believed to increase the chances of success is suggested.