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The Russian Energy Service Company (ESCO) market emerges rapidly due to the new energy efficiency legislation that has been implemented since 2009. However, a clear identification of the Russian ESCOs, comparable to those operating on the basis of Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) in the Western markets, remains rather difficult. Hence, aside from the independent ESCOs identified, further energy service‐providing companies (ESPCs) are within the scope of this survey. This paper aims to address these issues.

Building on comprehensive qualitative research of the international and Russian academic and non‐academic literature on the ESCO concept and an expert interview, an explorative, questionnaire‐based survey among 161 Russian energy companies and organizations was conducted. A total of 28 usable responses were returned, corresponding to a response rate of 17 per cent. Non‐parametric exact tests are used for the statistical analysis.

The authors' findings show that only nine of the surveyed ESCOs have acquired energy performance‐based projects. In line with the new energy efficiency legislation, such projects are strongly supported in the state sector but much less so in the commercial sector. Most of the projects are financed either through ESCOs' own funds, direct loans to customers, or by the customers themselves. Russian banks, however, rarely provide direct loans for energy performance‐based projects of ESCOs, but rather prefer to offer financial leasing contracts. The contractual form “guaranteed savings”, which is generally more applicable in mature ESCO markets, is gaining in importance, while “shared savings” is barely used.

This paper delivers, to the best of the authors' knowledge, the first systematic empirical investigation of the Russian ESCO industry, taking into account experiences from the international ESCO markets.

This paper aims to quantify and critically analyze the best practices of a comprehensive environmental stewardship strategy (ESS), which included a guaranteed energy savings program (GESP) that utilized an energy service company (ESCO).

The environmental and economic benefits and limitations of an approach utilizing an ESCO are critically analyzed in the context of implementing a comprehensive university sustainability strategy.

A GESP, which utilized the technical and financial expertise of energy service companies, improved the operational efficiency, decreased the ecological footprint, and reduced the operating costs of the university.

Energy‐saving projects are “win‐win” situations, addressing both economy and ecology. Utilizing energy service companies in the university setting is a useful method to catalyze university administration to support sustainability initiatives and accelerate the implementation of comprehensive sustainability strategies.

The current waste rampant at most universities provides a large number of opportunities to improve environmental stewardship while reducing operating costs. This paper provides a new model utilizing energy service companies to capitalize on these opportunities to move universities towards sustainability.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the growing trend of developing and managing photovoltaic facilities owned by third parties in buildings, as a possible alternative to energy performance contracting.

Based on an established business model template, analysis is carried out on the framework of using third-party finance in the provision of photovoltaic facilities in buildings. Case studies in the USA and China enable comparison of policy tools enabling this approach.

While barriers exist in the common energy performance contracting approach for renewable installations owned by the building owner, vesting photovoltaic equipment with a third party for a certain period has become a viable business alternative as long as revenue is generated through a power purchase agreement or lease arrangement with the building owner.

The third-party ownership business model works better if sufficient policy incentives exist alongside the revenue brought about by renewable energy. Hence, governments have to create the right environment.

Win-win situations have been identified through case studies in countries with burgeoning renewable energy use in buildings, notably the USA and China, giving new insights on facilities management.

Since the registration of the first clean development mechanism (CDM) project in 2004, the CDM has seen a dynamic expansion: the CDM pipeline currently comprises 6,725 projects generating 2.73 billion certified emission reductions (CERs) up to 2012. These CERs result in a substantial financial flow from Annex I to Non-Annex I countries. But CDM projects also result in investments in low carbon technologies, a substantial share of which is focused on the energy sector. The total installed capacity of all CDM projects amounts to 288,944 MW. However, the CDM is not widely taken up in Africa. This holds true for Africa's share in the CDM project pipeline (2.62 per cent), for Africa's share in CERs generated up to 2012 (3.58 per cent) and for the normalized CERs per capita, per country. Two hypothesizes are commonly discussed: first, the continent features low per capita emissions and low abatement potentials. Second, African countries may be hampered by weak institutional frameworks. This article reviews both hypotheses and presents new empirical data. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Investigating the greenhouse gas (GHS) abatement potential of 16 energy-related sectors for 11 selected least developed countries in sub-Saharan Africa shows a total theoretical CDM potential of 128.6 million CERs per year. Analyzing investment indicators confirms that most countries are impeded by below average investment conditions.

It is concluded that Africa offers a considerable range of substantial abatement potentials. However, the weak institutional framework is limiting the uptake of the CDM in Africa. This is underpinned by an analysis which shows if a CDM sector has high investment cost, Africa will have a low share in the sector. If the sector has low investment needs per CER, Africa's share in the CDM sector will be bigger. Investment needs and Africa's share in the pipeline feature a negative correlation.

Supporting CDM development in Africa should not be constraint to technical assistance. It will be crucial to develop an integrated financing approach, comprising the CDM as a co-financing mechanism, to overcome the institutional challenges.

Until today, there are few empirical studies that use concrete criteria and indicators to show why the CDM is underrepresented in Africa. The work presented here contributes to filling this gap.

Develops an original 12‐step management of technology protocol and applies it to 51 applications which range from Du Pont’s failure in Nylon to the Single Online Trade Exchange for Auto Parts procurement by GM, Ford, Daimler‐Chrysler and Renault‐Nissan. Provides many case studies with regards to the adoption of technology and describes seven chief technology officer characteristics. Discusses common errors when companies invest in technology and considers the probabilities of success. Provides 175 questions and answers to reinforce the concepts introduced. States that this substantial journal is aimed primarily at the present and potential chief technology officer to assist their survival and success in national and international markets.

This paper uses a stakeholder approach to examine how the role of accounting and the status of accountants changed over a 30 year period (1970 to 2000) in a major Australian government trading enterprise. Data are gathered from semi‐structured interviews with organizational participants and documentation. The study provides support for the importance of stakeholders in shaping organizational processes and practices, including accounting practices, and for the effects of changes in stakeholder constituency and agenda on such practices. The study also provides evidence of the roles accounting and accountants may play in implementing a stakeholder agenda, including both instrumental and symbolic roles, and how the status of accountants may rise and fall commensurate with those roles.

The following is an introductory profile of the fastest growing firms over the three-year period of the study listed by corporate reputation ranking order. The business activities in which the firms are engaged are outlined to provide background information for the reader.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the business strategy of an energy company, identify the shortcomings in its existing strategy and provide recommendations to streamline a strategic direction.

The paper applies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis, five forces model and competitive positioning analysis.

The company needs to evolve its management strategy from an engineering focus to a customer and competitive focus.

The paper demonstrates that a real firm can apply traditional conceptual business models and successfully modify its business strategy to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage, better front-line customer service and newer product development initiatives.

The main customers for this company being the residential consumers, the focus on the front-line customer service will benefit the customers and the community in general.

The paper applies existing methodologies for strategy analysis to the business challenges faced by an energy company. The method can be used to find shortcomings in a current strategy, to identify the right fit between competitive strategy and operational competency and to provide a clear direction for the company.

This study aims to consider a five-factor model to evaluate the service quality of solar product companies in the context of rural Punjab (India) and validate the proposed model. In addition, the study considered the factors which affect the service quality of solar product companies.

A five-factor model of service quality has been tested for reliability and validity by confirmatory factor analysis. For determining satisfaction of the solar product users, SERVQUAL model/gap analysis has been applied. Five dimensions, namely tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy have been considered to assess the overall satisfaction level. A modified scale of Parasuraman incorporated in 1985 has been used as a survey instrument for research. A sample size of 345 solar submersible pump users was selected.

The study concluded that dimensions such as reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy have lesser gap. The major gap has been found in the tangibility dimension which includes variables like modern design of solar energy products, facilities and attractiveness, variety of solar products and performance of solar products, etc.

As primary data are concerned, the biasness of the respondents may affect the results of the study. The survey has been conducted in the Punjab region, and a sample size is 345 only which may not reflect the broader picture.

Solar energy has huge benefits in the Indian agriculture sector. The erratic state of power supply in India casts important costs on agriculture productivity. One such segment concerns systems, an important input for agriculture production. The study has implications for solar energy product manufacturers, as it makes them aware about customer perception toward services of solar product companies.

To decrease pollution and to save the environment, solar energy technologies have a good potential energy source and to meet the global energy demand, as it is the most promising and reliable energy source.

The existing studies in the context of service quality of solar product companies in Punjab have been majorly confined to proposing key drivers toward adoption of renewable energy sources. By providing an insight into the satisfaction level of farmers for solar submersible pumps, the proposed study attempts to fill the gap. As the study relates to solar product users in rural Punjab, the findings will be of additional value to solar product companies which are manufacturing solar products. Therefore, it is expected that this research will fill the gap in literature by studying empirically the service quality of solar product companies.