Besides the commercial risks explored last week, including an inability to meet customer expectations, data leaks enabling competition to copy the product, and user experience (UX) problems, Powerpath’s commercial risks also include the lack of private investment post-project, resulting from full validation not being achieved, case studies not being sufficiently robust, or below par performance. That would prevent potential investors from trusting the product, therefore harming investment. As mitigation, the focus on an effective communication strategy would help, as well as a nanogrids strategy to break down large capital expenditures in small successive investments with short paybacks performed based on largely metered demand instead of declared demand.
Additionally, resistance from end user communities could be triggered by market resistance to new technologies, therefore resulting in partial deployment of the technology. Several dissemination and engagement activities are building on the consortium’s extensive network of collaborators to ensure that the community knows the facts and benefits of PowerPath.
Demand outstripping current manufacturing capacity is another commercial risk caused by a greater population in need of power, accompanied with restrictions on manufacturing and expertise or experience. This could impact business growth for local entrepreneurs. However, this risk could be avoided by manufacturing the product locally in the Madagascar region as well as through the use of alternative materials or suppliers and careful planning of technology manufacturability.