Power from the ground up: Using data analytics in capital budgeting

Abstract In this case, you will perform quantitative and qualitative analyses to determine if a university should repair its existing coal powered boilers or replace the aging system with a geothermal plant. Politicians and local coal workers are pressuring the university to repair the existing coal furnace because this strategy requires a lower initial investment and supports the local coal industry. Faculty and students are pressuring the university to make an investment in green energy by constructing a geothermal plant, despite the higher initial cost. In conducting your analysis, you must balance the desires of these stakeholders against financial realities. You will: (1) apply statistical skills to evaluate cost behavior and consumption trends using historical data, (2) develop skills in predictive data analysis to forecast future possible outcomes, (3) analyze the impact qualitative factors may have in making appropriate recommendations from data from the perspective of various stakeholders, and (4) strengthen applied spreadsheet skills and proficiency.