Introduction

This live action role play is for participants in seminars about FairShares Commons Companies. It uses a role play designed and developed by the FairShares Institute at Sheffield Business School to introduce participants to decision-making in a fictional FairShares Company called Future Energy.

Future Energy Ltd is a specialist in renewable energy production. After a government funded venture/collaboration with a network of community groups in deprived urban areas, Future Energy Ltd entered into a series of arrangements to license self-build solar panel technology to housing associations.  A group of housing association members – supported by the Housing Associations Charitable Trust (HACT) - have tabled a proposal. They wish to convert Future Energy Ltd into a FairShares Commons Company and open source IP for more housing associations.

Background                      

Future Energy’s solar energy panels are the outcome of its Founder members’ interest in low cost renewable energy production. Initially selling to private domestic buyers, the company expanded through 3-year contracts with housing associations to licence its self-build technologies to community groups who install them on blocks of flats and semi-detached homes owned by housing associations. The energy generated lowers housing association tenants’ bills and generates surplus income that is divided locally between each housing association and Future Energy Ltd.

You are a member of Future Energy Ltd, which is currently structured as a FairShares Company. The proposal brought to you by housing association members is to convert Future Energy Ltd into a FairShares Commons Company. This would commit it to making the company’s core IP (the designs for its solar panels) available as a ‘commons resource’ using Creative Commons licensing. They also propose that designs are updated to facilitate production through open source 3D printing.

Issues for Debate

There are numerous unresolved questions about the business model to support a shift from private property (with fee charging for use of patented solar panel designs) to commons property (open source production). One member has suggested that HACT (the membership body for housing associations across the country) controls access so that only housing associations would have access to the commons resources created by Future Energy Ltd until a business model is agreed for other sectors.

At present, Future Energy works directly with six housing associations (who are Customer Members). Collectively they control 120,000 properties.  HACT, however, can provide indirect access to 3 million properties nationwide and expand the market for Future Energy’s solar panel products.  HACT claims the licensing scheme currently offered by Future Energy Ltd to housing associations is only viable for associations with over 5,000 properties. Creating a commons resource and updating solar panel designs for 3D printing would benefit even the smallest housing association.

Future Energy Ltd would still manufacture and install solar panels for domestic customers (this part of the market would not change). Some Directors are concerned by open sourcing product designs, the company will lose control over its most valuable asset. It would also change the production cycle from one that is under central control to a distributed model, mostly controlled by Customer Members. What, then, would happen to Labour members?

3D printing is a major factor in the long-term vision of the proposal.  HACT believes that a network of 3D Printers could localise production, saving on transport costs and also reduce the overall cost of ownership. Other members (particularly amongst the workforce) are sceptical that 3D Printing can operate successfully on the scale required. Evidence provided by Founder members[1]support both arguments – that costs could drop 20%, but also that mass production may be more difficult.

[1] See: https://www.azocleantech.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=975