STEP 2:
Understand the Solution Context

In addition to deeply exploring the problems you are attempting to tackle, you also need to understand the context in which you’ll be building your solution. Here, the term “context” includes the industry you will be working with or within, the other companies that already exist, and the solutions that have been tried previously (whether or not they were successful).

Step 2 is where you start connecting the dots between the problem you’ve identified and the broader energy and climate landscape. To do this, you will likely need to dive into the fundamentals of the energy industry: how it works, who the key players are, and what trends are shaping its future. You need to learn the rules of the game before stepping onto the field.

It is also important to understand timing. Success in the climate and energy space often depends on aligning your idea with the right moment in the market.

One of the most valuable aspects of this step is learning from the past. The climate and energy sector is littered with examples of great ideas that failed because they were too early, too late, or didn’t account for critical factors like policy shifts or infrastructure limitations. By studying these lessons, you can avoid common pitfalls and position your solution to capitalize on emerging opportunities.

Understanding the Solutions Context will shed light on how your solution fits into the climate and energy ecosystem and what external factors could influence its success.