INTERNATIONAL ESCO BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES - A JAPANESECASE-STUDY

U.S. energy service companies (ESCOs) are very interested in expanding their businesses outside the U.S. Despite the needs of many countries for ESCO involvement, ESCOs face many challenges (i.e. marketing, fin ancial, institutional, political and cultural impediments). Using Japa n as an example, we present (i) impediments to the development of an E SCO industry, (ii) general guidance for helping Japan to develop its o wn ESCO industry, (iii) specific ESCO development strategies for Japan , and (iv) recommendations to U.S. companies considering joint venture s between U.S. ESCOs and Japanese companies. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.