To most, electric vehicles (EVs) are a sustainable solution for personal transportation. But to five members of the graduate Marshall Energy & Sustainability Club (MESC), EVs are “batteries on wheels.”

Janet Fang IBEAR ’25, Natthapol Jinavanich IBEAR ’25, Saurabh Ashok Mhatre MSGSCM ’25, Dito Laksmana Putra IBEAR ’25, and Ishita Singh MBA ’26 earned fifth place at the Rice Cleantech Innovation Competition on November 15 for their proposal, “Vehicle to Grid (V2G) Framework for California: Supporting the Grid Infrastructure by Empowering EV Owners.”

The student-led case competition provides a platform for students and industry professionals to learn from each other and discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by decarbonization. In preparing for their presentations, participants engage with real-world problems and provide impactful solutions that showcase critical analytical and problem-solving skills within a short period of time.

It was the first time a Marshall team had ever presented at the annual competition. Event organizers shared that revelation to team “Clean Slate” just minutes before their final presentation. The added pressure didn’t seem to faze them, as the team was confident their intense research on the American energy market and grid infrastructure had prepared an impactful proposal.

“Winning the award felt quite relieving and validating,” Singh remembered. “I am super proud to have represented Marshall on the national stage.”

Thirty-four teams competed, each presenting concepts of flexible energy resources to solve the increasing energy demand and support grid stability.

The Marshall students were acquainted with one another prior to forming their team, having first met during regular Marshall networking events that bring together graduate students from different programs including International Education and Research (IBEAR), Full-Time MBA (FTMBA), and Master of Science in Global Supply Chain Management (MSGSCM)

“Networking through Marshall events made it easy for us to form such a diverse team that combined skill sets from sales, energy business, finance, supply chain, and tech,” Singh said.

Despite their diverse paths, the team discovered a shared passion for innovation, energy transition, and sustainability.

“This common interest allowed us to connect instantly during that first meeting, and we confidently decided to move forward under the name ‘Clean Slate,’ symbolizing our aim to seize every opportunity with a fresh perspective,” Putra added.

After applying to the competition, accepted teams are given a case study on which to prepare their case analysis and presentation on a short timeline.

Clean Slate brainstormed and discussed numerous cleantech solutions, but none were scalable within the perimeters of the case study. They finally landed on their topic just 10 days before the deadline: V2G technology that enables energy to be pushed back to the power grid from the battery of an EV. Though a bit unfamiliar with the concept at first, the group was intrigued with the incentives surrounding EVs.

“We studied in depth about the government incentives and how V2G could create a revolution in the energy market,” Mhatre explained. “We could build a final proposal on how your EV car is not just a vehicle but a ‘battery-on-wheels,’ and the stored energy in the battery packs would create a win-win situation for everyone [EV owners, utilities, and grid stability].”

Clean Slate organized their presentation with an educational focus on the technology of bi-directional charging and the application of their proposal. The strength of their winning proposal also took a deep dive into the strategic benefits of the technology, including a market study about V2G, EV sales and infrastructure costs; a business model analysis; and a financial strategy breaking down initial investment, finance sourcing, and revenue streams.

The team recommended developing a user-friendly app for EV owners to participate in the energy market with incentives that promoted and monetized engaging with V2G technology. They also proposed revenue-sharing models and utility rebates to offset initial infrastructure costs while ensuring long-term profitability for EV owners.

Clean Slate’s presentation and Q&A in the final round impressed the 25 judges, all of whom hailed from C-suites across major energy companies in the U.S. After the competition, the students received quality feedback from the judges.

“They did mention that V2G is the future; it’s just a little difficult to implement at a larger scale at the moment,” Mhatre said. “The risks and mitigations that we had considered were right on point, and even our approach was in the right direction to target individual EV owners.”

With a vested interest in sustainable responsibility, each team member appreciates the critical role businesses play, not just as participants but as leaders of innovation and change.

“Sustainability is no longer optional; it’s a business imperative,” Fang declared.

With a background in manufacturing and supply chain management, Fang understands firsthand how energy transition directly impacts the efficiency, cost structure, and sustainability of operations.

“Companies that fail to prioritize energy transition risk falling behind in the market,” Fang added. “My experience implementing ESG initiatives, including replacing plastics with biodegradable materials and optimizing carbon footprints, has shown me how integrating sustainability can lead to competitive advantages and revenue growth.”

Between his experience with the case competition and his graduate studies at Marshall, Putra has a deeper understanding of the pressing challenges that need to be addressed. Following graduation, Putra plans to return home and focus his career toward energy transition and sustainability in Indonesia.

“We are still grappling with the ‘energy transition trilemma’ — security, sustainability, and affordability,” added Putra. “I firmly believe that innovation holds the key to solving this paradox.”

The team hopes their achievements will have long-lasting effects, not just to inspire future Marshall participants, but sustainability as a whole.

“When we found out that our team had advanced to the final round and guaranteed a prize, we felt extremely proud of what we had accomplished,” Jinavanich reflected. “We believe that what we have done will benefit the energy sector in the future.”