Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis for Renewable Energies: Research Trends, Gaps and the Challenge of Improving Participation

Rodrigo A. Estévez, Valeria Espinoza, Roberto D. Ponce Oliva, Felipe Vásquez-Lavín and Stefan Gelcich
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Rodrigo A. Estévez: Centro de Investigación e Innovación para el Cambio Climático, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Santo Tomás, Santiago 8370003, Chile
Valeria Espinoza: MERIC, Marine Energy Research & Innovation Center, Santiago 7550268, Chile
Roberto D. Ponce Oliva: Instituto Milenio en Socio-Ecología Costera (SECOS), Santiago 8320000, Chile
Felipe Vásquez-Lavín: Instituto Milenio en Socio-Ecología Costera (SECOS), Santiago 8320000, Chile
Stefan Gelcich: Instituto Milenio en Socio-Ecología Costera (SECOS), Santiago 8320000, Chile
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Felipe Antonio Vásquez Lavín

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 6, 1-13

Abstract: The global increase in renewable energy initiatives has been followed by the need to include the social impact of any project as a core element. Significant challenges for renewable energy development include uncertainty in assessing social impacts at local scales, participation and social acceptance. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approaches have been widely used in energy planning to address these challenges. This article reviews how social criteria and participation mechanisms have been incorporated into decision-making processes for renewable energy projects. A total of 184 articles were analyzed. A total of 490 indicators that estimated social impacts were identified and organized into nine criteria: employment, social acceptance, social development, health impact, governance, visual impact, knowledge and awareness, cultural value and social justice. Most research included analytical hierarchy process methodologies, and the articles were geographically concentrated in Asia and Europe. Most articles included a participative component (92.3%), and the majority of them were based on expert consultation (75.4%). Of the articles that exclusively considered experts, almost 40% did not provide any description of the expert elicitation process. Results revealed advances in the use of MCDA but highlighted important challenges—related to improving expert consultation methodologies and broadening the participation of stakeholders—when developing renewable energy initiatives and policies.

Keywords: wind energy; solar energy; bioenergies; marine energy; experts; stakeholders; social acceptability; participation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

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