Developing an Indicator System for Measuring the Social Sustainability of Offshore Wind Power Farms

Tzay-An Shiau and Ji-Kai Chuen-Yu
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Tzay-An Shiau: Department of Harbor and River Engineering, National Taiwan Ocean University, Pei-Nein Road, Keelung 20224, Taiwan
Ji-Kai Chuen-Yu: Department of Harbor and River Engineering, National Taiwan Ocean University, Pei-Nein Road, Keelung 20224, Taiwan

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: Taiwan’s government has promoted investment in an offshore wind power farm, and local fishermen have protested. A social impact assessment (SIA) has examined the impact of the proposed offshore wind power farm on all stakeholders. The main objective of the present study was to develop an indicator system for measuring the social sustainability of offshore wind power farms; this study also reports on the particular case of Taiwan’s offshore wind power project. This study began by defining 35 social sustainability indicators and selecting 23 representative indicators by using rough set theory. Subsequently, 14 key indicators were constructed using the social construction of technology (SCOT) method. Finally, we developed a social impact index for evaluating the social sustainability of offshore wind power farms by using the analytic network process and Dempster-Shafer theory. Our social impact index yields a total score of 0.149 for Taiwan’s pilot offshore wind power project; this result indicates that the pilot project is socially sustainable. A substantial contradiction exists between the fishermen’s protest and the results of the social impact assessment. The findings can assist the government in building a coordination platform for the investors and the fishermen. Government regulation is necessary to set boundaries for fishing areas that protect both the fishermen’s and investors’ rights.

Keywords: social sustainability; social impact assessment; social construction of technology; offshore wind power (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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