Expanding Social Impact Assessment Methodologies Within SDGs: A Case Study on Novel Wind and Tidal Turbine Blades Development

Lydia Peraki, Nikoletta Kontouli, Anastasia Gkika, Foteini Petrakli and Elias P. Koumoulos ()
Additional contact information
Lydia Peraki: Innovation in Research & Engineering Solutions (IRES), 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Nikoletta Kontouli: Innovation in Research & Engineering Solutions (IRES), 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Anastasia Gkika: Innovation in Research & Engineering Solutions (IRES), 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Foteini Petrakli: Innovation in Research & Engineering Solutions (IRES), 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Elias P. Koumoulos: Innovation in Research & Engineering Solutions (IRES), 1000 Brussels, Belgium

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 4, 1-19

Abstract: The European Union’s commitment to significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions by promoting renewable energy necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the societal impacts of these initiatives to achieve sustainable development. A significant challenge lies in effectively assessing the social impacts of the wind and tidal energy sector. This paper addresses this issue by presenting an expanded methodology derived from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Impact Assessment, specifically tailored to assess social impacts. The methodology focuses on social SDGs, particularly Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17). Irrelevant targets are excluded based on defined criteria, while the remaining targets are characterized according to their impact pathways, validated through peer review, and prioritized by experts. The results underscore the importance of strategic partnerships, innovative material development, and gender equality in achieving global sustainability objectives. This research offers valuable insights into integrating SDG-aligned indicators within project frameworks, providing a replicable model for similar initiatives.

Keywords: sustainable development goals (SDGs); social impact assessment; renewable energy; wind and tidal energy methodologies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/4/1492/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/4/1492/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:4:p:1492-:d:1588870

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().