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Preferences Matter: A Constructive Approach to Incorporating Local Stakeholders’ Preferences in the Sustainability Evaluation of Energy Technologies

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  • Stelios Grafakos

    (Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS) and Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT), Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Alexandros Flamos

    (Department of Industrial Management, University of Piraeus, 80, Karaoli & Dimitriou str, PC18534 Piraeus, Greece)

  • Elena Marie Enseñado

    (Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

Abstract

This research paper aims at developing and applying a constructive weighting methodology for the elicitation of local stakeholders’ preferences regarding a set of sustainability evaluation criteria during the assessment of low-carbon energy technologies. The overall methodology has been applied and tested for the sustainability evaluation of selected low-carbon energy technologies in Europe from a local stakeholders’ perspective. The researchers applied a constructive weighting methodology based on different Multiple Criteria Analysis (MCA) techniques to test the consistency of stakeholders’ preferences. The methodology was piloted based on a small-scale European local stakeholders’ survey within the framework of Covenant CapaCITY, an Intelligent Energy Europe project that supports the development of Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs). It became evident that the local stakeholders who participated placed high priorities on aspects such as CO 2 eq emissions reduction, ecosystem damages reduction, and resilience to climate change during the evaluation of low-carbon energy technologies. Considering the overall energy technologies assessment, wind off-shore, solar PV, hydropower, and wind on-shore achieved the highest scores and better reflected the priorities of local stakeholders considering a large set of multiple sustainability criteria. The high number of criteria led to some inconsistencies of stakeholders’ preferences, confirming the need for consistency checks and/or combining different methods of preference elicitation.

Suggested Citation

  • Stelios Grafakos & Alexandros Flamos & Elena Marie Enseñado, 2015. "Preferences Matter: A Constructive Approach to Incorporating Local Stakeholders’ Preferences in the Sustainability Evaluation of Energy Technologies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(8), pages 1-39, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:8:p:10922-10960:d:54003
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    7. Raghu KC & Jarno Föhr & Tapio Ranta, 2023. "Public Perception on the Sustainable Energy Transition in Rural Finland: A Multi-criteria Approach," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    8. Thushara, De Silva M. & Hornberger, George M. & Baroud, Hiba, 2019. "Decision analysis to support the choice of a future power generation pathway for Sri Lanka," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C), pages 680-697.
    9. Stelios Grafakos & Elena Marie Enseñado & Alexandros Flamos & Jan Rotmans, 2015. "Mapping and Measuring European Local Governments’ Priorities for a Sustainable and Low-Carbon Energy Future," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-26, October.
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