Decision-making in energy planning. Application of the Electre method at regional level for the diffusion of renewable energy technology

The authors show an application of the multicriteria decision-making methodology used to assess an action plan for the diffusion of renewable energy technologies at regional scale, carried out for Sardinia.

Abstract

The authors show an application of the multicriteria decision-making methodology used to assess an action plan for the diffusion of renewable energy technologies at regional scale. This methodological tool gives the decision-maker considerable help in the selection of the most suitable innovative technologies in the energy sector, according to preliminary fixed objectives. In this paper, a case study is carried out for the island of Sardinia. This region presents, on one hand, a high potential for energy resources exploitation, but on the other hand, it represents a specific case among other Italian regions, because of its socio-economic status and history. Three decision scenarios have been supposed, each one representing a coherent set of actions, on the basis of which strategies of diffusion are developed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.