Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis in Renewable Energy Systems
Summary
Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) has become an essential framework for evaluating and optimising renewable energy systems, enabling decision-makers to balance diverse objectives such as cost, carbon reduction, technical performance and social acceptance. By structuring complex choices into hierarchical or network models, MCDA integrates both quantitative data and qualitative judgements, facilitating transparent trade-offs among solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass and emerging technologies. Recent methodological advances include the adoption of fuzzy logic to accommodate uncertainty, hybrid schemes to capture interdependencies among criteria, and the incorporation of spatial and life-cycle impact assessments for site selection and resource allocation. This integrative approach supports evidence-based policy development and investment planning, fostering global decarbonisation efforts while aligning with local socioeconomic priorities.
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Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis in Renewable Energy Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in multi-criteria decision analysis in renewable energy systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA): A collection of structured methods for evaluating and ranking alternatives against multiple, often conflicting criteria to inform decision-making.
Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP): A pairwise comparison technique that derives relative weights for decision criteria and ranks alternatives based on hierarchical structuring.
Combined Compromise Solution (CoCoSo): A hybrid MCDA approach that integrates several ranking strategies to determine a compromise solution reflecting collective preferences.
Sustainability Indicators: Quantifiable measures encompassing environmental, economic and social dimensions used to assess the broader impacts of energy systems and technologies.
References
- Overcoming Obstacles to Renewable Energy Development in Libya: An MCDM Approach towards Effective Strategy Formulation. Decision Making Advances (2023).
- A framework to identify and prioritise the key sustainability indicators: Assessment of heating systems in the built environment. Sustainable Cities and Society (2023).
- Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) for the Assessment of Renewable Energy Technologies in a Household: A Review. Energies (2020).
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