Research Stream 2b: Energy Technology Roadmap and Stakeholder Perspectives

Objectives

The primary objective of Research Stream 2b "Energy Technology Roadmap and Stakeholder Perspectives" is to broaden the basis for decision support beyond the assessment of external costs by performing a comparative sustainability assessment of electricity supply options. In this manner the integration of the central analytical results generated by other Research Streams will be extended. Also, the robustness of outcomes of external cost assessment as well as the robustness of the identified, seemingly attractive electricity supply strategies will be examined under stakeholder perspectives.

Approach

Characterisation of technologies based on the knowledge generated within other streams (particularly from Research Stream 1a and 1b, will be supplemented according to the needs defined by the sustainability evaluation criteria and the associated indicators that need to be established. The impact of stakeholder preferences on the evaluation will be mapped based on the input from stakeholders and on patterns observed in the energy debate. The evaluation will be carried out on the level of individual technologies and possibly also on the level of electricity mixes defined by RS2a. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) will be employed to perform the mapping of options, thus allowing use of the technical knowledge in a structured process that is also open to accounting for values. Stakeholder surveys will be used to obtain feedback on proposed criteria and indicators, on the externality assessment framework and internalisation strategies, and to elicitate stakeholder preferences.

Expected results

The results of the Roadmap are expected to include mapping of the sensitivity of sustainability performance of technological options to stakeholder preference profiles, exploration of stakeholder perspectives on assessed external costs and prospects for their internalisation, comparisons of rankings based on total (internal plus external) costs on the one hand and on the use of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) on the other hand, set of most robust options, and suggestions on the directions for technological improvements that could improve the robustness of specific options.