Sustainable expansion of electricity sector: Sustainability indicators as an instrument to support decision making

• Published in: Renewable & sustainable energy reviews Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 422 - 429
• Main Authors: Rovere, Emilio Lebre La, Soares, Jeferson Borghetti, Oliveira, Luciano Basto, Lauria, Tatiana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 2010; Elsevier
• Series: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Economic data; Electric energy; Energy; Energy economics; Energy policy; Exact sciences and technology; General, economic and professional studies; Methodology. Modelling; Multicriteria analysis; Renewable sources of energy; Sustainability; Sustainability Multicriteria analysis Renewable sources of energy; Multicriteria analysis; Sustainability; Renewable sources of energy; Performance evaluation; Methodology; Decision support system; Urban waste; Socioeconomic study; Biomass; Biodiesel; Sustainable development; Implementation; Case study; Hydraulic power; Nuclear energy; Wind energy; Bagasse; Environment impact; Technicoeconomic study; Solid waste; Sugar cane; Electric power production; Comparative study; Natural gas
• ISSN: 1364-0321; 1879-0690
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2009.07.033

The aim of this paper is to put forward a proposal for a methodology to analyze the sustainability of the expansion of electricity generation. To do so, an approach is needed that takes into account, in an integrated perspective, the technical, socioeconomic, environmental and technological factors of the various alternatives for sector expansion. In this regard, multicriteria analysis (MCA) is proposed as an evaluation tool. It will be applied to a situation that involves the selection of the following expansion alternatives: small hydropowers, wind energy, generation from sugarcane bagasse, biodiesel, urban solid wastes, natural gas and nuclear energy. The methodology involved the development of indicators encompassing technological, environmental social and economic dimensions, for each of the aforementioned expansion alternatives, and the results were very interesting, from a multicriteria point of view, in their capacity to internalize socioenvironmental, technological and economic aspects in the decision making process for electricity generation expansion. It may well prove to be a useful tool for supporting this decision, although efforts are required to standardize the methodology with regard to its evaluation procedures.