A web-based Delphi multi-criteria group decision-making framework for renewable energy project development processes

Abstract

Our desire to abridge decision-making for complex problems related to renewable energy development processes led us to partially envelop the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) with classical Delphi and come up with a framework for web-based group decision-making. This paper presents how the Delphi technique is used to elicit sets of relevant qualitative inputs from experts' opinions and shows how MCDM methods are utilised to rank alternate solutions. The no-veto single-peer acceptance concept is also introduced to gather all valid criteria and alternatives. The Delphi-AHP-PROMETHEE combination is then outlined as a use-case and implemented to rank renewable energy sources for the energy policy of Bohol using technical, economic, social and environmental criteria. The results of the study revealed that solar energy emerges the best option for renewable utilisation in the study area, while biomass energy is ranked the least.