Analyzing critical barriers of smart energy city in Turkey based on two-dimensional uncertainty by hesitant z-fuzzy linguistic terms

Abstract

Successful implementation of smart energy cities in Turkey is essential to optimize urban energy systems. Turkey faces several barriers on its way to establishing smart energy cities. Since assessment of these barriers must be handled by considering many different perspectives, assessment of the critical barriers for SEC can be considered as a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem. This study aims to identify possible critical barriers hindering Turkey from becoming an SEC and prioritize these barriers based on an integrated MCDM methodology. This methodology consists of fuzzy Decision Making Trail and Evaluating Laboratory (DEMATEL) and cognitive mapping methods. The integrated methodology has been constructed with hesitant fuzzy Z-numbers, which allows not only to state the impreciseness of the evaluations but also to consider the hesitancy of the decision-makers to evaluate barriers concerning SEC implementation in Turkey. While the relations between the barriers have been determined via the hesitant fuzzy Z-DEMATEL method, their weights have been obtained through the hesitant fuzzy Z-cognitive mapping method. For Turkey, policy, economic, and social barriers are determined as the essential main barriers, respectively. Besides, the following five sub-barriers: the lack of successful past experiences/projects, social/political conflicts, inadequate regulatory framework, lack of regulatory norms, policies/directions, the lack of technical knowledge among planners, and information on new technology are deserved to be more attention since they have high weights. The research should help policymakers and businesses better understand the barriers to smart energy city projects in order to improve effective action and policy interventions that lead to more successful projects.