Assessing and overcoming the renewable energy barriers for sustainable development in Pakistan: An integrated AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS approach

Abstract

The growing environmental, economic, and social problems have forced governments and policymakers to ensure a sustainable energy future by deploying renewable energy technologies. However, the various barriers impede the development of renewable energy technologies. Therefore, this study identifies the seven-renewable energy barriers and twenty-nine sub-barriers, which obstruct the development of renewable energy technologies in Pakistan. Then, this study proposes various strategies to overcome these renewable energy barriers. First, the Analytical Hierarchy Process method assesses and prioritizes renewable energy barriers and sub-barriers. Then, the Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution method evaluates the strategies for sustainable implementation of renewable energy technologies. The results of the AHP method reveal that “Economic & Financial,” “Political & Policy,” and “Market” are ranked as the most critical barriers in the deployment of renewable energy technologies. Besides, the results of the Fuzzy TOPSIS method indicate that “Capital Subsidies,” “Feed-in Tariffs,” and “Direct, Enabling, & Integrating Policies,” are the most feasible strategies to overcome these barriers for the successful implementation of renewable energy technologies in Pakistan. This study shall assist the governments and policymakers in focusing their future efforts in deploying renewable energy technologies for sustainable energy planning and development.