Development of the Sustainable Technology Balance Sheet (STBS) - A Generic Method to Assess the Sustainability of Renewable Energy Technologies

Abstract

The impacts of technologies on sustainability have to be assessed through structured approaches to provide decision-makers with strategic information. Traditional technology assessment methods can be complex and highly resource intensive with long lead times; consequently, the applications of these methods are limited, especially in Africa. Where these methods have been applied, the conclusions that are generated are also not always effectively communicated, which leads to limited buy-in from stakeholders. The paper therefore proposes a generic rapid technology assessment framework and implementation process that utilises a popular method that has been modified to include sustainability factors and a systems approach, while remaining simple and intuitive: the Sustainable Technology Balance Sheet (STBS). The method addresses technology assessment from a qualitative view by including sustainability criteria developed through stakeholder engagement and technical factors through expert opinion, while inducing a life cycle approach to ensure system awareness. A case study approach, using a bioenergy value chain, is used to demonstrate the developed STBS method.