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Key index framework for quantitative sustainability assessment of energy infrastructures in a smart city: An example of Western Sydney
Author(s) -
Yang Jiajia,
Liu Hangyue,
Wang Yuxuan,
Qiu Zihang,
Dong Zhaoyang,
Suzuki Tadashi,
Noguchi Toshihide,
Watabe Masaharu
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
energy conversion and economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2634-1581
DOI - 10.1049/enc2.12017
Subject(s) - sustainability , environmental economics , sustainable development , efficient energy use , risk analysis (engineering) , smart city , environmental resource management , social sustainability , computer science , business , process management , engineering , computer security , economics , ecology , biology , internet of things , electrical engineering , political science , law
Human society is experiencing a rapidly changing environment in which energy shortages and an ongoing climate crisis have been identified as two of the major challenges to the sustainable development of human civilization. In the face of these challenges, the concept of a smart city is proposed which aims at achieving sustainable development, increasing the quality of life, and improving the cost‐effectiveness of existing and new energy infrastructures. To this end, this study proposes a general framework with a three‐tier story chart for guiding the establishment of sustainability assessment models and the selection of their indicators. In addition, a quantitative analysis method is developed for assessing the sustainability of energy infrastructures in a smart city, which indicates how the long‐term sustainability of the energy infrastructure can be achieved. The proposed method incorporates extensive environmental, economic, and social indicators, which go beyond conventional facility‐level criteria and seamlessly relate to the broader community that benefits from the renewable energy transition (including energy construction, operations, and energy services). The proposed methodologies can be implemented through collecting the corresponding history data of the indicators and following the analysis procedures presented in this study. The proposed methodology can serve as a supporting tool for decision‐making on new infrastructure investment and policymaking toward sustainable development. Case studies in Western Sydney were carried out to demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed methodologies.

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