Stakeholder engagement and multi-criteria decision aiding in the electricity transmission grid reinforcement: evidence from a role-playing game

Abstract

In many countries, any substantial increase in the share of renewable energy will require a reinforcement of the electricity transmission grid. We examine the value added by Multi-Criteria Decision Aiding (MCDA), which may support decisions on corridor alternatives for grid reinforcement by including stakeholder preferences. We present the results of a role-playing game to verify whether stakeholders can agree on a priority ranking of criteria for MCDA and whether this agreement can foster acceptance for the outcome of the process. Our results show that agreement among participants on criteria ranking during a common elicitation of the importance of criteria is significantly related to acceptance of the outcome as provided by the MCDA. Additionally, this method creates a common ground for generating acceptable solutions for subsequent steps in planning transmission lines. Our findings suggest that MCDA may generate higher stakeholder acceptance through the common and active inclusion of different actors in grid planning decisions.

Keywords:

• energy transition
• high-voltage power lines
• citizens’ opposition
• participation
• infrastructure planning

Acknowledgments

This paper is based on research carried out within the INSPIRE-Grid work package 7 Synthesis and recommendations. We thank all the members of the INSPIRE-Grid project and four anonymous reviewers for comments on an earlier version of this paper. The authors declare no conflict of interest. This paper reflects the authors' views and not necessarily those of the European Commission. Neither the European Commission nor any member of the INSPIRE-Grid Consortium is liable for any use of the information provided in this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2017.1395317.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the European Commission in the frame of the 7th Framework Programme [grant number 608472].