This stage involves examining the distributional impacts, supply chain availability, workforce capacity, and public acceptability of the identified optimal energy solutions.
This Excel tool serves as a valuable aid for energy planners by facilitating the prioritization of various energy options and ultimately supporting the decision-making process. The tool enables planners and stakeholders to derive aggregated scores and rankings, thus identifying the most feasible energy options for the region. In particular, it allows the selection of criteria and the assignment of weights to these criteria, encompassing factors such as environmental sustainability, social equity and economic feasibility. Stakeholders and/or planners can then assign scores to the selected criteria for each solution, aiding in a qualitative assessment, whilst the tool also assists decision-makers in quantifying qualitative impacts when evaluating solutions. Subsequently, it calculates scores to provide a quantitative assessment of impacts, enabling more informed decision-making.
Planners should evaluate the distributional impacts of the energy solutions on different groups within the region, such as residents, businesses, and vulnerable populations. This assessment should consider factors such as energy access, affordability, and potential job creation or displacement. Identifying and addressing potential inequalities will help ensure that the regional energy plan promotes social equity and enjoys broad support from the community.
Planners should assess the availability and maturity of supply chains for the proposed energy technologies and solutions. This includes evaluating the local and regional availability of necessary equipment, materials, and services, as well as the degree of technological maturity and market readiness. An understanding of the supply chain landscape will help planners identify potential bottlenecks, risks, and opportunities, and inform the selection and prioritization of energy options.
In addition to supply chain considerations, planners should assess the workforce capacity to what is required for the implementation of the proposed energy options. This involves evaluating the availability of skilled labour, the need for training and capacity-building programs, and the potential for job creation. Ensuring that the regional workforce has the necessary skills and expertise to support the chosen energy options will be crucial for the successful implementation of the regional energy plan.
Finally, planners should organize stakeholder consultations to gather feedback and review the different energy solutions. These consultations should engage a diverse range of stakeholders, for instance businesses, local authorities, and other interested parties (including the public if deemed appropriate). Stakeholder consultations can take various forms, such as workshops, focus groups, online surveys and meetings. The objectives of the stakeholder consultations should be to:
Present the findings of the cost-benefit analysis and practical feasibility assessment
Solicit feedback on the proposed energy options, their distributional impacts, and potential implementation challenges
Address concerns and answer questions from stakeholders
Build stakeholder support and buy-in for the regional energy plan