Assessing the ICT exploitation in EU energy policy: a multicriteria evaluation
ISSN: 0025-1747
Article publication date: 2 March 2020
Issue publication date: 11 December 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present and assess the EU energy policies regarding their dependence on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) implications and the level of complexity of the applied ICT implications using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity of Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method. The used criteria have been retrieved from the official “ICT Implication Assessment method of EU Legislation”.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology approach deals with the ranking representation of EU energy policies according to the ICT exploitation. The data for the study were collected from the official website of the European Union (EU) (www.europa.eu). According to these data, the subtopics of the EU energy policies regard the internal energy market, the European energy policy, the energy efficiency, the nuclear energy, the security of energy supply, the external dimension, the enlargement and the renewable energy sources. The EU energy policies were assessed using the TOPSIS multicriteria analysis. The TOPSIS is widely used to solve real-world decision-making problems due to its characteristic to deal with different information types.
Findings
According to the results of the research, the EU energy policies achieve a good level of dependence on ICT implications and of complexity of the applied ICT implications but not the optimum. However, EU policy-makers should take into account the ICT factors while updating an existing one or while designing a new energy policy. The results of this research can provide an overview of the current situation regarding the current legislation while moving toward a sustainable eEurope. There is a need for stronger incubation efforts for a wide range of innovations to be ready in due time.
Originality/value
This is the first time that EU energy policies are presented and assessed regarding their dependence on ICT implications and the level of complexity of the applied ICT implications using the TOPSIS method.
Keywords
Citation
Andreopoulou, Z., Koliouska, C. and Zopounidis, C. (2020), "Assessing the ICT exploitation in EU energy policy: a multicriteria evaluation", Management Decision, Vol. 58 No. 11, pp. 2417-2428. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-09-2019-1267
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited