Please login first
Public Perception and Feedback Dynamics - Understanding Sustainability Scenarios for New Renewable Resource based Energy Technologies using Systems Approach
1  University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

Published: 07 November 2011 by MDPI in The 1st World Sustainability Forum session Sustainability Assessment and Policies
Abstract: Country-wise variation in availability of different natural energy resources (renewable and non-renewable) critically affects the intra-country resource management policies and international relations as well as treaties towards resource sharing and utilization. Since human consumption is at the core of world natural resource debate, it is critical to understand public interest perspectives towards fossil energy resources, alternative renewable resources and parameters related to them. In this paper, first public interest towards these key issues is evaluated using online trends analysis. It is found that public interest for such key issues vary considerably from country to country, many times, irrespective of the criticality of such issues. Public interest perspective have also been found to vary at different time points, irrespective of the criticality. Further, some natural and renewable resources have been found to rank higher in terms of public interest as compared to others, even though they may be equally critical. Second Feedback models have been developed to understand endogenous relationships between parameters which could be critical building blocks of sustainability in renewable resource based energy technologies, for example, algae biodiesel system. Using online trends analyses and systems oriented investigation, through feedback models, it is shown how this approach could help in understanding sustainability scenarios and devising informed, optimal policies and mechanisms for sustainable development of new renewable resource based technologies. .
Keywords: Feedback dynamics, sustainability, online trend analysis, public perception, algae biodiesel, renewable energy resources, systems approach
Top