Key success factors for demand response implementation: A hybrid multi-criteria decision making approach

Abstract

Today's societies need more electricity for sustainable development. But the faster growth in demand than supply has led to governments to face the challenge of secure power provision. Demand response (DR) is a clean and cheap way to overcome this challenge. Many factors contribute to the success of DR programs. These factors have also complex and mutual relationships that make it hard to manage all of them. This study tries to determine the role of factors in success of DR programs and identify the factors that have more leverage effect in this regard. This research integrate Analytic Network Process (ANP) and Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method to overcome the traditional ANP weakness that assumes influential degrees are equal. The proposed model can assess the interrelationship between the factors and provide a cause-effect diagram to evaluate the implementation policies, as well. The results show that, contrary to current efforts, political and cultural factors are more effective than technological ones.