Multi-criteria Assessment Method on Energy Solution for Decision Support in Remote Coastal Locations

Having an access to electricity wherever you live has not been achieved yet. Developing countries and especially isolated places are still pursuing this goal in order to assure a multi-faceted development. Among isolated regions, remote coastal locations are likely to rely on energetic resources available around: they may use ocean energy which is abundant and available in several forms. Existing marine technologies today fit more industrialized countries’ needs than those of isolated places. Remote coastal locations demand specific solutions based on renewable marine energies in order to develop sustainably. We propose a multi-criteria method assessment for decision support: taking various criteria into account (technical, economic, environmental and social domains), this process helps project coordinators and decision-makers in finding the optimal energy solution. From the design phase, the severe constraints associated with remote coastal locations lead to original specifications like simple, robust, reliable, maintainable system, different from the habitual ‘most efficient at the lowest price’ solution. Those systems, belonging to low technology category, do not only provide an electricity supply, they give as well energy self-sufficiency, sustainability and resilience. Tidal energy with in-stream turbine is a case study for our multi-criteria assessment method.