Search

Site selection is a key factor to the success of ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) project. It is a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problem with a series of conflicting criteria involved. However, limited studies were found concerning this area and problems existing in classical MCDM methods tended to fail OTEC site selection decisions. Therefore, this paper proposes an extended MCDM method and establishes a new decision-making framework to select the optimal location. First, a comprehensive evaluation criteria system for OTEC site selection from the view of sustainability with 16 criteria involved is established. Second, feasible alternative sites for OTEC project are identified by PEST analysis. Third, an extended PROMETHEE (Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation) under intuitionistic fuzzy environment is proposed to avoid compensation assumptions. During the decision process, seven groups of experts shared the work and cooperated with each other according to their backgrounds. Finally, a real case is studied and sensitive analysis is conducted, demonstrating the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed method. This study can effectively improve OTEC site selection decision making quality and also extends the domains of intuitionistic fuzzy PROMETHEE applications. • A novel multi-criteria decision-making framework for site selection is proposed. • The criteria system for ocean thermal energy conversion site selection is constructed. • A case study is carried out in areas of Guangdong and Guangxi Provinces in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral resource extraction is often accompanied by severe environmental pollution and ecological damage, hindering mining economies from achieving sustainable development. This paper aims to promote the goal of cleaner production in extractive industries from the perspective of environmental management through a more accurate understanding of how human activities affect the extractive industries. This requires more granular data for environmental damage in mining. The article proposes an ecological threat assessment framework for mining to support sustainable processes in the extractive industry. It integrates biophysical variables, technical indicators, and human activity data. The study is based on data at the mine level with 17 indicators used to evaluate the ecological impact of 13960 mines in Guangxi, China, from 2008-to 2018 in four dimensions: economic and technical indicators of mines themselves, surrounding economic activity, geological and environmental vulnerability, and ecological status of mining sites. Data from multiple sources were used to assess, map, and monitor ecological impacts in mining areas, such as high-resolution satellite images, interview data, environmental assessment reports, and mining rights data. We evaluated the ecological impact level of each mine and the extent to which spatial heterogeneity of regional economic and environmental preferences affected the degree of ecological impact. The results show that growth in population income has changed environmental preferences and driven down environmental disturbances in mines. Reduced dependence of regional economies on the industrial sector has also contributed to environmental improvements. In addition, increasing environmental regulation has limited the ecological impacts of mining, but these environmental regulation impacts are regionally heterogeneous. The effect of laws and rules is lower in cities and regions dependent on mineral resources, where resource extraction companies have more bargaining power. The results of this study will inform environmental management in the mining sector and support sustainable development in the region. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic poverty alleviation project (PPAP) is initiated to reduce rural poverty and pursue cleaner production, but the lack of reasonable sustainability evaluation has become a challenge. This study evaluates the sustainability of PPAP in order to improve the poverty alleviation performance and efficiency considering an integrated multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method combining benefits, opportunities, costs, risks (BOCR) theory, analytic hierarchy process (AHP), interval type-2 fuzzy numbers (IT2FNs), and technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS). First of all, this paper identifies 16 criteria based on BOCR theory from the perspectives of benefits, opportunities, costs, risks and constructs the criteria system. Second, an integrated BOCR-AHP-IT2FTOPSIS method is proposed and applied in processing ambiguous information and comprehensive sustainability evaluation. Third, an empirical case in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China, a comparative analysis and a sensitivity analysis are used to rank the alternative PPAPs and verify the effectiveness and robustness of proposed method. The results show that the integrated MCDM method is capable to evaluate and rank the sustainability levels of PPAPs with the contribution of BOCR theory-based criteria system. The work offers a novel sustainability evaluation angle for PPAPs and has potential applications in providing understandings and making decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]