Selection of optimum green energy source under smart city environment for sustainable energy management and planning: An eclectic decision

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present a decision support framework, able to assess and optimize the energy use in smart cities. This paper has taken a sincere endeavour to develop an innovative integrated analytical framework as a benchmark to understand to what extent the energy has been consumed in smart city spectrum. Initially five sectors (construction, water management, transport, waste treatment and public services) of smart city and their corresponding sub-factors are identified based on industry, academia partnership. Once the data were gathered, those were analysed using various statistical tools. This research is useful for the policymakers, executive people, especially those are working or involved in smart city development projects. The developed framework helps to identify the significant energy consumption sector and also suggest the suitable green energy alternatives for developing a cleaner and sustainable future. As this study discusses the various parameters related to smart city energy consumption sector in western India, it will have a huge practical potential on the proposed operational smart cities in India. Literature has witnessed minimum number of studies have been carried out on this proposed framework and that could improve the wellbeing of the people living in the cities.