Measuring the relative efficiency of hydrogen energy technologies for implementing the hydrogen economy: An integrated fuzzy AHP/DEA approach

To provide and improve national energy security and low-carbon green energy economy, as a government-supported research institute related to developing new and renewable energy technologies, including energy efficiency, Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) needs to establish a long-term strategic energy technology roadmap (ETRM) in the hydrogen economy sector for sustainable economic development. In this paper, we establish a strategic ETRM for hydrogen energy technologies in the hydrogen economy considering five criteria: economic impact (EI), commercial potential (CP), inner capacity (IC), technical spin-off (TS), and development cost (DC). As an extended research, we apply the integrated two-stage multi-criteria decision-making approach, including the hybrid fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) model, to assess the relative efficiency of hydrogen energy technologies in order to scientifically implement the hydrogen economy. Fuzzy AHP reflects the vagueness of human thought with interval values, and allocates the relative importance and weights of four criteria: EI, CP, IC, and TS. The DEA approach measures the relative efficiency of hydrogen energy technologies for the hydrogen economy with a ratio of outputs over inputs. The result of measuring the relative efficiency of hydrogen energy technologies focuses on 4 hydrogen technologies out of 13 hydrogen energy technologies. KIER has to focus on developing 4 strategic hydrogen energy technologies from economic view point in the first phase with limited resources. In addition, if energy policy makers consider as some candidates for strategic hydrogen technologies of the other 9 hydrogen energy technology, the performance and productivity of 9 hydrogen energy technologies should be increased and the input values of them have to be decreased. With a scientific decision-making approach, we can assess the relative efficiency of hydrogen energy technologies efficiently and allocate limited research and development (R&D) resources effectively for well-focused R&D.