Validation and application of a multi-dimensional framework for renewable energy policy development

This paper advances prior research on renewable energy policy analysis through the empirical validation of a comprehensive analytical framework. Building on earlier work, which established the framework via a systematic literature review, this study incorporates expert validation and applies the framework to the national context of Aotearoa New Zealand, as well as Norway, Estonia, Brazil, India, and Nigeria. The first phase comprised semi-structured interviews with international energy policy experts, generating 100 factors across seven thematic domains and refining the original framework through the inclusion of cross-cutting elements. The second phase applied the validated framework to Aotearoa New Zealand's renewable energy policy landscape, identifying strong institutional coordination and social acceptance alongside persistent financial, technical, and environmental constraints. The findings confirm that the five foundational domains — coherent institutional arrangements, resilient financial mechanisms, inclusive social processes and efficient technical capabilities and environmentally sustainable practices — remain conceptually robust, while the added cross-cutting themes strengthen the analytical framework.