Randomized trial reveals integrated benefits of small hydropower refurbishment in rural China, indicating improvement in local energy and food stability.
Key Points
This research aims to evaluate the integrated benefits of refurbishing small hydropower systems in rural China.
Integrated qualitative Gioia method and game-theory-based weighted DEMATEL model.
Developed a benefit evaluation framework using multi-attribute decision-making based on Gray Pythagorean Fuzzy Hesitant Fuzzy Sets.
Evaluated refurbishment benefits across five regionally representative plants.
Refurbishment creates a water-energy-food integrated benefit structure, with water as the nexus and energy as the medium.
Identified key driver benefits include management capacity improvement and ecological flow regulation.
Geographical context and community infrastructure significantly influence refurbishment benefits.