A Combined Model of Scenario Planning and Assumption-Based Planning For Futurology, and Robust Decision Making in the Energy Sector

The aim of this paper is to utilize a scenario-building method to create a framework for the future of the Iran’s energy industry and to examine the robust strategies for managing energy sector in Iran. The increasing growth rate of technology and consequently, the growth of energy consumption on one hand and sequence of highly uncertain changes on another hand reveals the necessity of novel foresight methods to deal with these challenges which energy sector management is encountered. This framework helps to develop more resilient conservation policies when faced with uncontrollable, irreducible uncertainty. This method is based on significant factors and critical uncertainties that potentially have an impact on the future of the energy industry. In this paper, a combination of the foresight methods such as Delphi, Environmental Scanning, PEST analysis, and Cross-Impact Analysis was used. Furthermore, MICMAC as a strategic foresight software program has been used for scenario-building. The semi-structured interviews regarding key factors of the energy industry are gathered and categorized into four main fields with using a PEST strategic analysis tool. Cross-impact analysis is performed via a questionnaire. Foreign investment in the energy industry, sanctions, the probability of war and terrorist attacks are identified as the three main factors and critical uncertainties of the Iranian energy industry. Using these critical uncertainties, and all the gathered information from experts, three scenarios were developed: Technology-driven, Stagnation, and Self-sufficiency. Finally, robust strategies for each scenario were determined by robust planning method