Toward Integrated Marine Renewables: Prioritizing Taiwan’s Offshore Wind Projects for Wave Energy Compatibility Through a Cross-Efficiency Data Envelopment Analysis Approach

Offshore wind energy has become a critical component of global efforts to transition toward low-carbon and sustainable energy systems, and although Taiwan’s advantageous geographical position has accelerated its progress in this domain, many of Taiwan’s upcoming offshore wind projects remain in a pre-construction phase, raising questions about their viability for complementary wave energy integration. To address this challenge, this study proposes a hybrid Cross-Efficiency Slacks-Based Measure (CE-SBM) Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model. Thirteen announced offshore wind projects were evaluated using spatial and resource-related input variables and energy-centric output variables. The self-efficiency results from the SBM stage highlighted several projects—most notably Zhu Ting, Wo Neng, and Chu Tin—as highly effective in resource utilization under their own weighting schemes. However, the subsequent cross-efficiency analysis added a consensus-based perspective, revealing a clear performance hierarchy and identifying inefficiencies in projects such as Greater Changhua Northeast and Winds of September. These findings underscore the value of combining DEA-based models with slacks-based and cross-efficiency features to guide multifaceted energy development. By prioritizing projects with robust efficiency profiles, policymakers and stakeholders can expedite Taiwan’s broader adoption of integrated wind–wave energy systems, ultimately fostering a more reliable and sustainable marine energy portfolio.