Aggregate sustainability indices in the electricity sector: a review

This review examines how sustainability in the electricity sector is measured using composite indices that integrate economic, environmental, social, and technological dimensions. A systematic screening of 579 records identified 50 peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2024. These were grouped into four methodological categories which are multi-criteria decision analysis, statistical and econometric approaches, indicator-based composite indices, and review or comparative frameworks. Quantitative methods dominate, while aspects such as public acceptance, equity, resilience, and energy storage technologies remain largely absent. The analysis also reveals a persistent regional imbalance: although Sub-Saharan Africa (two studies) and the European Union (three studies) appear most frequently among regional groupings, this still represents limited scholarly coverage relative to their energy-transition relevance and population scale. South Asia and small island developing states remain almost entirely absent from the reviewed corpus. The findings highlight the need for more inclusive and locally relevant indices that address underrepresented social and technological factors, while preserving international comparability to support policy and planning for sustainable electricity transitions.