5. Technology Assessment in the Energy Sector

As time passes and our current rate of population increase is maintained, the demand for heated water for home uses grows as well. Such demands become taxing on the energy industry to maintain the supply of energy to heat the water. Although there are other methods in which we are able to heat water they are still at its infancy stage. This initial parts of the study are developed to understand the taxing demands that heated water has on our energy sector and the implications it has economically as well as environmentally. This project conducts a literature review to study the current water heating industry, which then is utilized to establish a GAP analysis that would help us correctly conduct a more accurate Hierarchal Decision Model (HDM). The objective of this study was to understand the different factors that influence the industry from the consumer perspective, as well as show the primary factors that need to be changed to implement more environmentally friendly solutions in heating water. Thus, allowing Government Regulators to develop regulations that help influence the industry in the right direction as well as allowing the Water Heating Industry to focus on features that are key to the consumer based of a developed platform.