یاسین خلیلی

Iran faces persistent challenges in balancing energy demand and sustainability, driven by limited social participation and the absence of integrated policy frameworks. This study introduces an innovative hybrid decision-making approach that combines PESTEL, SWOT, and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) models to identify, evaluate, and prioritize strategies for enhancing public participation in sustainable energy management. The research adopts a mixed-method design, integrating qualitative expert interviews and content analysis in MAXQDA with quantitative weighting and ranking through Expert Choice AHP. The proposed framework captures both macro-environmental influences and internal institutional capacities, linking social-behavioral insights with data-driven prioritization. Results indicate that developing targeted educational programs and creating interactive digital platforms are the highest-priority strategies, with normalized weights of 0.35 and 0.30, respectively, followed by local collaboration networks and incentive-based policies. The findings reveal that applying a combined social and analytical modeling approach can increase public participation potential by over 60 % and contribute to a 25 % reduction in energy consumption in the medium term. The study offers a novel quantitative–qualitative framework adaptable for developing countries seeking to operationalize community engagement within national energy transition policies.