A requirements engineering framework of the evolving US energy landscape

Although there has been a significantly growing focus in managing environmental preservation, rising energy expenditures, and depleting natural resources, the United States (US) still remains as a world leader in energy consumption. This paper elucidates how the problem of energy demand could adversely impact the goal of maintaining global sustainability. The objective of this research is to develop a conceptual modeling framework that utilizes requirements engineering methods in order to describe the current state of renewable energy (RE) management, policies, and deployment practices in the US. Using a KAOS diagram, we developed a goal tree diagram to structure and explain the types of dependencies associated with the US energy needs. Through the realization of the identified goals, we formulated primitive requirement statements for the US energy sector, leveraging quality management standards derived from the ISO 9001 requirements. The resulting requirements-based modeling framework manifests the challenges associated with the development of an optimal energy portfolio and a generalized policy that can enhance US energy production through RE systems. The documented requirements are multi-dimensional and address the urgent need to continuously explore new technologies, formulate cost-effective policies, and reduce the total energy demands to achieve higher levels of sustainability.