Site suitability for solar and wind energy in developing countries using combination of GIS- AHP; a case study of Pakistan

• Published in: Renewable energy Vol. 206; pp. 180 - 191
• Main Authors: Raza, Muhammad Ali, Yousif, Muhammad, Hassan, Muhammad, Numan, Muhammad, Abbas Kazmi, Syed Ali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2023
• Subjects: Multi criteria decision analysis (MCDA); Optimal sites; Remote areas; Renewable energy; Solar PV; Wind farms; Multi criteria decision analysis (MCDA); Wind farms; Optimal sites; Remote areas; Renewable energy; Solar PV
• ISSN: 0960-1481
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2023.02.010

Climate change and scarcity of energy sources have put developing countries in a situation that demands emergency future planning for matured renewable technologies in order to continue sustainable progress and provide clean and cheap energy to masses. This paper provides a comprehensive structure of site suitability for utility scale solar PV and wind energy projects considering criteria critical to each technology while only using criteria with absolute necessity for varying scenarios incorporating Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) along with Geographic Information System (GIS). A novel approach is also considered for far-off areas potentially deprived of electricity access for small scale solar PV implementation. A total of eight sub-criteria were considered in site selection process regarding wind and solar energy, analyzed using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) in order to rank criteria depending on their importance to selection process. Resulting methodology was applied to case study of Pakistan, a developing country with growing climate change emergency and ongoing power crisis. End results showed 25.28% area suitable for utility scale solar PV farms, 5.93% area suitable for utility scale wind farms and 40.02% suitable area for small scale solar PV farms.