Assessing the solar PV power project site selection in Pakistan: based on AHP-fuzzy VIKOR approach

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 26; no. 29; pp. 30286 - 30302
• Main Authors: Solangi, Yasir Ahmed, Shah, Syed Ahsan Ali, Zameer, Hashim, Ikram, Muhammad, Saracoglu, Burak Omer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-10-2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analytic hierarchy process; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Cities; Conservation of Energy Resources - economics; Conservation of Energy Resources - methods; Criteria; Decision Making; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Empirical Research; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Fuzzy Logic; Hierarchies; Irradiation; Orography; Pakistan; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaics; Project finance; Radiation; Research Article; Sensitivity analysis; Site selection; Socioeconomic Factors; Solar cells; Solar energy; Solar Energy - economics; Solar power; Sustainable Development; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Pakistan; Cities; Solar PV power project; Sustainable cities; AHP; Pakistan; Fuzzy VIKOR; Site selection
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-06172-0

Pakistan has an abundant solar power potential which can be effectively utilized for the electricity generation. There are various sites across the country which have sufficient solar irradiation across the year, and thus, suitable for the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) power projects. This study, therefore, aims to undertake research on the establishment of solar power project site selection in Pakistan. In this context, 14 promising cities of Pakistan are considered as alternatives and studied in terms of economic, environmental, social, location, climate, and orography criteria and further supplemented with 20 sub-criteria. Initially, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method has been used to prioritize each of the main criteria and sub-criteria. Later, fuzzy VlseKriterijuska Optimizacija I Komoromisno Resenje (F-VIKOR) method has been employed to prioritize the 14 alternatives. The present investigation reveals that Khuzdar (C2), Badin (C3), and Mastung (C7) are the most suitable cities for the installation of solar PV power projects in Pakistan. Finally, the outcome of the sensitivity analysis revealed that obtained results are reliable and robust for the installation of solar PV power projects in Pakistan. This study shall assist government, energy planners, and policymakers in making cities sustainable by establishing solar power projects in Pakistan.