Assessment of regions priority for implementation of solar projects in Iran: New application of a hybrid multi-criteria decision making approach

One of the promising ways to shift towards sustainable development has been the utilization of solar energy worldwide. Based on its geographical specifications, Iran enjoys high solar potential to implement feasible solar energy projects. However, to obtain the best productivity and payback, identification and prioritization of suitable regions for construction of expensive solar power plants is a delicate issue. In contrast with common assumptions, identifying appropriate geographical regions for implementation of such projects is not only associated with the amount of received solar radiation, but also there are many economic, environmental, technical, social and risk criteria (and their relevant sub-criteria) which must be taken into account. To address the complicated nature of the prioritization challenge caused by existence of various indicators, this paper applies a hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) approach and prioritizes 25 scattered cities all around the country for implementation of future solar power plants. For this, both quantitative and qualitative effective indicators are identified to be considered as the inputs to the utilized hybrid model. The Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA, proposed in 2010) method is employed to rank the identified criteria, and the Weighted Aggregates Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS, proposed in 2012) is applied to evaluate and prioritize the alternatives (cities) where Yazd city ranked first. Eventually via considering the ranked cities, a comprehensive GIS map of the country is presented. The utilized integrated approach can offer helpful information for energy sector decision-makers and planning energy management in top level of managing requirements of countries in all respects. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.