GIS and AHP method to identify favorable sites for P2 PHES installation in Benin

This paper focuses on identifying suitable sites for the installation of pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) by combining the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). To achieve this, data on roads, rivers, the Digital Terrain Model (DEM), and protected areas were used. Using DEM data, the terrain slopes were calculated. The proximity of points to roads, rivers, and protected areas was determined to identify those near watercourses and roads. The approach included defining the study objectives, collecting and processing data, prioritizing criteria using the AHP method, conducting spatial analysis and mapping, and identifying potential sites. Weights were assigned to each criterion, and favorable geographic points were identified based on their AHP scores. Three types of sites were defined: priority (score above 0.7), secondary (score between 0.6 and 0.7), and limited (score between 0.5 and 0.6). Applying the methodology to the Benin territory resulted in 4 priority sites, 17 secondary sites, and 72 limited sites. MATLAB 2023a software was used for the AHP analysis and map representation.