Solar Site Selection: A Novel Normalized Expert Strictness for Tailored Evaluation in Decision-Making (NESTED) Approach

This paper introduces the NESTED methodology, addressing a critical gap in decision-making by normalizing variations in expert strictness during the criteria weighting phase. Traditional approaches assume uniformity in expert evaluations, often leading to inconsistent outcomes. In contrast, the approach systematically adjusts for individual variations in expert stringency, ensuring fairness and reliability. By integrating normalization techniques with subjective weighting methods, the framework enhances robustness and practicality. The methodology is validated through a solar energy site selection case study, showcasing its applicability in real-world scenarios. Sensitivity analysis underscores its reliability, particularly highlighting the influence of experienced experts on decision outcomes. Comparative analysis with established methods, such as Entropy and CIMAS, reveals the approach’s distinct advantages in addressing expert biases, further solidifying its effectiveness. As a novel contribution, this method is the first to specifically tackle the normalization of expert strictness, an often-overlooked yet vital aspect of criteria weighting. The results demonstrate its potential to significantly enhance multi-criteria decision-making processes. By offering a practical solution to this longstanding challenge, the methodology lays the groundwork for future advancements in decision-making frameworks, promoting equitable and consistent evaluation practices.