A Hybrid MCDM-DEA framework for optimal solar power plant site selection for Iran

• A novel hybrid MCDM framework integrating DEA, Fuzzy AHP, and Fuzzy TOPSIS is proposed for solar power plant site selection in Iran. • Fuzzy logic is employed to effectively handle data uncertainty and expert subjectivity. • DEA is used to evaluate the efficiency of Iranian provinces based on climatic and geographical solar indicators. • Key site selection criteria are weighted based on expert judgments using Fuzzy AHP. • Fuzzy TOPSIS is applied to rank provinces according to their closeness to the ideal solution. In recent years, Iran has faced growing pressure on its power system due to limited non-renewable energy resources, rising energy demand, particularly electricity, and worsening air pollution in major cities caused by the extensive use of fossil fuels. These challenges highlight the need for Iran to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and transition toward cleaner alternatives. Given the country’s strong solar potential, solar energy represents a practical option; however, its effective development depends on identifying the most suitable regions nationwide. Previous studies have mainly relied on evaluation frameworks that did not cover all relevant dimensions and typically examined only a limited number of provinces, providing no comprehensive national perspective. To address the limitation, this study proposes a hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) framework that incorporates uncertainty to evaluate and rank all provinces of the country. In the first stage, Data Envelopment Analysis)DEA(was employed to evaluate the efficiency of all provinces based on climatic and geographical indicators. Subsequently, the key and influential criteria for optimal site selection were determined and weighted using the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) based on expert judgments. Finally, by integrating the outcomes of the previous stages, the selected provinces were ranked using the Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS). Finally, the results reveal that Iran's provinces, including Yazd, Kerman, and South Khorasan, ranked first to third in potential for solar power development.