Evaluation of Panel and Site Selection for a Solar Power Plant Using Geographic Information Systems and an Integrated Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Framework

The selection of suitable solar panels and the determination of suitable land alternatives, two fundamental problems influencing the decision-making process in solar power plant (SPP) investments, require the simultaneous evaluation of numerous technical, economic, and spatial criteria. Additionally, due to the investment risk involved, an integrated approach is needed. This study aims to develop a multi-criteria and spatially informed decision-support tool for SPP investments. The contributions of this study are summarized as follows. First, the relative importance of the criteria for classifying panels and sites was calculated using the Pythagorean Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (PFAHP) method based on expert opinions. Second, site analyses were conducted in a geographic information systems (GIS) environment using spatial data, thus supporting the decision-making process from a spatial perspective. Third, panel and site alternatives were evaluated using the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and Additive Ratio Assessment (ARAS) multi-criteria decision-making methods, based on the criterion weights obtained from the PFAHP. Note that TOPSIS results may be obtained with higher variability than ARAS results. So, a panel alternative and a site alternative may be chosen when dealing with both TOPSIS and ARAS results. Fourth, a case study is conducted to evaluate the panel alternatives and urban land conditions for SPP installations across Türkiye. Finally, the integrated use of multiple multi-criteria decision-making methods with GIS enables more comprehensive, comparable, and reliable decisions for SPP investments, and the proposed approach can serve as an effective decision-support tool for both investors and authorities.