Site selection for solar power plants using GIS and fuzzy analytic hierarchy process: Case study of the western mediterranean region of Turkiye

As global warming becomes increasingly evident, the need to use renewable energy sources cannot be overstated. The consumption of fossil fuels in energy production not only exacerbates the effects of global warming but also negatively affects air quality and puts human health at serious risk. The objective of this research is to determine the most suitable locations for solar power plants (SPPs) in the Turkish provinces of Antalya, Burdur, and Isparta, which are situated in the Western Mediterranean Region (WMR). The study employs the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP), a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) method, in conjunction with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the extraction of spatial information. In evaluating SPP site selection, 11 criteria were considered, including climate, economy, topography, and environmental factors. To produce more objective results during the decision-making phase, a thorough analysis of the relationship between solar irradiance and climatic factors such as air temperature, cloud frequency, and water vapor density which are crucial for the power plant's efficiency in SPP projects was conducted using machine learning techniques. The criteria weights were calculated by the FAHP method, considering expert opinions, literature observations, and machine learning results. The results show that approximately 20 % of the region is suitable for SPP.