Solar farms suitability analysis using GIS-Based Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) multi-criteria: A case study of Al Duqm – Oman

Fossil fuels have been the primary energy source for decades, but they have led to numerous environmental and health concerns, such as air pollution and climate change. This has highlighted the urgent need to transition towards renewable energy sources such as solar energy. Solar energy is an abundant zero-emission energy source that offers numerous benefits, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing energy security, and promoting energy independence. This study utilizes Geographical Information Systems (GIS) techniques to implement the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The AHP is applied using twelve criteria, categorized into three sections: Topographic, Climatic, and Economic. These criteria include factors such as slope, solar radiation, wind speed, power stations, roads, and others. Five categories were used to classify the results: very low suitability, low suitability, moderate suitability, high suitability, and very high suitability. The southern and northern regions of the study area exhibit low suitability for establishing solar energy farms. In contrast, the central region demonstrates high suitability for solar energy farm establishments. In addition, the total area of the highly suitable classified lands for establishing solar energy farms in the study area was about 1631 Km2 (18 % of the study/land area). This approach assists decision-makers in the country in deciding on solar energy in the study area.