GIS- and AHP-based Decision Systems for Evaluating Optimal Locations of Photovoltaic Power Plants: Case Study of Republic of North Macedonia

Abstract

This study employs a geographic information system (GIS) and an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to identify optimal locations for photovoltaic (PV) solar farms in the Republic of North Macedonia. It assesses land suitability using six criteria (solar irradiance, aspect, slope, distance from power lines, roads, and urban areas) and six constraints (urban settlements, agricultural zones, national parks, water bodies, steep slopes, elevations above 1500 m). A suitability map was created using a matrix of pairwise comparisons, and the weights for each criterion were calculated. The map was divided into four categories: highly suitable, suitable, less suitable, and unsuitable. The results showed that 11.6% of the study area was classified as being highly suitable, 40.1% as suitable, 3.6% as less suitable, and 0.8% as unsuitable. Additionally, restricted areas (comprised of national parks, residential and agricultural lands, elevations above 1500 m, and water surfaces with 1000 m buffer zones) accounted for 43.7% of the study area. Utilizing just 0.6% of highly suitable land for PV technology could generate approximately 2870 GWh annually, enough to meet the average electricity needs of the industrial sector across the eight administrative regions of R. N. Macedonia. The study offers a replicable GIS-based approach for solar energy planning, contributing to sustainable development and providing insights for integrating solar PV systems into the national energy strategy.