Site Suitability Analysis of Solar PV Power Generation in South Gondar, Amhara Region

Abstract

The Ethiopian government looked towards renewable energy resources to generate electrical power for the current demand of the country. 85% of the total population of the country lives in rural areas and uses fossil fuel for their domestic uses. Using fossil fuel poses a danger for users and the environment. And the government of Ethiopia planned to electrify 85% of the rural community with abundant available renewable resources around the community. Therefore, identifying potential locations for solar PV with GIS is a decision support tool for proposing suitable sites to the government. The solar PV suitability analysis provides optimal locations for solar PV power plant installations. To find suitable locations for solar PV, factors that affect suitability were identified and weighted using analytical hierarchy processes. Then, the weighted values and reclassified values were multiplied together to produce the final suitability map for solar PV. Due to site unsuitability, solar PV generation efficiency drops and may malfunction. By identifying the most suitable locations, a solar PV power plant is optimally located. Therefore, the objective of this study was to find the most suitable sites in the South Gondar Zone for generating power from solar PV. The suitability of the study area for a solar PV power plant is 86.5%. Eighty-six (86%) of the criteria considered in the study area were found to be suitable for optimal location of solar PV power plant. Most of the suitable areas were found in the western part of the zone. The nature of topography is a key factor in generating solar energy; it affects the solar irradiance coming to the solar PV panel surface.