Sustainability assessment of renewable power generation systems for scale enactment in off-grid communities

Abstract

Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL), a United Nations initiative, recognizes the significance of renewable energy systems (RES) in meeting the energy needs of off-grid communities. In Pakistan, the rural population faces challenges in accessing reliable electricity, necessitating the exploration of alternative electrification methods. While previous studies have focused on single-user systems, no single RES fully meets all sustainability criteria. Moreover, the impacts of scaled RES differ significantly from those of single systems, encompassing technological, environmental, social, and economic aspects. This study assessed the sustainability of scaled RES for electrifying off-grid communities using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) based on the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The assessment framework considered social, technical, environmental, and economic factors as key dimensions of sustainability. Pairwise comparison matrices were employed to determine priority vectors and weighted averages of indicators for fourteen sub-criteria. The results revealed that solar PV (29.82%) emerged as the most sustainable RES for scaled electrification in selected off-grid regions, followed by solar-thermal (26.79%), wind (23.86%), and biomass energy (19.53%). Each alternative has strengths in different categories, with solar-PV excelling in the environmental (42.30%), biomass in the social (36.18%), solar-thermal in the technical (41.53%), and wind energy in the economic category (39.40%). These findings provide valuable insights for implementers and policymakers seeking sustainable electrification solutions for off-grid communities. They emphasize the importance of aligning RES with the unique needs and goals and advocates for the widespread adoption of solar PV systems as a reliable source of electrification foroff-gridareas.