Supplier Selection for Photovoltaic Module Installation Utilizing Fuzzy Inference and the VIKOR Method: A Green Approach

Alexei Pérez-Velázquez, Leandro Leysdian Oro-Carralero and Jorge Laureano Moya-Rodríguez
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Alexei Pérez-Velázquez: Industrial Engineering, Polytechnic Institute, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40210–63, Brazil
Leandro Leysdian Oro-Carralero: Electric Engineering, Polytechnic Institute, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40210–63, Brazil
Jorge Laureano Moya-Rodríguez: Industrial Engineering, Polytechnic Institute, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40210–63, Brazil

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 6, 1-19

Abstract: The necessary transformation of the world’s energy matrices has led to a growth in developing technologies based on renewable sources. In this context, photovoltaic panels and their components count in Brazil with a production and commercialization chain that has accumulated a sustained growth of more than 100% of its generation capacities between the years 2018 and 2019, and that can fulfill or overcome this rate in 2019 to 2020. However, the conditions of a competitive market and the availability of a significant number of middle and small companies for the distribution and installation of photovoltaic technology may represent a scenario where multiple indicators must be considered. The purpose of this study is to apply a combined method to aid decision-making that corresponds to the supplier selection of the technology in the context of Northeast Brazil. The method is composed by the combination of a diffuse inference technique together with a multicriteria decision-making method, VIKOR, and the weight assignment to the indicators using the entropy method, according to the values of the decision matrix resulting from the diffuse inference technique that allows to develop the calculus. The results show that data collection from multiple sources and based on input variables can offer metrics about the suppliers for the selection criteria. Restrictions derived from data collection can be a barrier, and the method relies on an adapted script that facilitates application.

Keywords: supplier selection; installation of photovoltaic modules; fuzzy inference; green approach; selection ranking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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