Assessing Suitable Areas for PV Power Installation in Remote Agricultural Regions

Abdelfetah Belaid (), Mawloud Guermoui, Reski Khelifi, Toufik Arrif, Tawfiq Chekifi, Abdelaziz Rabehi, El-Sayed M. El-Kenawy and Amel Ali Alhussan
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Abdelfetah Belaid: Unité de Recherche Appliquée en Energies Renouvelables, URAER, Centre de Développement des Energies Renouvelables, CDER, Ghardaïa 47133, Algeria
Mawloud Guermoui: Unité de Recherche Appliquée en Energies Renouvelables, URAER, Centre de Développement des Energies Renouvelables, CDER, Ghardaïa 47133, Algeria
Reski Khelifi: Unité de Recherche Appliquée en Energies Renouvelables, URAER, Centre de Développement des Energies Renouvelables, CDER, Ghardaïa 47133, Algeria
Toufik Arrif: Unité de Recherche Appliquée en Energies Renouvelables, URAER, Centre de Développement des Energies Renouvelables, CDER, Ghardaïa 47133, Algeria
Tawfiq Chekifi: Unité de Recherche Appliquée en Energies Renouvelables, URAER, Centre de Développement des Energies Renouvelables, CDER, Ghardaïa 47133, Algeria
Abdelaziz Rabehi: Telecommunications and Smart Systems Laboratory, University of Ziane Achour, Djelfa 17000, Algeria
El-Sayed M. El-Kenawy: Intelligent Systems and Machine Learning Lab, Shenzhen 518000, China
Amel Ali Alhussan: Department of Computer Sciences, College of Computer and Information Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-19

Abstract: Remote agricultural regions in desert areas, such as Ghardaïa in southern Algeria, face significant challenges in energy supply due to their isolated locations and harsh climatic conditions. Harnessing solar energy through photovoltaic (PV) systems offers a sustainable solution to these energy needs. This study aims to identify suitable areas for PV power installations in Ghardaïa, utilizing a geographic information system (GIS) combined with the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Various environmental, economic, and technical factors, such as solar radiation, land use, and proximity to infrastructure, are incorporated into the analysis to create a multi-criteria decision-making framework. The integration of fuzzy logic into AHP enables a more flexible evaluation of these factors. The results revealed the presence of ideal locations for installing photovoltaic stations, with 346,673.30 hectares identified as highly suitable, 977,606.84 hectares as very suitable, and 937,385.97 hectares as suitable. These areas are characterized by high levels of solar radiation and suitable infrastructure availability, contributing to reduced implementation costs and facilitating logistical operations. Additionally, the proximity of these locations to agricultural areas enhances the efficiency of electricity delivery to farmers. The study emphasizes the need for well-considered strategic planning to achieve sustainable development in remote rural areas.

Keywords: Algeria; fuzzy logic AHP; GIS; multi-criteria decision making; PV agriculture; agrivoltaics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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