Balancing Solar Potential and Environmental Risk: A GIS-Based Site-Selection Approach for Concentrated Solar Power in Tibet

Mingkun Yu, Lei Zhao (), Zuliang Chen and Jingyu Wu
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Mingkun Yu: School of Building Services Science and Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China
Lei Zhao: School of Building Services Science and Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China
Zuliang Chen: School of Building Services Science and Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China
Jingyu Wu: School of Building Services Science and Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 11, 1-25

Abstract: The Tibet Autonomous Region presents immense potential for concentrated solar power (CSP) development, driven by its exceptional solar irradiance levels (e.g., a peak DNI exceeding 2100 kWh/m 2 /day). This positions it as a strategic contributor to China’s 2060 carbon neutrality target and aligns with global energy transition imperatives. However, CSP deployment in this region faces challenges stemming from unique high-altitude geographic characteristics, a complex terrain, and extreme climatic conditions—including pronounced diurnal temperature fluctuations, high wind speeds, and heavy winter snowfall. Additionally, traditional site-selection models inadequately address these region-specific environmental constraints. To address these limitations, an integrated framework combining geographic information systems (GIS) and multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) is proposed in this study. A localized evaluation system is developed, incorporating four novel high-altitude-specific indicators: the average and maximum wind speed and the average and maximum snow depth. Criteria weights are determined through a hybrid approach integrating the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and the entropy weight method (EWM), while candidate sites are prioritized using the VIKOR (VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje) ranking method. The case study results demonstrate that region-specific environmental factors exert a significantly stronger influence on site suitability than traditional solar resource indicators (e.g., direct normal irradiance) under Tibet’s extreme climatic conditions, emphasizing the necessity of localized evaluation frameworks. The proposed methodology not only provides a robust scientific foundation for CSP site selection in high-altitude regions with environmental complexities but also establishes a replicable framework for optimizing multiple trade-offs in renewable energy systems under geographically complex conditions.

Keywords: sustainable site selection; renewable energy planning; multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM); concentrated solar power (CSP); specific environments (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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