Optimal wind-solar site selection using a GIS-AHP based approach: A case of Tunisia

Constructing large wind power plants (WPPs) and solar photovoltaic plants (SPVPs) is a significant long-term investment. Due to the various conflicting factors involved in the selection process, determining the most appropriate locations prior to deploying such facilities is of paramount importance. In this paper, we propose a preliminary assessment of the most promising sites in Tunisia to host large-scale WPPs and SPVPs using geographical information systems (GIS) and multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM). A study of this kind, focusing on both resources, has not been conducted in Tunisia. An in-depth literature review has been conducted in order to determine suitability criteria as well as constraint factors. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is used to assign weights to the considered criteria; then, the final suitability maps are generated using the weighted overlay tool under ArcGis 10.8 software. The study findings indicate that there are large areas that are suitable for the deployment of large-scale WPPs and SPVPs, covering 3335 km2 (2.15 % of the total area) and 3815 km2 (2.57 %), respectively. The most suitable wind sites are scattered northwest to southwest, southeast, and to a lesser extent north. In contrast, ideal solar sites are mainly distributed in the central and southern regions of the country. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that these designated locations are capable of providing an estimated annual energy of 40.896 TWh and 781.83 TWh for wind and solar, respectively. As a result of the adopted model in this study, policymakers could be more proactive in developing solar and wind farms. This would increase the possibility of Tunisia achieving its 2030 target.