A CAR-PROMETHEE-based multi-criteria decision-making framework for sustainability assessment of renewable energy technologies in Morocco

With the goal of becoming a regional leader in clean energy, Morocco has invested heavily in renewable energy mega-projects over the last decade, including the Noor-Ouarzazate complex, the largest concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in the world. To continue accelerating its energy transition and achieve renewable energy targets by 2030, Morocco should focus on small-, medium-, and large-scale projects. However, choosing the most sustainable renewable energy technology (RET) is a complex decision-making problem. This study proposes a novel hybrid multi-criteria decision-making framework for the sustainability assessment of RETs in Morocco. By evaluating the existing RETs (wind, CSP, solar PV, hydro, and biomass) in terms of environmental, economic, technical, and social criteria, the study aims to assist decision-makers in selecting the most sustainable option. The cardinal (CAR) method was used to elicit criteria weights, with economic (30.7% of weight) and environmental (29% of weight) criteria being prioritized. The PROMETHEE method was then used to rank the alternatives, with solar PV emerging as the most sustainable technology, followed by wind, hydro, CPS, and lastly biomass. It should be noted that the PROMETHEE I partial ranking indicated that wind and hydro were both ranked second in terms of sustainability, highlighting the need for careful consideration when choosing between these two options. The study also found that the rankings were similar using both linear and Gaussian preference functions with different thresholds.