Journal of Natural Environment

Development of a sustainability-based decision-making model for the establishment of solar power plants: A case study in the Yazd-Ardakan plain

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran.

10.22059/jne.2025.389142.2757

Abstract

This study investigates the optimal site selection for establishing a photovoltaic solar power plant in the Yazd-Ardakan plain. To this end, topographical data including elevation, slope, and slope directions, as well as annual climatic information such as temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, sunshine hours, wind speed, and wind direction, were utilized. These data were collected from four different stations: Aqda, Meybod, Yazd, and Mehriz. Constraint layers, including faults, urban areas, and roads, were also examined in this research. Initially, all relevant layers corresponding to the extracted criteria were prepared and interpolated using the Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) method. Subsequently, the data were normalized, and the weights of the parameters were derived through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) using pairwise comparisons. By integrating the maps, the land suitability degree was assessed. To identify the most effective parameters, sensitivity analysis was performed. The integration process was carried out under two scenarios: one that disregarded constraints and another that considered the study's limitations. The results indicated that when constraints were taken into account, 5.15% of the Yazd-Ardakan plain exhibited moderate suitability, 8% demonstrated good suitability, and 2.8% showed excellent suitability, with these areas primarily located in the eastern and western peripheries of Meybod and Yazd counties. The sensitivity analysis further revealed that changes in the weights of climatic parameters resulted in a 3% increase in poor suitability and a decrease in excellent suitability. These findings underscore the importance of climatic parameters in determining the compatibility of lands for the establishment of solar power plants.

Keywords

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Journal of Natural Environment
Volume 78, Monitoring and Management of Natural Environmental Pollutants
June 2025
Pages 267-282