ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY SELECTION FOR SUSTAINABILITY BASED ON MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION-MAKING TECHNIQUES

Abstract

Currently, nations are formulating energy strategies aimed at fostering the advancement of renewable energy sources to fulfill energy demands while mitigating
greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, making choices regarding sustainable power generation technologies necessitates a careful consideration of various competing factors
like power output, environmental conservation, reliability, sustainability, profitability, economic advantages, and social repercussions. Consequently, a decision-
making framework that prioritizes the selection of power generation technologies is essential. This research employs multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM)
techniques to rank solutions based on 17 sustainability metrics encompassing economic, social, environmental, and technical dimensions. Furthermore, the CRITIC
(CRiteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation) weighting method is utilized to impartially assess the chosen solutions. The findings reveal that solar
photovoltaic technology received the highest evaluation scores with the MAIRCA (Multi-Attribute Ideal-Real Comparative Analysis) (0.0313), EDAS (Evaluation Based
on Distance from Average Solution) (0.8485), and COPRAS (Complex Proportional Assessment) (1.0) methodologies. Hydropower and wind energy technologies also
performed admirably in the evaluation. The outcomes of this study offer vital insights for policymakers and renewable energy project investors striving to develop
sustainable energy ventures.