Using geodetic data to optimize the distribution of solar and wind energy installations

Abstract

This study was aimed at identifying the optimal locations for solar and wind power plants in the Republic of Kosovo using geodetic parameters and evaluation criteria. The study used global publicly available data, including an elevation model, geographic coordinates, a land cover database, and information on solar radiation and wind characteristics, which were processed in GRASS GIS software. The analytic hierarchy process was used to calculate the weights of the criteria, which provided an integrated assessment of the suitability of the territories. The study found that 61.8% of the territory of the Republic of Kosovo is suitable for utilizing sunlight, indicating the country’s significant potential for solar energy production. However, in the case of wind energy installations, the study found that only 32.5% of the territory could be considered optimal for solar power plants. This difference in percentages demonstrates the importance of considering many factors in the planning and construction of energy installations to ensure their stable and efficient operation. The study also confirmed that the F1 model, which uses all the criteria with their respective weights, provides the most reliable results for determining the optimal locations for energy installations. Sensitivity analysis showed that this model was the most effective in classifying suitable locations compared to other rasters such as F2 and F3. This confirms the importance of taking into account various parameters and their impact on the selection of optimal locations for power plants. The results open up possibilities for optimizing the use of solar and wind potential in the Republic of Kosovo, confirming the possibility of using geodetic data and geoinformation data to identify optimal locations for energy installations

Keywords

• alternative energy
• renewable resources
• geographical information systems
• hierarchy model
• weighting coefficients