Heracles Polatidis

Renewable energy projects: structuring a multi-criteria group decision-making framework

This paper describes an applicable group decision-making framework for assisting with multi-criteria analysis in renewable energy projects, utilizing the PROMETHEE II outranking method. The proposed framework is tested in a case study concerning the exploitation of a geothermal resource, located in the island of Chios, Greece. The presented structure provides a serial, decomposed agenda and enhances overall process transparency. Additional, innovatory elements are the incorporation of differing levels of resource exploitation within the decision framework and the direct determination of the PROMETHEE preference thresholds. The developed methodology provides a user-friendly approach, promotes the synergy between different actors, and could pave a way towards consensus.

Selecting an Appropriate Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Technique for Renewable Energy Planning

This article develops a methodological framework to provide insights regarding the suitability of multi-criteria techniques in the context of renewable energy planning. The second section presents main characteristics of the particular decision-making process. The third section presents the main multi-criteria analysis methods, and the fourth section reveals the requirements of the techniques for renewable energy planning and the main attributes under which these methods should be evaluated. Subsequently, in the fifth section, a comparative matrix is created with the various appropriate multi-criteria techniques and their performance. Finally in the sixth sec tion, we present our conclusions.

Environmental management framework for wind farm siting: methodology and case study.

This paper develops an integrated framework to evaluate land suitability for wind farm siting that combines multi-criteria analysis (MCA) with geographical information systems (GIS); an application of the proposed framework for the island of Lesvos, Greece, is further illustrated. A set of environmental, economic, social, and technical constraints, based on recent Greek legislation, identifies the potential sites for wind power installation. Furthermore, the area under consideration is evaluated by a variety of criteria, such as wind power potential, land cover type, electricity demand, visual impact, land value, and distance from the electricity grid. The pair-wise comparison method in the context of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is applied to estimate the criteria weights in order to establish their relative importance in site evaluation. The overall suitability of the study region for wind farm siting is appraised through the weighted summation rule. Results showed that only a very small percentage of the total area of Lesvos could be suitable for wind farm installation, although favourable wind potential exists in many more areas of the island.

Local renewable energy planning: A participatory multi-criteria approach

Renewable energy sources today can provide a promising alternative to conventional power generation, provided some economic, institutional, social and technical barriers could be overcome, and the appropriate planning instruments for their deployment are developed. In Greece, contemporary practice seems inadequate to address the multiple character of renewables and the need to ‘open up’ the decision-making process to actively include all stakeholders. A number of case studies has been examined in order to formulate a new regulatory framework. The results suggested that participatory multi-criteria decision aiding techniques can capture renewable energy and local stakeholders values as reflected in the weights and criteria. A new framework is established and proposed as a complement to current practice.

Wind characteristics and mapping for power production in the Island of Lesvos, Greece

This study investigated the wind characteristics of the island of Lesvos, Greece, with the objective of providing the necessary data for identifying the wind power production capabilities of the island. Weather patterns were examined using weather data from four Remote Automatic Weather Stations. Specific tools were used to produce the necessary windroses, Weibull curves and charts that helped to understand the prevailing wind characteristics. By using the tools of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Wind Atlas Analysis and Application Program (WAsP) as the basic calculation platform, a wind map was produced portraying the wind speeds that prevail at a height of 10m above ground level. The results of the analysis were tested and evaluated with measurements from 15 wind turbine sites by creating six alternative scenarios. The optimum scenario was used to investigate the installation of a small wind farm with five wind turbines, of 3 MW total capacity.

Energy CO2 Emissions for 1990–2020: A Decomposition Analysis for EU-25 and Greece

Abstract This article deals with the decomposition analysis of energy-related CO2 emissions in Greece and in the EU-25 from 1990 to 2020, by means of the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index technique and a baseline scenario approach based on the PRIMES simulation modeling system for energy demand and supply. The Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index technique is used and changes in CO2 emissions are decomposed into four factors: income effect, energy intensity effect, fuel share effect, and population effect. For comparison reasons, we have included in our analysis results for three other countries (i.e., Ireland, Portugal, and Belgium) of similar size with Greece and varying energy mix and economy structure. Finally, a sectoral decomposition analysis of CO2 emissions for the Greek economy is applied.

Decision Aid with the MCDA-RES Software: A Wind-Hydro Energy Application for an Island of the Aegean, Greece

Abstract Energy planning refers to providing sufficient power to human societies while at the same time underlies resource, economic environmental, social and technological constraints. The complexity of the task renders multi-criteria decision analysis techniques a useful tool in the decision process. Multi-criteria decision analysis techniques offer a transparent way of elaborating on decision problems, which include many criteria and different decision-makers. This article presents the MCDA-RES multi-criteria decision-analysis software and its application in a case-study regarding a wind-hydro hybrid energy project for an island in Greece where the performance of alternatives on a set of different criteria and the preference of the decision-makers is assessed. The analysis showed that no group consensus could be directly established; still some alternatives performed better than others and a way towards a compromise solution could be revealed.

Decomposition Analysis and Design of Sustainable Renewable Energy Systems: A New Approach

Abstract This paper presents the development of a framework for the decomposition analysis and the design of sustainable renewable energy systems. That entails the study of sustainable renewable energy technologies (RETs) projects and programs and the socio-economic decomposition of the corresponding decision-making process. Structural aspects (institutions, markets, etc.) and actors/public involved are taken into consideration collectively along with the other fundamental dimensions, i.e., technological, resource, environmental, and economic. The interactions of the participating actors (e.g., regional development, private economic interests, protection of environment, building-up a market, etc.) are revealed together with relevant key socio-economic attributes and indicators. The proposed approach is considered an essential prerequisite for a successful promotion of renewable energy systems.

Wind Energy Resource Assessment and Development: Decision Analysis for Site Evaluation and Application

Abstract In this article, a decision analysis methodology for wind energy resource assessment and development is developed and applied to the Larnaca District in Cyprus. The methodology consists of five steps: (i) formulation of a geo-data base and wind resource assessment with the Wind Atlas Analysis and Application Program; (ii) establishment of constraint factors that would exclude sites from further examination; (iii) establishment of evaluation criteria and evaluation of possible sites; (iv) assessment of the weights of the evaluation criteria through the Analytic Hierarchy Process; and (v) aggregation of the criteria with the Simple Additive Weighting method, visualization of the results, and sensitivity analysis. An application of the framework in Larnaca District area in the island of Cyprus indicated that 0.1% (0.58 km2) of the study region is suitable for wind resource exploitation. The particular methodological framework applied and the results obtained can be utilized by potential investors and wind energy developers.

Increasing the applicability of wind power projects via a multi-criteria approach: methodology and case study

In this paper a methodological framework for increasing the actual applicability of wind farms is developed and applied. The framework is based on multi-criteria decision aid techniques that perform an integrated technical and societal evaluation of a number of potential wind power projects that are a variation of a pre-existing actual proposal that faces implementation difficulties. A number of evaluation criteria are established and assessed via particular related software or are comparatively evaluated among each other on a semi-qualitative basis. The preference of a diverse audience of pertinent stakeholders can be also incorporated in the overall analysis. The result of the process is an identification of a new project that will exhibit increased actual implementation potential compared with the original proposal. The methodology is tested in a case study of a wind farm in the UK and relevant conclusions are drawn.