International Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Mechatronics Volume 3, Issue 4, ISSN 2320 – 5121 Multi Criteria GIS-Based Solar Power Plants Site Selection: Bushehr Province in Focus Ehsan Mehrabi Gohari Department of Mechanical Engineering payam noor University, Tehran, Iran email:[email protected] Abstract: Optimal locating of solar power plants is a logical weighting to the data in each data layer is based on zero and correct way to achieve maximum efficiency of solar and 1 score which indicates the areas are appropriate or energy. In this study, in order to locating the optimal not [6]. Boolean method has a definitive and exact nature parameters and evaluate the technical, cultural, economic and due to its speed and precision has wide application. In and ecological parameters, geographic information systems order to apply the parameter effects such as power plant were used. Also, by using mathematical methods such as inverse distance weighted, maps and applications are distance from the city center, intercity roads, coastline, and provided. Finally evaluating these parameters was the height of sea level and provided maps by Renewable undertaken by using Boolean logic and the best places to Energy Organization of Iran (SUNA) [7] is used for the build solar power plant in Bushehr Province has been Bushehr province. But to measure the weight of other determined. Four port cities such as Deylam, Genaveh, parameters effect and create new data requirements such Shabankareh and Borazjan with about 1853 square meters as mean annual precipitation, mean annual radiation, data have evaluated equivalent to 8% of the total province area. and information for different parts of the province are The method provided in this study has been proposed as an obtained according to the Table 1 and for this purpose, efficient model and practical roadmap for optimum location they used Inverse Distance Weighted. Then the points are of solar power plants in other parts of the world. valued by Boolean logic and GIS software. Inverse Distance weighted method is one of the methods Keywords: Boolean Logic, Optimal Locating, Solar Power Plant, The Inverse Distance Weighted. that use in meteorology and geography studies. This method is based on that approach that by increasing the 1. INTRODUCTION data distance with known data, the amount of parameters effect in the unit area estimation decreases. To predict the Solar energy is one of the most valuable resources for locations that their data have not been measured and the converting to electrical energy. Due to the increasing use measured values surround the site are used. In prediction, of solar energy, it is important to determine the suitable the weight factor is determined by the distance between location for the construction. Ensuring from highest the points; therefore, for the points near the sample, more efficiency of electric energy production and persuasionto weight and for the points far from the sample, less weight venture for the solar power plants is another important is assigned. factor in determining a suitable location for this plant power. Also the lack of environmental pollution, 2. THE STUDIED AREA increasing prices of fossil fuels and looking to the future are the factors [1,2] that optimal locating to build the The studied area in Bushehr province is in the southwest Bushehr plant will become important even in Bushehr of Iran and between 27 degree and 17 minute to 30 degree Province because Bushehr has large volumes of fossil and 17 minutes of latitude and 50 degree and 8 minutes to fuels reserves. In this regard, a lot of research has been 52 degrees and 58 minutes of longitude. Figure 1 shows done in Iran and World. In 2008, Carrian et al according to this province location. investigating decision systems, locate the solar power plants in Spain. [3] Elcin and et al in 2013 by investigating a case study in West Turkey and evaluating the environmental, economic and urban parameters, found best place to install solar power plant.[4] Esfandiari and et al also have been investigated the Khuzestan province to install solar power plant by using geographic systems. [5] In this study, a wide range of quantities, geographical, climate, economic and technical aspects has been obtained in Bushehr province in a practical way. These parameters include average annual rainfall, plant distance from city center, intercity roads and Figure 1. Geographical location of the Bushehr province- coastline, height above sea level, the average annual Iran radiation and monthly rate of clearness index. Then by using Boolean optimization finder algorithm, the optimal This province is limited to Khuzestan and Kohkeloye & location of plants has been identified. In which the Boyerahmad from north and to Persian Gulf and Copyright © 2015 IJAIM right reserved 146 International Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Mechatronics Volume 3, Issue 4, ISSN 2320 – 5121 Hormozgan from south, to Fars province from East and to Persian Gulf from the west. Bushehr province with 23167.567 square kilometers ambit is allocated around 4.1 percent of total Iran's ambit. Dashtestan city with 6366.248 square kilometers and Kangan city with 1441.949 square kilometers respectively are the smallest and the largest city of the province . 3. CRITERIA FOR LOCATING THE SOLAR POWER PLANT In order to select the most optimal location for installing the solar plants, cultural and economic issues of area should be considered in addition to technical and Figure 4.Boolean map of the province's roads between geographical factors. In this study, parameter effects such cities as economic-environmental, socio-cultural and economic- technical has been studied. Figure 2 shows these criteria 3-1-2. Power Plant Distance from the Coastline by a diagram. Providing power plant security from risks such as tide, non-removed recreational facilities from the community, easy access to Power Plant are factors that influence to the approach in which the construction of these power plants are required to have a minimum distance of 100 meters and a maximum 3 kilometers far away from the coastline.[9] Because the province Bushehr's coastline is extended from the northeast to southeast, most of the province's parts are proper distances and are valued with number 1. Figures 5 and 6, respectively show the distribution coastline map and the Boolean map for point distribution. Figure 2. Criteria for locating solar power plant 3-1. Economic and environmental parameters 3-1-1. Power plant distance from main intercity roads Factors such as ease of access to Power plant for any kind of exploitation, transportation reduced costs and economically power plant maintenance costs are the basis for site choosing with a maximum 4 km distance from the main road between the main intercity road and this distance is the optimum location [8]. Figure 3 shows the Figure 5. Distribution maps of the coastline in the intercity road maps in Bushehr province. In figure 4, based Bushehr province on Boolean logic, the points that satisfy the conditions are shown with 1 and other points are shown by zero. Figure 6. Boolean map of the distribution of the Bushehr Figure 3.Intercity road Map of Bushehr province province Copyright © 2015 IJAIM right reserved 147 International Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Mechatronics Volume 3, Issue 4, ISSN 2320 – 5121 3-2 .Social and Cultural Factors so close to the 450 watts per square standard value. And it 3-2-1. Power Plant distance from City centers can be used with an appropriate approximation to generate Manpower requirements, closer to the urban grid and data for Bushehr province. Figures 9 and 10, respectively easier maintenance are factors that cause the proper power show the distribution of average annual radiation in watts plant distance from the city center. In this regard, adhering per square meter for the bushehr's cities. As it can be seen the maximum 15 km distance from the city center is in figure 10, the northern half of the province has considered as an optimal distance [3]. Figures 7 and 8, favorable conditions in terms of average radiation and respectively show the distribution map of Bushehr's cities energy. and their Boolean distribution map. Figure 7. Distribution maps of cities in the Bushehr province Figure 9.Distribution of average annual Irradiation in the Bushehr province Figure 8. Boolean map of the distribution of cities of Bushehr 3-3. Technical-economic parameters 3-3-1. The Average Annual Irradiation The average annual irradiation at each power plant is a Figure 10.Boolean average annual irradiation distribution very important parameter in order to increase the energy in the Bushehr province efficiency by solar panels. According to conducted studies, the average annual amount of received radiation of one 3-3-2. The average monthly rainfall solar power plant is estimated about 450 watts per square If this parameter exceeds from an average amount may for the appropriate return.[10] This means that areas that lead to an increase in relative humidity and pollution in receives less energy, are valued by Boolean logic with solar panel levels. Both of these factors reduce the heat inappropriate value. In this study according to the transfer rate and energy efficiency [11]. In this study, information about average annual radiation of the country according to the data of 21 meteorological stations about meteorological stations, accordance with table 1, and by monthly average rainfall over the last 25 years [12] (table Inverse Distance Weighted method, the information and 2) parameter data for different parts of the province are data related to the average annual radiation are obtained obtained based onInverse Distance Weighted method and for different parts of Bushehr province and then points are then points are valued by Boolean logic.