Integration of Renewable Energy Sources Optimization in Sarawak Using GIS and MCDM-AHP

Running out of finite resources has led Renewable Energy Resources (RES) to be utilized widely around the world. The main factor to increase the productivity of the RES is by identifying renewable resourceful sites. Hence the selection of RES sites in Sarawak through Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Process-Analytical Hierarchy Process (MCDM-AHP) method has been carried out in this research. The objective of this research is to identify the potential RES sites throughout the interior of Sarawak state using MCDM-AHP. From this research, solar, hydro and wind energy are taken into account whereby these resources have the potential to provide great development electrification of the Sarawak state. Proper selection of RES sites in both rural and urban areas is a primary target of this research. For the initial stage of the research, the geographical conditions in different locations of Sarawak State are analyzed in order to generate a number of criteria for each of the selected sites. The collection of criteria data such as solar radiation intensity, population, electrification status, wind speed, land slope and proximity to the road have been analyzed. Accordingly, MDCM-AHP algorithm has been selected as the required solution technique for this research because it is able to perform the complex decision making in solving these problems. A developed scheme which contains RES sites along with their criteria is included in the MCDM-AHP approach to conduct the final selection of RES sites. The output of this research identified a total number of 16 potential RES sites.