Site selection for a wind powered pumped storage based on GIS and MCDM: A case study of Kermanshah, Iran

The growing demand for energy as well as the environmental concerns about the fossil fuels has contributed to the recent uprising of utilization of renewable energy sources. Among these sources wind energy is the fastest to grow. Estimations indicate that there will be 536 GW installed capacity of wind power by the end of 2017 worldwide. According to the preliminary assessments there is a considerable potential for wind energy in Iran but the task to harness this energy would greatly depend on selection of the most suitable locations to set up wind farms. Considering the challenges posed by wind power، an attractive way of utilizing wind energy is combing it with other energy sources. In this research a methodology based on Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) and Geographical Information System (GIS) has been proposed to rank the attributes and pick out the best location for a hybrid wind powered pumped storage power plant. It has been concluded that Gilan-e-gharb is the most suitable location in the study area.