Spatial analysis of optimal rural areas for the use of renewable energy (Case study: Mashhad city)

Due to the existence of suitable space and potential of rural areas of the country, renewable energy has been proposed as a suitable option for energy supply. Therefore, the aim of this study is to integrate multi-criteria decision making methods and geographic information systems in order to assess the potential of optimal areas at the local and rural levels to provide the highest possible spatial separation in this field by presenting decision methods in spatial studies. In this study, the best-worst method was used to weight the criteria and the WLC method was used to obtain a fitness map for the development of renewable energy in Mashhad. The results show the importance of environmental and economic criteria as well as attention to the type of renewable energy for rural areas. Thus, 54% of the total area of the study area is suitable for the establishment of solar power plants and 25% for the establishment of wind power plants in the class. In the study area, the villages were divided into two groups of villages with wind energy potential and solar energy. The villages of the first group are mainly distributed in the southwestern margin and the villages of the second group are distributed in the southern and central margins of Mashhad city. The results of this study can be very useful for planning and decision making at all levels of management for the development of renewable energy in the future.