Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Multicriteria analysis of renewable-based electrification projects in developing countries

  • S.I.: MCDM-SD
  • Published:
Annals of Operations Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The design of wind-photovoltaic stand-alone electrification projects that combine individual systems and microgrids is complex and requires from support tools. In this paper, a multicriteria procedure is presented in detail, which aims to assist project developers in such a design. More specifically, the procedure has been developed under a four-part structure, using support tools and expert consultations to enhance practicality into the rural context of developing countries. First, from a large amount of criteria, a reduced and easy to handle set is chosen, representing the main characteristics to be assessed in rural electrification projects. Second, two iterative processes, one based on the Analytical Hierarchy Process and one based on a typical 1–10 assessment, are tested to assign weights to the criteria, reflecting end-user preferences. Third, some indicators are proposed to evaluate the accomplishment of each solution regarding each criterion, in an objective manner. Fourth, considering the weights and evaluations, the solutions are ranked, using the compromise programming technique, thus selecting the best one/s. The whole procedure is illustrated by designing the electrification project of a real community in the Andean highlands. In short, this paper provides insights about the suitable decision-making process for the design of wind-PV electrification systems and, in addition, shows how different multicriteria techniques are applied to a very local context in rural, remote and very poor areas of developing countries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

(adapted from Domenech et al. 2015a)

Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Afgan, N. H., Carvalho, M. G., & Hovanov, N. V. (2000). Energy system assessment with sustainability indicators. Energy Policy, 28, 603–612.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alarcón-Rodriguez, A., Ault, G., & Galloway, S. (2010). Multi-objective planning of distributed energy resources: A review of the state-of-the-art. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 14, 1353–1366.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alfaro, J. F., Miller, S., Johnson, J. X., & Riolo, R. R. (2017). Improving rural electricity system planning: An agent-based model for stakeholder engagement and decision making. Energy Policy, 101, 317–331.

    Google Scholar 

  • André, F. J., & Romero, C. (2006). On the equivalence between compromise programming and the use of composite compromise metrics. Working Papers Series, WP Econ 06.33.

  • Atamtürk, A., & Savelsbergh, M. W. P. (2005). Integer-programming software systems. Annals of Operations Research, 140, 67–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baños, R., Manzano-Agugliaro, F., Montoya, F. G., Gil, C., Alcayde, A., & Gómez, J. (2011). Optimization methods applied to renewable and sustainable energy: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15, 1753–1766.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertsch, V., & Fichtner, W. (2016). A participatory multi-criteria approach for power generation and transmission planning. Annals of Operations Research, 245, 177–207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharyya, S. C. (2012). Review of alternative methodologies for analysing off-grid electricity supply. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 16, 677–694.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chatzimouratidis, A. I., & Pilavachi, P. A. (2009). Technological, economic and sustainability evaluation of power plants using the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Energy Policy, 37, 778–787.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaurey, A., & Kandpal, T. C. (2010). A techno-economic comparison of rural electrification based on solar home systems and PV microgrids. Energy Policy, 38, 3118–3129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colapinto, C., Jayaraman, R., & Marsiglio, S. (2017). Multi-criteria decision analysis with goal programming in engineering, management and social sciences: A state-of-the art review. Annals of Operations Research, 251, 7–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Díaz-Balteiro, L., & Romero, C. (2004). In search of a natural systems sustainability index. Ecological Economics, 49, 401–405.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dinçer, F. (2011). The analysis on photovoltaic electricity generation status, potential and policies of the leading countries in solar energy. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15, 713–720.

    Google Scholar 

  • Domenech, B., Ferrer-Martí, L., Lillo, P., Pastor, R., & Chiroque, J. (2014). A community electrification project: Combination of microgrids and household systems fed by wind, PV or micro-hydro energies according to micro-scale resource evaluation and social constraints. Energy for Sustainable Development, 23, 275–285.

    Google Scholar 

  • Domenech, B., Ferrer-Martí, L., & Pastor, R. (2015a). Hierarchical methodology to optimize the design of stand-alone electrification systems for rural communities considering technical and social criteria. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 51, 182–196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Domenech, B., Ferrer-Martí, L., & Pastor, R. (2015b). Including management and security of supply constraints for designing stand-alone electrification systems in developing countries. Renewable Energy, 80, 359–369.

    Google Scholar 

  • Escobar, R., Vilar, D., Velo, E., Ferrer-Martí, L., & Domenech, B. (2012). Promoting and improving renewable energy projects through local capacity development. In A. S. Sahin (Ed.), Modeling and optimization of renewable energy systems (pp. 147–170). Croatia: Intech.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferrer-Martí, L., Garwood, A., Chiroque, J., Ramírez, B., Marcelo, O., Garfí, M., et al. (2012). Evaluating and comparing three community small-scale wind electrification projects. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 16, 5379–5390.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gamarra, C., & Guerrero, J. M. (2015). Computational optimization techniques applied to microgrids planning: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 48, 413–424.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garcia-Bernabeu, A., Benito, A., Bravo, M., & Pla-Santamaria, D. (2016). Photovoltaic power plants: A multicriteria approach to investment decisions and a case study in western Spain. Annals of Operations Research, 245, 163–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • García-Cascales, M. S., Lamata, M. T., & Sánchez-Lozano, J. M. (2012). Evaluation of photovoltaic cells in a multi-criteria decision making process. Annals of Operations Research, 199, 373–391.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garfí, A., Ferrer-Martí, L., Bonoli, A., & Tondelli, S. (2011). Multicriteria analysis for improving strategic environmental assessment of water programs. A case study in semi-arid region of Brazil. Journal of Environmental Management, 92, 665–675.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hashimoto, A., & Wu, D. A. (2004). A DEA-compromise programming model for comprehensive ranking. Journal of Operational Research of Japan, 47, 73–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henao, F., Cherni, J. A., Jaramillo, P., & Dyner, I. (2012). A multicriteria approach to sustainable energy supply for the rural poor. European Journal of Operational Research, 218, 801–809.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hiremath, R. B., Shikha, S., & Ravindranath, N. H. (2007). Decentralized energy planning, modelling and application: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 11, 729–752.

    Google Scholar 

  • IEA. (2017). World energy outlook. Paris: International Energy Agency.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karger, C. R., & Hennings, W. (2009). Sustainability evaluation of decentralized generation. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 13, 583–593.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuznia, L., Zeng, B., Centeno, G., & Miao, Z. (2013). Stochastic optimization for power system configuration with renewable energy in remote areas. Annals of Operations Research, 210, 411–432.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lal, D. K., Dash, B. B., & Akella, A. K. (2011). Optimization of PV/wind/micro-hydro/diesel hybrid power system in HOMER for the study area. International Journal on Electrical Engineering and Informatics, 3, 307–325.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, T. W., & Hittle, D. C. (2000). Optimization of autonomous village electrification systems by simulated annealing. Solar Energy, 68, 121–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leary, J., While, A., & Howell, R. (2012). Locally manufactured wind power technology for sustainable rural electrification. Energy Policy, 43, 173–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lillo, P., Ferrer-Martí, L., Fernández-Baldor, A., & Ramírez, B. (2015). A new integral management model and evaluation method to enhance sustainability of renewable energy projects for energy and sanitation services. Energy for Sustainable Development, 29, 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loken, E. (2007). Use of multicriteria decision analysis methods for energy planning problems. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 11, 1584–1595.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malekpoor, H., Chalvatzis, K., Mishra, N., & Ramudhin, A. (2018). A hybrid approach of VIKOR and bi-objective integer linear programming for electrification planning in disaster relief camp. Annals of Operations Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-018-2877-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mardani, A., Jusoh, A., Zavadskas, E. K., Cavallaro, F., & Khalifah, Z. (2015). Sustainable and renewable energy: An overview of the application of multiple criteria decision making techniques and approaches. Sustainability, 7, 13947–13984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mavrotas, G., Diakoulaki, D., & Capros, P. (2003). Combined MCDA–IP approach for project selection in the electricity market. Annals of Operations Research, 120, 159–170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merino, G. G., Jones, D. D., Clements, D. L., & Miller, D. (2003). Fuzzy compromise programming with precedence order in the criteria. Applied Mathematics and Computation, 13, 185–205.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nijkamp, P., Reitveld, P., & Voogd, H. (1990). Multicriteria evaluation in physical planning. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Notton, G., Diaf, S., & Stoyanov, L. (2011). Hybrid photovoltaic/wind energy systems for remote locations. Energy Procedia, 6, 666–677.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ostergaard, P. A. (2009). Reviewing optimization criteria for energy systems analyses of renewable energy integration. Energy, 34, 1236–1245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phrakonkham, S., Le Chenadec, J. Y., Diallo, D., Remy, G., & Marchand, C. (2010). Reviews on micro-grid configuration and dedicated hybrid system optimization software tools: Application to Laos. Engineering Journal. https://doi.org/10.4186/ej.2010.14.3.15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poff, B., Tecle, A., Neary, D. G., & Geils, B. (2010). Compromise programming in forest management. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science, 42, 44–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pohekar, S. D., & Ramachandran, M. (2004). Application of multi-criteria decision making to sustainable energy planning—A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 8, 365–381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Polatidis, H., Haralambopoulos, D. A., Munda, G., & Vreeker, R. (2006). Selecting an appropriate multi-criteria analysis technique for renewable energy planning. Energy Sources, 1, 181–193.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rojas-Zerpa, J. C. (2012). Planning the electricity supply in rural áreas of developing countries: A reference framework for decision-making. PhD Thesis, University of Zaragoza.

  • Rojas-Zerpa, J. C., & Yusta, J. M. (2014). Methodologies, technologies and applications for electric supply planning in rural remote areas. Energy for Sustainable Development, 20, 66–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rojas-Zerpa, J. C., & Yusta, J. M. (2015). Application of multicriteria decision methods for electric supply planning in rural and remote areas. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 52, 557–571.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saaty, T. L. (2003). Decision-making with the AHP: Why is the principal eigenvector necessary? European Journal of Operational Research, 145, 85–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • San Cristóbal, J. R. (2011). Multi-criteria decision-making in the selection of a renewable energy project in Spain: The VIKOR method. Renewable Energy, 36, 498–502.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez-López, R., Bana e Costa, C. A., & De Baets, B. (2012). The MACBETH approach for multi-criteria evaluation of development projects on cross-cutting issues. Annals of Operations Research, 199, 393–408.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schäfer, M. (2015). Micro perspectives for decentralized energy supply. In Proceedings of the international conference, Berlin. ISBN: 978-3-7983-2744-3.

  • Schäfer, M., Kebir, N., & Neumann, K. (2011). Research needs for meeting the challenge of decentralized energy supply in developing countries. Energy for Sustainable Development, 15, 324–329.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, G. (2001). Strategic planning for high-tech product development. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 13, 343–364.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ubilla, K., Jiménez-Estévez, G. A., Hernádez, R., Reyes-Chamorro, L., Hernández-Irigoyen, C., Severino, B., et al. (2014). Smart microgrids as a solution for rural electrification: Ensuring long-term sustainability through cadastre and business models. IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy, 5, 1310–1318.

    Google Scholar 

  • UN. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Paris: United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ustun, T. S., Ozansoy, C., & Zayegh, A. (2011). Recent developments in microgrids and example cases around the world—A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15, 4030–4041.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, J. J., Jing, Y. Y., Zhang, C. F., & Zhao, J. H. (2009). Review on multi-criteria decision analysis aid in sustainable energy decision-making. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 13, 2263–2278.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu, P. L. (1973). A class of solution for group decision problem. Management Science, 19, 936–946.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeleny, M. (1973). Compromise programming. Multiple criteria decision making (pp. 263–301). Columbia: University of South Carolina Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeleny, M. (1974). A concept of compromise solutions and the method of the displaced ideals. Computers and Operational Research, 1, 479–496.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, P., Ang, B. W., & Poh, K. L. (2006). Decision analysis in energy and environmental modelling: An update. Energy, 31, 2604–2622.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, W., Lou, C., Li, Z., Lu, L., & Yang, H. (2010). Current status of research on optimum sizing of stand-alone hybrid solar–wind power generation systems. Applied Energy, 87, 380–389.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are very grateful to the NGOs Practical Action – Intermediate Technology Development Group (Peru), Engineering Without Borders (Spain) and Green Empowerment (USA) for all the support and assistance given during the development of this research. This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (project ENE 2015–67253-R) and the Centre for Cooperation Development (CCD) of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - Barcelona TECH (UPC).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management (DOE), Institute of Industrial and Control Engineering (IOC), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) – Barcelona Tech, Barcelona, Spain

    B. Domenech & R. Pastor

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering (DEM), Institute of Industrial and Control Engineering (IOC), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) – Barcelona Tech, Barcelona, Spain

    L. Ferrer-Martí

Authors
  1. B. Domenech
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. Ferrer-Martí
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. Pastor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to B. Domenech.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Domenech, B., Ferrer-Martí, L. & Pastor, R. Multicriteria analysis of renewable-based electrification projects in developing countries. Ann Oper Res 312, 1375–1401 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-019-03195-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-019-03195-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation