Prioritization of renewable energy source for electricity generation through AHP-VIKOR integrated methodology.

As the worldwide energy crisis worsens, renewable energy sources have undeniably opened new horizons for our society. It will offer an efficient solution to this severe energy crisis, environmental issues and fulfilling human energy needs. Therefore, six main criteria, social, economic, quality of energy, political, technical, environmental, and sixteen sub-criteria have been employed, and an assessment model is developed for prioritizing the most pertinent renewable energy sources for electricity generation in developing countries in which four major resources, solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, and biomass energy, are considered and their electricity generation potential. Furthermore, the integrated method with the analytical hierarchy process and VIekriterijumsko KOmpromisno Rangiranje are acquired for a comprehensive assessment. The results demonstrate that the economic criterion had the highest weight of (0.353) compared to the technical criterion, which took place second with a weight of (0.244) followed by environmental (0.205) and quality of energy with a weight (0.098), respectively. The political and social criteria have the lowest weights of (0.057) and (0.043). From the review, renewable resources seem to have sufficient potential to develop a sustainable electricity system. Likewise, the model priorities these resources, revealing that hydropower is the best renewable energy source option, followed by wind energy. Biomass energy and solar energy ranked third and fourth. The assessment performed in this study can help decision-makers in Pakistan to frame long-term energy policy directing for sustainability. • Integrated AHP-VIKOR with weighting method are used to prioritize the renewable energy sources. • Assessment of renewable energy resources is based on six criteria and sixteen subcriteria. • A criteria system is constructed (social, economic, technical, political, quality of energy and environmental aspects). • Economic and technical is determined as most essential criteria. • Hydropower is the best option for electricity generation, among the selected alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]