A novel Water-Food-Energy nexus approach integrating Analytic Hierarchy Process and Google Earth Engine using global datasets for photovoltaic energy generation. (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Martins Moreira, Rodrigo; Conceição Paranhos Filho, Antonio; Sieber, Stefan
• Is Part Of: Renewable energy focus. Volume 43(2022)
• Page Start: 210
• Page End: 227
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: Energy security -- Analytic hierarchy process -- Environmental sustainability -- Cloud computing; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Solar energy -- Periodicals; 333.79405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ref.2022.09.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1755-0084

Abstract

Abstract: Brazil has a continental proportion where many regions have limited access to basic services to guarantee life quality, such as electricity. The universalization of access to electricity is a challenge for remote areas with difficult access to the electrical distribution lines. Energy security modeling offers technological and governance solutions. Our paper presents a script for Google Earth Engine to identify suitable areas for photovoltaic microgrids and a worksheet to calculate the weights of criteria according to the Analytic Hierarchy Process method. The script was applied to a case study in the Taquari Watershed. The Digital Elevation Model of the basin with spatial resolution of 30 meters was used to calculate its solar power generation suitability. The Taquari Watershed has 50% of its area highly suitable for solar power plants installation. Solar radiation ranged from 2.5 to 7.8 kWh.m −2 .day. −1 . This research presents an analysis that is highly reproducible for larger areas or other countries due to using globally available datasets, providing decision-making tools to solve problems regarding energy security, tackling water-food-energy threats to remote communities and strengthening the sustainability of territorial planning dynamics.