Energy Sources

This study evaluated the potential of the central and desert regions of Iran for solar energy. It also included a practical strategy to locate the best locations.

Land suitability

Although the land suitability map is considered the fanciest of all, the real winner in this category is the fuzzy logic approach. It was demonstrated that combining the AHP with the AHP and the fuzzy logic approach produced a better decision.

Solar power

Solar power plants play a major role in the global energy transformation. They generate electricity, which can be stored in batteries. It is one of the fastest growing renewable energy technologies.

Comprehensive

A comprehensive study of the ten criteria has resulted in the development of a land suitability map. These are the best regions for installing PV farms.

IEA report

A recent IEA report, World Energy Outlook 2020, outlines an uncertain future of global energy use. One of the uncertainties is the future of solar power plants.

Solar

Solar power is considered to have the potential to occupy 0.5-5% of total land by 2050. However, it does not have the same level of economic and environmental costs as fossil fuels.

Still

There is still a lot of uncertainty about how much land is needed for these systems. In addition, it is less likely to emit greenhouse gases than other types of renewable energy.

International

The International Energy Agency (IEA) released the World Energy Outlook 2020, a 464-page report that covers a wide range of energy trends.

Land requirements

Land requirements for solar energy are low compared to other land uses. In addition, they are comparable to the existing built-up area. For example, in Japan and South Korea, 85% of the land used for agriculture would be replaced with solar power. Compared with bioenergy, solar requires significantly fewer land resources.

problem

Another problem is the lack of infrastructure to support large-scale solar projects. If the land in question is in reality a biodiversity hotspot, spatial frictions may arise. In densely populated regions, solar power plant installations tend to occur on domestic land, on unmanaged forests, or on land suitable for other productive uses. These practices may disrupt ecosystems.

Reveals

It reveals that solar power plants can be installed on land suitable for other productive uses. This could intensify land competition in densely populated countries.

The land occupation of bioenergy or solar is identified using Eq. (1). Using this approach, the impact of the land use on local carbon cycles is assessed. An IEA novel method is employed to quantify direct impacts of the transition to renewable energy.

In an integrated assessment model, the energy, land, socioeconomic and climate systems are simulated. Results are based on a variety of electricity mix penetration scenarios.

Areas

These areas have been classified into five levels of priority. Among them, the best sites are found in a rangeland area. The solar panel can range from a small home kit to hundreds of megawatts.