A Geographic Information System-Based Integrated Multi-Criteria Decision-Support System for the Selection of Wind Farm Sites: The Case of Djibouti

Wind energy is a promising alternative energy source to cover large amounts of electricity demand in African countries. Djibouti’s proximity to the Red Sea and its arid and semi-arid climate generate consistent and robust winds, contributing to its potential for wind energy. Notwithstanding its considerable potential, Djibouti has not been adequately examined in earlier studies to determine suitable sites for wind farms. The objective of this study is to develop a model by integrating CRiteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation and Combined Compromise Solution methods into a Geographic Information System-based decision-support system to establish a comprehensive framework for the selection of wind farm sites in Djibouti. Following an in-depth review of the literature, seven main criteria were identified to assess the suitability of potential sites for wind farm construction: wind velocity, changes in wind direction, ground slope, distance to urban areas, distance to road network, distance to energy transmission networks, and land use. The CRiteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation method objectively determines the relative importance of the criteria, identifying wind speed and proximity to power transmission networks as the most important, and ground slope and land use as less important than the other criteria. The Combined Compromise Solution method is employed to prioritize potential sites for wind farms, considering seven specified criteria. To enhance the reliability of the results derived from the Combined Compromise Solution method, validation was conducted utilizing the Multi-Attribute Ideal–Real Comparative Analysis method. The comparative analysis revealed a robust correlation between the results of the two methods, providing convincing evidence for the accuracy and reliability of the proposed decision-support system employed to determine the most suitable sites for wind farms in Djibouti. This study is expected to assist professionals and researchers in dealing with the wind farm site selection problem on an unprecedented scale and with exact coordinates through a decision-support system that concurrently integrates the most recent multi-criteria decision-making methods and Geographic Information System tools.