ASSESSMENT OF WIND POWER PROJECTS: THE DEVELOPMENT OF A METHODOLOGY FOR EARLY-STAGE EVALUATION

Sammanfattning: There is limited land accessible for the construction of wind farms due to the obstacles posed by geographical constraints, popular opposition, wildlife conservation, and power system integration. These variables make the planning of wind power projects a complex procedure requiring the consideration of numerous criteria and limits. The most important consideration in site selection for wind turbines is the wind energy density, but technical, economic, environmental, social, and political requirements have started being considered efficaciously. The purpose of this study is to have a preliminary site selection tool for wind power projects based on the available data. The tool was developed utilizing a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach, with Baywe.re Nordic as a case study. On the basis of a literature review and expert opinion, a list of criteria was created. Then, pairwise comparisons were conducted using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as the MCDM methodology to determine the relative importance of each criterion. The company's decision makers can utilize the study's findings to assess the extent to which wind power projects can be developed based on project profitability and viability in terms of grid connection, public acceptance, permits & politics, and environmental issues.  This work, in addition to its practical applications, contributes to the body of previously published researches. As a consequence of the in-depth analysis that was conducted for the purpose of this study, a total of 28 criteria were determined and weighted to be among those that should be taken into consideration during the early phases of development of onshore wind power projects.