Renewable energy conundrum of Pakistan: A comprehensive AHP-TOPSIS evaluation framework

By 2030, Pakistan has pledged to generate 60% of its energy from sustainable sources. A detailed technique is necessary to prioritize the available renewable energy (RE) sources in Pakistan. A survey methodology was employed to gather insights from academic and industry experts. Analytic hierarchy process and the technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution were employed to determine the optimal RE source. Single-source and hybrid options, including solar (SR)-wind, SR-biomass, and SR-geothermal, were investigated. The assessment analyzed many critical variables, including land conservation, cost-effectiveness (CE), low intermittency, and design simplicity. The CE component accounted for ∼38% of the overall weight, followed by resource potential (20%), and minimal intermittency (19%) was next. Based on the weighted rankings with a priority level of 24%, SR energy ranked as the most efficient alternative, followed by hybrid SR-wind at 18% and wind energy at 17%. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted to assess how altering the criterion weights impacts the rankings. This study offers crucial information regarding the significance of RE sources for changing Pakistan's energy system.