Selection of renewable energy technologies for a developing county: A case of Pakistan

In this paper some renewable energy options for electricity generation for Pakistan are explored from multiple perspectives comprising technical, economical, social, environmental and political aspects. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) has been used for the first time for the energy sector of Pakistan. An AHP model has been presented for the selection and prioritization of various renewable energy technologies for electricity generation. After accessing potential of the country for generating electricity from renewable resources, reviewing relevant scholarly literature and discussion with experts, an appropriate decision model has been formulated consisting of goal, criteria, sub-criteria and alternatives. Wind energy, solar photovoltaic, solar thermal and biomass energy options are used as the alternatives in the decision model. Besides ranking and prioritizing of these technologies, results of the proposed decision model can also be used for the development of long-term renewable energy policy and energy roadmap for the country. The findings of this research might also be highly relevant to other developing countries. (C) 2011 International Energy Initiative. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.