Exploring of Wind Energy Potential and Optimal Site Selection for Wind Energy Plants Installations in Erzurum/Turkey Based on Multicriteria Site Selection

Wind energy is a renewable, sustainable, and localized power source. These features motivate countries to adopt wind turbines, with many nations employing incentives to enhance the installed capacity of these systems. The selection of locations for wind turbine installations is crucial for optimizing turbine performance and augmenting installed capacity. This study examined 20 distinct places in the province of Erzurum as potential locations for the development of wind power installations. This research identified prospective locations for the development of wind power facilities in Erzurum, Turkey, employing a geographic information-based multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) methodology and a geographic information system (GIS). The plan incorporated topographical, structural, climatic, and environmental factors, including wind velocity, land cover classification, gradient, closeness to land and substations, transportation networks, communities, fault lines, power grids, and erosion areas. A wind farm suitability map was created using a weighted process questionnaire and assessed criteria maps, employing the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The result map shows that 83.052% of the total area is designated as favorable, while 15.858% is rated as most favorable. This study highlighted the erosion criterion for the first time. This investigation utilized 17 criteria. The aim is to locate a wind power facility in a more suitable site by employing these characteristics. In district-level evaluations of the wind power plant suitability map, İspir province occupies the top position.