Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/rser Utility-scale implementable potential of wind and solar energies for Afghanistan using GIS multi-criteria decision analysis Mohammad Abed Anwarzai a, ⁎ , Ken Nagasaka b a Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16, Nakacho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan b Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16, Nakacho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan ARTICLE INFO Keywords: Afghanistan Power System Wind and Solar Energies Electrical Power Potential MCDA GIS ABSTRACT The purpose of this research is to examine the available resources, quantify and introduce Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques for the wind and solar energies development. We analyzed the NREL data and selected the suitable sites selection criteria according to the resources, topography, environmental, and economic viewpoints. The GIS tools were used to apply the MCDA system for determining the implementable areas. Based on areas, we estimated the wind and solar power potential considering the technologies and site conditions. As a result, the total calculated potential of annual generation would be; 342,521 GWh wind energy, 140,982 GWh from solar PV, and about 6,000 GWh from CSP (Concentrating Solar Power) technologies that are 160 times of the existing power supply. 1. Introduction Afghanistan's electricity sector is expanding significantly. However, the national central grid system does not exist. The annual power consumption had been increasing from 1,044.8 to 3,020.7 GWh since 1991 until 2011. The domestic power generation has not been increased considerably [1]. The Fig. 1 shows an annual growth rate of power consumption, generation, and imported electricity, the average growth were 4.7%, 0.4%, and 24.7% respectively. In 2011, Afghanistan imported 2,246 GWh, amounting to 73% of its’ total electrical energy demand, then country generated hydro and thermal power 26% and 1% respectively [2]. The main electricity sources were insecure [3] imported thermal power generation. Except, Only 4% of imported amount was hydropower [4]. According to the power system master plan the net demand would be increased 6 times by 2032. The proposed hydro generation can not meet the load requirements. Besides, the hydropower Afghanistan has the wind and solar energy potential. However, So far there is no utility scale or grid-connected wind and solar power plants in the country. The renewable energies usage is limited to rural areas’ mini and microgrid systems. [5–7]. The increasing public awareness, regarding access to sustainable electricity resources, has created a demand for developing and using environ- mentally friendly renewable energy. The ANDS (Afghanistan National Development Strategy) also suggests consumption of renewable en- ergies, for rural areas in particular [8]. In consequence, the ARENP (National Renewable Energy Policy) sets 10% target of power genera- tion from renewable energies by 2032, as well as creating zonal maps and provincial master plans for renewable energies deployment in the country [9]. The NREL of US developed geospatial toolkit (GsT), solar and wind power maps for Afghanistan, discussed in the next section [10,11]. The wind power map (Fig. 2) was developed on the basis of, surface station, upper air stations, satellite, and marine climate data sets. Also the technical wind power potential was estimated to be 158 GW installed capacity by assuming 5[MW/km 2 ] capacities in the total windy areas above wind power class 4 (having 400–500 W/m 2 wind power density at a hieght of 50 m) [12]. The solar globe (Fig. 3) and direct (Fig. 4) irradiance maps also were developed on the basis of, satellite, atmo- spheric optical depth (AOD) and precipitable water, Ozone, and snow cover data [13]. Both resource maps need the ground measurement validation. Consequently, TetraTech determined ten candidate sites for the wind data measurement systems [14]. The ACEP (Afghan Clean Energy Program) and RNED (Renewable Energy Department) installed six meteorological wind towers in Balkh, Herat, Kabul, and Parwan provinces [15,16]. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.12.048 Received 8 June 2015; Received in revised form 14 April 2016; Accepted 6 December 2016 ⁎ Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: abedafg@hotmail.com (M.A. Anwarzai), bahman@cc.tuat.ac.jp (K. Nagasaka). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (xxxx) xxxx–xxxx 1364-0321/ © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Please cite this article as: Anwarzai, M.A., Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (2016), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.12.048