1 Multicriteria analysis of renewable-based electrification projects in developing countries B. Domenech 1 *, L. Ferrer-Martí 2 , R. Pastor 2 1 Serra Húnter Fellow, Department of Management (DOE), Institute of Industrial and Control Engineering (IOC), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) – Barcelona Tech 2 Department of Mechanical Engineering (DEM), IOC – UPC 3 Department of Management (DOE), IOC – UPC Corresponding author (*): bruno.domenech@upc.edu; (+34) 934.017.076 Abstract The design of wind-photovoltaic stand-alone electrification projects that combine individual systems and microgrids is complex and requires from support tools. In this paper, a multicriteria procedure is presented in detail, which aims to assist project developers in such a design. More specifically, the procedure has been developed under a four-part structure, using support tools and expert consultations to enhance practicality into the rural context of developing countries. First, from a large amount of criteria, a reduced and easy to handle set is chosen, representing the main characteristics to be assessed in rural electrification projects. Second, two iterative processes, one based on the Analytical Hierarchy Process and one based on a typical 1-10 assessment, are tested to assign weights to the criteria, reflecting end-user preferences. Third, some indicators are proposed to evaluate the accomplishment of each solution regarding each criterion, in an objective manner. Fourth, considering the weights and evaluations, the solutions are ranked, using the compromise programming technique, thus selecting the best one/s. The whole procedure is illustrated by designing the electrification project of a real community in the Andean highlands. In short, this paper provides insights about the suitable decision-making process for the design of wind-PV electrification systems and, in addition, shows how different multicriteria techniques are applied to a very local context in rural, remote and very poor areas of developing countries. Keywords: rural electrification; microgrids; multicriteria; compromise programming. 1. Introduction “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all” has been defined by the United Nations as the seventh Sustainable Development Goal (UN 2015). In fact, the link between the Human Development Index (HDI) and electricity consumption has been widely demonstrated. For less developed regions, small increases in electricity consumption lead to large increases in HDI, thus improving the quality of life. However, there are still 1.1 billion people without such service, especially in rural areas of developing countries (IEA 2017). In this sense, each person should have, at least, around 50-100 kWh of electricity per year in 2030. The conventional strategy to expand electricity access is the national grid, but significant techno-economic constraints can appear in mountainous or remote areas, due to the complex terrain, the dispersion between communities and houses, and the low consumption levels (Ferrer-Martí et al. 2012). Alternatively, stand-alone electrification systems based on renewable energy are suitable to provide electricity to isolated communities, reducing greenhouse gas emissions (Ubilla et al. 2014). In particular, the wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies are increasingly used since they are virtually worldwide (Dinçer 2011; Leary et al. 2012). Hybrid wind-PV systems are particularly interesting, as they generally complement to each other and reduce project