Analysis of Solar Energy Investments in Tunceli Province Using Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods and Their Effects on the Regional Economy

The increasing global demand for energy, the necessity of combating climate change, and the 2050 net-zero carbon emission targets have made it essential to plan renewable energy investments through scientific approaches that simultaneously consider environmental and economic dimensions. This study aims to identify spatially suitable areas for solar energy investments in Tunceli Province and evaluate their potential contributions to the regional economy and sustainable development. To this end, a suitability analysis was conducted by integrating the Best–Worst Method (BWM), one of the Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) techniques, with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) based on technical, environmental, and economic criteria. The criteria weights were calculated using the BWM, and the resulting weights were integrated into the GIS environment to produce solar energy investment suitability maps for Tunceli Province. The originality of the study lies in the development of a BWM-based regional decision support model that evaluates solar energy investments not only from a technical perspective but also by considering the region's topographical characteristics, environmental sensitivities, and socio-economic conditions. The findings indicate that the investment potential is not spatially homogeneous across the province. In particular, the districts of Mazgirt, Pertek, and Çemişgezek exhibit high suitability for solar energy investments, whereas the investment potential in Ovacık and Pülümür is limited due to topographical and environmental constraints.