Factors in determining wind farm location: Integrating GQM, fuzzy DEMATEL, and ANP

Wind power has become one of the most popular sources of renewable energy, and various countries have increased their use of wind turbines because of turbines' rapid and relatively simple installation. This study examines the key factors considered in determining the location of wind farms. The following six dimensions are used to measure the correlations among the relevant factors: Safety and Quality, Economy and Benefit, Social Impression, Environment and Ecology, Regulation, and Policy. These factors are associated with a total of 28 evaluation criteria. The Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Analytic Network Process (ANP) approaches are applied to find the correlations among the dimensions and the relative weights of the criteria, respectively. The results show that Safety and Quality and Environment and Ecology are the two major factors. The results of this work can increase public understanding of wind power and can be used as a reference for businesses and governments that intend to invest in the development of such power.