A GeoSpatial Information System for Photovoltaic Plants Development and Monitoring

Abstract. Photovoltaic (PV) energy production is supposed to hugely increase during current and next decades. PV plants of any extension, technology and power are supposed to be developed and monitored, with the awareness that monitoring phase lasts around 25 years. One of the major challenges of PV plant industry is to choose suitable sites for plant installation and optimal configuration to maximize energy production. In fact, not all places are suitable for solar energy generation, due to several factors, like environmental factors (e.g., solar radiation, wind, shading), technical factors (e.g., distance from the distribution line), economic factors (e.g., development of local economies), and social/political factors (e.g., public acceptance, protected areas). We propose to address the problem of solar PV site selection using a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach together with geographic information system (GIS) software to determine the most suitable area or alternative, both in case of rural environments and smart city installations. The resulting framework, highly-integrated with several EU sources and initiatives, can be used for crucial steps in PV plants lifecycle, from initial design to monitoring and maintenance.