Combined use of BWM-TOPSIS methods in the selection of thermal power plant installation site in the Karapinar/Turkiye Region, at risk of sinkhole formation

Abstract

With the rapidly increasing world population and the need for industrialization, energy supply has become an important global problem. A significant part of the world's energy needs is provided by fossil fuels. About half of all global coal deposits are low-quality coals, including lignite. Karapınar/Konya, also the study area, has Turkiye's second richest lignite reserve. The region's lignite reserve can be used in thermal power plants for electricity generation in terms of its nature and the amount is an important opportunity to meet the energy demand for both region and country. The region contains many sinkholes, and the potential for the formation of new sinkholes makes the site selection for thermal power plants in the region an even more strategic decision. This study aims to propose the most suitable thermal power plant site for the region by using Multi-Criteria Decision Making methods and Geographic Information Systems in an integrated way. Within the scope of the study, a total of twelve sub-criteria were taken into consideration under the main criteria of Geological, Economic and Environmental. The Best–Worst Method was applied to determine the criteria weights, and by using the weights, a suitability map for the thermal power plant installation site was produced and candidate regions were determined. TOPSIS was applied to determine the most suitable location among the candidate regions. The Candidate Region in the easternmost part of Karapinar district was chosen as the most suitable site for the thermal power plant installation. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.