Smart Energy Siting to Guide Renewable Energy Transition

Smart Energy Siting to Guide Renewable Energy Transition | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Smart Energy Siting to Guide Renewable Energy Transition Aleksandar Dedinec, Aleksandra Dedinec, Slave Nakev, Dejan Dimitriev, and 5 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7474783/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 7 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The rapid expansion of renewable energy demands strategic planning to ensure environmentally and socially responsible vision that reduces conflicts and facilitates the deployment of low carbon energy. Here we advance a methodology for energy planning through the spatial prioritization of barren lands and brownfields for photovoltaic and wind power development, demonstrated via a case study in Macedonia. The study incorporates environmental constraints (e.g., slope, protected areas, biodiversity), technical factors (e.g., solar irradiation, wind speed, proximity to grid and roads), and socio-economic indicators (e.g., available workforce, settlement proximity), utilizing a multi-criteria decision analysis framework integrated with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). GIS mapping tools were used to evaluate multiple scenarios over 450,000 hectares of land, generating high-resolution suitability maps. A questionnaire was administered to 93 stakeholders from public institutions, the private sector, and academia to determine AHP weighting. The integration of national cadaster data with ecosystem classifications further validated the spatial accuracy and credibility of the analysis. The results reveal substantial land areas suitable for photovoltaic (up to 50 GW) and wind (up to 457 MW) installations, even under strict environmental constraints. Sensitivity analyses underscore the spatial and technical trade-offs when additional exclusions such as Important Bird Areas and Important Plant Areas are considered. This framework offers a replicable and transparent approach for governments seeking to balance energy security, land use efficiency, and ecological preservation. The case study illustrates how data-driven, participatory planning tools can guide equitable and sustainable renewable energy expansion aligned with national energy and climate goals. Smart energy planning GIS AHP MCDA Renewable energy Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 20 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 04 Nov, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 22 Oct, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 16 Oct, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 02 Sep, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 28 Aug, 2025 First submitted to journal 27 Aug, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7474783","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":535186590,"identity":"53a02233-e372-4b74-8a62-f5171f987846","order_by":0,"name":"Aleksandar Dedinec","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA1UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDCCAwwGB4CUHJTLDMRsxGkxJk0LiEpsIFoL3/HmjYcLKuzS17afPSbBUGGd2CB2LAGvFskzxwoOzziTnLvtTF6aBMOZ9MQG6bQDeLUY3MgxOMzbdiB324EcMwnGtsNALekN+LXcfwPU8u9Autn5N0At/4jRcoMHqKXhQILZDZAtDYcJO0zyTFrBYZ5jyYbbbrwxtkg4lm7cJp2WgFcL3/HDmz/z1NjJm53PMbzxocZatl86zQCvFlQAMp5QRI6CUTAKRsEoIAIAADH0S9w/eYSMAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Aleksandar","middleName":"","lastName":"Dedinec","suffix":""},{"id":535186591,"identity":"30f7aff4-a014-46f6-a69b-b95a03e673e6","order_by":1,"name":"Aleksandra Dedinec","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Ss. 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