Strategic renewable energy resources selection for Pakistan: Based on SWOT-Fuzzy AHP approach

Abstract Pakistan is facing a severe energy crisis since the last two decades, and yet the government has not been able to overcome this problem. Therefore, the various renewable energy resources of Sindh and Baluchistan province has been assessed to diversify the electricity generation from fossil fuels to renewable energy. In the study, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis has been employed to assess the internal and external factors which affect the renewable energy technologies in Sindh and Baluchistan province. Then, the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (Fuzzy AHP) method is used from the multi-perspective approach (i.e., economic, environmental, technical, and socio-political criteria). Therefore in the study, four criteria, seventeen sub-criteria and three renewable energy resources (i.e., solar, wind, and biomass) have been assessed as alternatives in the decision model. It is identified that economic and socio-political are the two most important criteria. Further results reveal that wind has ample potential to generate electricity in both (Sindh and Baluchistan) provinces, whereas solar and biomass energy ranked second and third, respectively. It is, therefore, suggested that the government should exploit renewable resources to mitigate the current energy crisis and increase energy security for sustainable development of the country.