A rule-based fuzzy logic methodology for multi-criteria selection of wind turbines

The domain of renewable energy has seen tremendous growth in the past many years. This growth has shown optimism for a sustainable future and promises to lead the human race towards a cleaner and healthier environment. Wind energy, which is a vital part of this clean energy revolution, has received significant attention globally. To get benefit from wind energy, wind farms need to be developed with the highest efficiency so that the maximum energy can be harnessed. A key decision in this development process is selection of a turbine type that shows highest compatibility with the geographical and topographical features of the site where the turbines are to be installed. In practical terms, the turbine selection mechanism should consider several decision criteria. In many cases, these criteria are conflicting with each other. Furthermore, the choice and aspirations of the decision-maker who selects these turbines should be considered in the selection process and should be flexible. This paper presents a preliminary study on a rule-based turbine selection methodology which is based on the concepts of fuzzy logic. The proposed methodology analyzes several scenarios in conjunction with the turbine selection model. The applicability of the methodology is demonstrated via two test scenarios. Data from a real potential site in Saudi Arabia were used, and 17 turbines from different manufacturers and with rated capacities in range of 1.5–3 MW were evaluated. The results indicate that the proposed scheme is able to incorporate decision-maker’s aspirations and effectively reflects these aspirations in the turbine selection process.