Unveiling Afghanistan's wind and hydrogen potential: a comparative study.

Area of Science:

• Renewable Energy Systems
• Hydrogen Production
• Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis

Background:

• Fossil fuel's environmental impact drives global shift to renewables.
• Afghanistan's energy sector faces challenges but possesses significant wind potential.
• Wind energy offers a viable path for sustainable development and energy security.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate potential wind-hydrogen project sites in Afghanistan.
• Prioritize provinces based on economic, technical, social, risk, and environmental factors.
• Assess the feasibility of wind-hydrogen energy development in the region.

Main Methods:

• Employed a multi-criteria decision-making approach.
• Utilized Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) for criteria weighting.
• Applied WASPAS, ARAS, EDAS, and TOPSIS methods for site prioritization.

Main Results:

• Duration of Payback Period and Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) identified as critical sub-criteria.
• Farah, Herat, and Nimroz provinces are most promising for wind-hydrogen projects.
• Farah province can generate 2679.8 MWh electricity and produce 43.4 tons of hydrogen annually using 900-kW turbines.

Conclusions:

• Wind-hydrogen projects are technically and economically feasible in selected Afghan provinces.
• The study provides a framework for sustainable energy development in Afghanistan.
• Farah, Herat, and Nimroz offer significant potential for clean energy generation and hydrogen production.