Multi-criteria Decision Making for Energy Planning In Democratic Republic Of Congo: Case Study of Idjwi Island

Abstract

Energy planning involves multiple actors (authorities, community, investors, and operators) and multiple objectives most of the time in perpetual conflict. The Analysis Hierarchy Process (AHP) which consists of a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis method (MCDA) theory of measurement through pairwise comparisons and relies on the judgments of experts to derive priority scales was used to evaluate the energy resources of Idjwi island in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The weights obtained from AHP analysis were used to rank the seven alternative energy resources for the island using the Technique of Order Preferences to Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). The combination of the two MCDA methods reduces the uncertainty and reinforce the reliability of the decision by combining the advantages of both methods. Two surveys were conducted in this research, one for the rural community in Idjwi, in order to determine their preferences, priority, economic situation for an energy project. The second survey was conducted for the energy experts in the region was to analyse the importance of the criteria. This thesis aims at ranking the different energy resources for rural electrification in the Island. Energy planning in many developing countries is still not well-handled and depend mostly on the priorities of actual authorities. To minimize the risk of investing in wrong sources of energy, energy planning is needed which includes many actors and factors. For example, the exclusion of the local communities in the process of electrification projects can lead to failures of many mini-grid projects in villages. Based on the preferences and priorities of the community, the small hydropower and solar photovoltaic sources were the first alternatives to power Idjwi Island. An assessment of the renewable energy resources of the DRC is also included