Large utility scale PV power plant optimum site selection in Iran using GIS analysis

Iran is ranked 20thin the world in terms of land area and also enjoys excellent solar irradiation throughout its land area. Although at first glance site selection for large utility scale PV power plant in Iran seems a trivial task only limited by closeness to electrical grid, roads, points of electrical consumption, site meteorological data, etc. further examination reveals that parameters such that slope of the site, direction of the slope, site altitude, large scale sand and dust storms, local sand and dust storms, etc. have a direct influence on the performance of the PV power plant as well as the CAPEX and OPEX of the power plant. This papers aims to emphasize the parameters that are usually ignored in the process of site selection of large utility scale PV power plants. For the purpose of this paper the capacity ≤ 100 MW (AC) in a single site is classified as small utility scale PV power plant and a PV power plant with capacity > 100 MW (AC) in a single site is classified as large utility scale PV power plant. Residential and commercial PV systems are not considered in the current paper irrespective of their installed capacities.