Planning Solar Farms: A New Way in Jamaica

You know how we've been relying on traditional power methods that harm the environment? Well, it's time to switch to something cleaner like solar energy. This study did just that by looking at the best spots for large solar farms in Jamaica. They used some fancy methods like AHP, fuzzy logic, and GIS to decide which areas were perfect. They considered things like sunlight, closeness to roads, the land's use, and even what people thought. In the end, they found four different scenarios, with the best one having about 667 square kilometers of suitable land. That's enough to generate anywhere from 19. 69 to 109. 15 GWh per square kilometer per year, depending on the tech used. Plus, it could cut down CO2 emissions by up to 51, 365 tons yearly and save over $3 million. That's some serious impact! For policymakers and investors, there are 16 top sites, with Westmoreland, Manchester, and St. Mary being the top picks. This research doesn't just help Jamaica meet its green goals; it gives a blueprint for other places with similar landscapes.