Using Geographical Information Systems ( Gis ) - 2691 Words

In the literature, there is a wide use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for the appropriate siting of various projects from urban planning, to the more focused of locating suitable sites for renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and a hybrid of the two combined. The site suitability for these renewable technologies requires economic and environmental criteria to be met for the appropriate placement, so that the public or local authorities do not contest the renewable energy systems. Each criteria for site suitability gets turned into a map layer in the GIS, and then overlaid to see which areas are not suitable, and which areas meet the criteria, therefore being a potential location to be sited. Certain methods take this†¦show more content†¦This GIS system has also a significant amount of features and is becoming more widely spread, and Sanchez-Lozano et al (2013) states it can do just as much as paid software. Therefore from the literature it seems beneficia l to use an open source GIS system, as it is a viable option due to being easily accessible. GIS, is a software system in which data is often imported, and Janke (2010) states that potentially unrelated data can be combined into something of meaning, and Aydin, Kentel Duzgun (2013) claims that GIS with its spatial analysis capabilities can overcome site selection problems. Teguo et al (2010), states that GIS in recent years has become much more popular as a tool for the appropriate site selection of a various number of projects and disciplines. These other projects for site selection using GIS with a decision support system, is the appropriate sitting of landfill (Åžener et al, 2010), road network route planning within a city (Sadeghi-Niaraki et al, 2011), and a decision support system for planning of urban infrastructures (Coutinho-Rodrigues, Simà £o Antunes, 2011). Therefore these examples from the literature show that the use of GIS for locating suitable sites does not have to only be for renewable energy technologies, but they can be adapted for various situations. Huck, Whyatt Coulton (2014) use GIS in unique way for site suitability, by using a Public Participation GIS (PPGIS), which allows the storage and analysis of spatial