Assessment of Solar Power Plant Installations on Mining Sites—A Case Study †

Abstract

The aim of the research is to assess the technical, environmental, and legal suitability of mining areas for dual purposes: both mineral exploitation and solar energy production. A comprehensive analysis of the Croatian legislative framework in the areas of mining, energy, spatial planning, and environmental protection was carried out. Spatial, environmental, and technical suitability were assessed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in combination with a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Model (MCDM) applying the TOPSIS method. A total of 565 exploitation fields were analyzed based on twenty technical, environmental, and legal parameters. Three installation variants (Variant 1, Variant 2, Variant 3) correspond to different phases of mining operations, and three energy use models (Model 1, Model 2, Model 3) were proposed. The results confirm that exploitation fields represent a valuable but underutilized resource for the development of renewable energy sources, i.e., solar power plants installation.