A TOPSIS-based approach for wind turbines ranking with negative performance ratings and different weighting strategies

Abstract

This paper presents an application of TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) multi-dimensional criteria decision-making method for a case study related with a wind turbine based on-grid power supply system with negative performance ratings and different weighting strategies. Two wind turbines (XZ and XL) are comparatively analysed with respect to a power supply system for an industrial consumer and a given site. The site wind potential has been obtained from NASA Surface meteorology and Solar Energy database. The on-grid power supply system has been modelled and simulated using HOMER Pro software. Ten attributes have been considered: five technical criteria, four financial criteria and one environmental criterion. Eleven different weighting strategies have been considered. From all these weighting strategies, the XZ wind turbine has been selected in 8 cases while the XL wind turbine has been selected in 2 cases. For two particular weighting strategies, the most suitable alternative (XZ) coincides with the ideal solution, while the other alternative (XL) coincides with the negative ideal solution.