# Environmental Protection in the Planning of Large Solar Power Plants
## 3 SEA as Environmental Protection Instruments in the Planning of Solar Power Plants
### Methodology of Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment  
Unlike the sophisticated software packages used in engineering, the methodological approach in SEA is rather unclear [39]. Some authors [40; 41] claim that there is no generalized SEA methodology that applies to all plans and development policies and that the SEA methodology should be treated as a set of tools in one \"toolkit\", each user of which can choose their tools depending on their specific needs. [PERSON] [42] points out that SEA mainly relies on qualitative review, which is why expert judgment plays a key role. The issue of choosing the appropriate evaluation methodology used in a specific case should be correlated with the appropriate implementation experiences accumulated through comparative studies of previously applied methodologies that have shown good results in the implementation of SEA [39].  
The application of expert qualitative methods provides great opportunities for adapting and combining the methodological approach in SEA, in order to obtain the best results in the specific case. Given that qualitative expert methods are characterized by subjectivity, it is necessary to apply techniques and tools that will achieve the greatest possible objectivity in impact assessment. The role and importance of the application of GIS technology and other software models for partial assessment in this procedure are highlighted in this context [43; 44; 45; 46]. In doing so, one should always consider the possibility of combining several methodological approaches in order to obtain the best results in EA based on the specific case [47].  
One of the most frequently used methods for impact assessment within SEA is the multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) method of planning concepts. The MCE method is considered a well-developed scientific field supported by a large number of scientific references [48; 49; 50]. The main role was to obtain relevant information so that the optimal decisions could be made. The development of MCE methods has reached the point where the entire concept of application is focused on the process of making optimal decisions, implying the inevitable involvement of the public in the MCE process [51]. In this context, particpance is one of the important characteristics of the SEA process.  
The methodological approach in the preparation of SEA for solar power plants does not differ from the usual approach, so it is also possible to apply different qualitative expert methods [52; 53] in combination with quantitative methods applied for partial impact assessments. In other words, the specifics of solar power plant project planning are conditioned by the selection of a combination of methodological approaches, that is, a combination of methods and techniques that are often formulated in the form of a semi-quantitative method of multi-criteria evaluation.  
Application of the Semi-Quantitative Method of Multi-Criteria Evaluation in SEA When Planning the Agrisolar Power Plant \"Agrosolar Kula\"--A Case Study  
In the parts of the work that preceded this chapter, the predominant application of expert qualitative methods for the evaluation of planning solutions for spatial development applied in SEA, as well as the importance and possibility of applying the semi-quantitative method of multi-criteria evaluation, were pointed out. In this context, the semi-quantitative method of multi-criteria evaluation of planning solutions of spatial development, which was applied in the preparation of the SEA for the complex of agrisolar power plant \"Agrosolar Kula\", is presented below.  
The backbone of applying the concept of semi-quantitative multi-criteria evaluation consists of several key methodological steps: defining SEA goals and indicators and evaluating the variant and planning solutions. The following methodological steps are elaborated.