###### Abstract  
Nowadays, renewable energy facilities are coming to the forefront in order to protect nature and prevent climate change. In this context, location-based analyses are carried out for the most optimal use of renewable energy resources. This study aims to identify suitable locations for photovoltaic (PV) farms in Gaziantep using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies. The research incorporates various criteria, including solar radiation, land use, slope, aspect, distance to road, fault line proximity, distance to powerlines, and wind speed to evaluate potential sites for solar energy production. The AHP method is applied to prioritize these criteria through a pairwise comparison matrix and to calculate the weight values for each factor. The analysis reveals that approximately 80% of Gaziantep's land is suitable for PV farm installation, with the southern region being the most favorable. Furthermore, the comparison between existing PV installations and the identified suitable areas highlights a high degree of alignment, with most of the current PV farms located in areas classified as suitable or highly suitable. Additionally, it was determined that 92% of the existing PV farms have been established within suitable areas. This indicates a high alignment between the identified suitable zones and the locations of the current PV installations, reflecting an effective site selection process based on the applied criteria. The study concludes that GIS-based AHP is an effective tool for rapid and reliable decision-making in renewable energy site selection, offering a valuable approach for future solar energy projects in Gaziantep and similar regions. p +
Footnote †: journal: Applied sciences  
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Footnote 1: [[https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441](https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441)]([https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441](https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441))  
Footnote 2: [[https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441](https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441)]([https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441](https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441))  
Footnote 3: [[https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441](https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441)]([https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441](https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441))  
Footnote 4: [[https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441](https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441)]([https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441](https://doi.org/10.3390/app15052441))  
Footnote 5:  
PV farms play a critical role in the transition towards sustainable energy systems, leveraging solar energy as a clean and renewable source. The selection of suitable locations for PV farm development is a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) process that requires consideration of various factors, including solar radiation, land availability, topography, proximity to infrastructure, and environmental impact. MCDM allows for the systematic evaluation and prioritization of multiple criteria, enabling more informed and balanced decision-making in complex scenarios. Proper site selection not only enhances the efficiency of energy generation but also minimizes operational costs and environmental challenges [6; 7; 8; 9; 10]. GIS technologies have proven to be powerful tools for spatial analysis and decision-making in renewable energy planning. By integrating spatial datasets and advanced analytical techniques, GIS facilitates the evaluation of site suitability based on multiple criteria. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), a structured MCDM method, has gained prominence in site selection studies [11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16]. The integration of AHP and GIS offers a comprehensive approach for PV farm suitability analysis by enabling the consideration of various factors, such as solar radiation, land use, topography, proximity to infrastructure, and environmental constraints. This methodology has been applied to identify ideal locations for PV farms, demonstrating its potential to support sustainable energy planning.