Geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing and analitic hierarchy process (AHP) – based determination of suitable sites for energy crop cultivation

In this thesis, suitable areas for switchgrass cultivation - what is one of the biofuel material and can be alternative energy source apart from fossil fuels- via GIS, AHP and RS techniques. To make a decision for cultivation areas, first of all, the constraints and factors were identified and created widely database with obtained and producted data. Then the comprehensive multi-criteria decision analysis model was created and used for seven scenarios with variable factor suitability intervals. In this model for all scenarios; (1) Constraints were eliminated from whole working area, (2) Factors were standardized with FUZZY logic method to normalize the factor's suitability intervals for switchgrass cultivation, (3) All factor's weights were calculated with AHP matrix, what were created with specialists and (4) All these steps were integrated to MCE module and results were obtained via weighted overlay in MCE. Developed criteria evaluation model was applied in 1.2 million hectares of İzmir. In this area, all agricultural areas (624. 023 ha) and forested areas were constrained; thus marginal areas (49.612 ha-non-agricultural area) were determined. In these marginal areas, factor standardisation and factor weighting were integrated to MCE; thus the results were obtained in seven variable scenarios. In the first scenario (low elevation and slope values existed), the areas between middle and high suitability to cultivation were calculated as 18.899 ha. In the other third scenario (high evaluation and slope values existed), the areas between middle and high suitability to cultivation were calculated as 28.484 ha. When the switchgrass yield is tackled, the determined areas can supply approximately 40 % of all the fuel-oil demand of the city. This value is very significant for the İzmir, what is the third populous city of the Turkey. The developed model in this thesis can be useful for decision makers, managers and institutions. The model steps and results and recommendations have also very important qualification to bring forward all future works about this subject. Keywords: Geographic Information Systems, Multi Criteria Evaluation, Switchgrass, Remote Sensing, Analytic Hierarchy Process