Hafidbenr/hydrogen-mcda-analysis: MCDA for Assessing GH Suitability in MENA FFED Countries

Authors:

Abdelhafidh Benreguieg 1, Lina Montuori 1,* Manuel Alcázar-Ortega 1 Pierluigi Siano 2, 3

Institute for Energy Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain; Department of Management & Innovation Systems, University of SalernoThe institution will open in a new tab, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, (SA), Fisciano, 84084, Italy Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Science, University of JohannesburgThe institution will open in a new tab, Johannesburg, 2006, South Africa

Abstract:

This study presents a comprehensive Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) framework to evaluate and rank countries within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for their suitability in developing sustainable hydrogen supply chains. Employing a hybrid approach combining Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Entropy weighting methods, along with the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), the analysis assesses eleven key criteria spanning Supply, Demand, and Risk dimensions. The framework incorporates advanced sensitivity analysis using Dirichlet distribution-based weight perturbations to evaluate the robustness of the rankings and quantify uncertainty. Visualizations include weight interval plots, spider charts for sub-scores, ranking uncertainty bars, and a choropleth map illustrating regional performance.

Keywords:

Hydogen Supply Chain, Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), TOPSIS, AHP, Entropy Weights, Sensitivity Analysis, MENA Region, Sustainability, Risk Assessment, Energy Transition, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Folium

Key Findings:

• Comprehensive Ranking: Provides a robust ranking of MENA countries based on their overall potential for hydrogen supply chain development.
• Sub-score Insights: Detailed sub-scores for Supply, Demand, and Risk dimensions reveal specific strengths and weaknesses of each country.
• Uncertainty Quantification: Sensitivity analysis quantifies the stability of rankings under various weight perturbations, offering insights into the reliability of the results.
• Geospatial Visualization: An interactive choropleth map aids in understanding the regional distribution of key indicators and overall performance.

Included Data and Files:

This release includes the following outputs from the analysis:

• Table_1_AHP_Weights.csv: Summary of AHP, Entropy, and Combined weights.
• Table_2_Weight_Intervals.csv: Bootstrap intervals for mean combined weights.
• Table_3_Ranking_Updated.csv: Final country rankings with uncertainty statistics (Score, Rank, Rank_Min, Rank_Max).
• Table_4_Sub_Scores.csv: Normalized sub-scores for Supply, Demand, and Risk dimensions for each country.
• Fig_1_Dirichlet_Weights.png: Plot of Dirichlet-based weight intervals.
• Fig_2_Ranking_Uncertainty.png: Bar chart visualizing country rankings with uncertainty bars.
• Fig_3_Spider_Chart.png: Radar plot showing sub-scores for all countries.
• Fig_4_Choropleth_Map.html: Interactive HTML choropleth map of S-Index (Supply) and WRI Aqueduct stress.
• Fig_5_Sensitivity_Heatmap_Updated.png: Heatmap illustrating rank stability from sensitivity analysis.

Usage and Reusability:

The provided data files and figures can be used for further research, policy-making, and educational purposes related to hydrogen energy in the MENA region. The methodology is transparent and can be adapted for similar MCDA problems.

License:

[e.g., MIT License, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International]