Alexia Tana-Chulde, Bryan X. Medina-Rodriguez
Global warming and climate change challenge us to implement sustainable energy systems. Urcuqui, located in the Imbabura province in the North of Ecuador, is one of the cities with the most promising renewable energy resources. Therefore, analyzing the energy potential of Urcuqui at the micro and macro scales will provide valuable information for the national efforts to pursue the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda. This work aims to identify strategic points with high viability to implement renewable energy systems by collecting information from local governments, such as Municipio de Urcuqui and Prefectura de Imbabura, and implementing advanced methodologies like GIS and multi-criteria analysis. This research focuses mainly on solar and hydrological resources, which have been identified as the most significant energy sources and have the potential to be applied in different areas where required. As the intention is to give people and small communities access to affordable and clean energy, this investigation also incorporates demographic factors and environmental sustainability. The result illustrates Urcuqui parish as the main feasible area to implement PV systems, with approximately 43% of the canton's suitable area. The results show the importance of assessing the geological and technical aspects of the geological resources. They are expected to provide valuable information for regional decision-makers regarding energy policies and promoting more sustainable and environmentally friendly development.