Study on the influencing factors of photovoltaic siting in coal mining subsidence areas-taking Shanxi Province as an example.

Developing photovoltaic (PV) projects in coal mining subsidence areas represents a strategic pathway to improving land use efficiency and accelerating the transition to renewable energy. Nevertheless, the siting of such projects entails complex challenges arising from climatic, geological, economic, and policy-related constraints. This study establishes a comprehensive evaluation framework comprising 20 key indicators and applies a fuzzy DEMATEL-ISM approach to an empirical case in Shanxi Province, China. The findings reveal that economic cost factors-specifically the levelized cost of energy (F12), payback period (F13), and operation and maintenance costs (F11)-serve as primary constraints in site selection. In contrast, climatic variables such as the frequency of extreme weather events (F15) and the number of dusty days (F5) function as fundamental driving forces that exert indirect influence by increasing equipment vulnerability, raising operation and maintenance requirements, and ultimately elevating energy production costs. Land use characteristics and grid accessibility are identified as high-level decision-making factors. The main contribution of this study lies in the innovative application of the fuzzy DEMATEL-ISM method to PV siting in subsidence-prone areas, which reveals a multi-level causal structure linking climatic, economic, and spatial dimensions. Based on these insights, the study proposes targeted policy recommendations, including differentiated financial incentives, the adoption of weather-resistant photovoltaic modules, and upgrades to grid infrastructure, thereby offering scientific support for the sustainable development of energy systems and ecological restoration in resource-dependent regions.