*3.2. GIS*

GIS is an information system used to deal with data, maps, and spatial information [63]. GIS tools can support planning and decision making in site-selection problems [64–67]. In this study, GIS is used to exclude unfeasible marine areas by three exclusion criteria related to economic, technical, and social constraints. Inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation and Euclidean distance in GIS are used to obtain 100 m × 100 m raster datasets of WPD, WD. After obtaining the raster data of the exclusion criteria, the Boolean overlay operation is employed in the overlay analysis in GIS to exclude unfeasible areas. After that, islands feasible for constructing wave power plants are identified for subsequent study.
