The increasing global urgency for sustainable energy solutions has intensified interest in decision-making methodologies capable of handling complex, multi-criteria planning. This study explores the application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in renewable energy planning through a dual approach: a literature-based analysis and a case study. A total of 58 scientific articles published between 2019 and 2023 were analyzed using bibliometric tools to identify key trends, research hotspots, collaboration patterns, and methodological developments. The findings reveal a strong global interest in AHP applications for site selection, technology assessment, and hybrid energy system design, with countries such as China, India, and Turkey leading in publication volume. To complement this analysis, a practical case study was conducted comparing three renewable energy alternatives–solar, wind, and hydroelectric–under three operational criteria: peak demand responsiveness, land use, and number of operating days. The AHP method was applied to perform pairwise comparisons, assess consistency, and derive final priority rankings. Results indicate that hydroelectric power is the most suitable option in the evaluated context. This work highlights the versatility of AHP as a robust and transparent tool for energy decision-making. It also emphasizes the importance of integrating bibliometric insights with practical evaluations to better inform sustainable energy policies and strategies.