A SWOT analysis is conducted as a means of creating a quick "sketch" of particular processes or systems. It provides a quick way to get a view and to compare across different selections.
In the Eltrop chapter, you are introduced to a SWOT analysis for renewables on pg. 24 (pg. 10 of the pdf) and in Table 2.2 on pg. 25 (pg. 11 of the pdf). The main focus of this SWOT analysis is a technology, as broadly construed.
A useful aspect of the SWOT analysis is in its scalability. You can compare systems, in this case different RE technologies, as well as subsystems, i.e., various aspects of a given RE technology. Scalability of analysis is both important and useful when analyzing systems. You can analyze each part and compare against each other, or you can analyze similar systems.
SWOT is mainly a descriptive and qualitative tool as used here. The addition of quantification can certainly help in further analyzing any of the SWOT categories.
For the SWOT matrix in the Lesson 4 Canvas folder, it is useful to begin sketching out a few different renewable options and thinking about your topic for a final project.