Publication record · 18.cifr/2021.trondheim.faroe-energy-expansion

100% Sustainable Electricity in the Faroe Islands: Expansion Planning Through Economic Optimization

v1.0.0

Helma Maria Trondheim (Aalborg University), Barur A. Niclasen (University of the Faroe Islands), Terji Nielsen (University of the Faroe Islands), Filipe Faria Da Silva (Aalborg University), Claus Leth Bak (Aalborg University)

RAI18.cifr/2021.trondheim.faroe-energy-expansion

IEEE Open Access Journal of Power and Energy· 2021· doi:10.1109/OAJPE.2021.3051917

This paper presents an economic expansion planning study for achieving 100% sustainable electricity supply in the Faroe Islands. A linear programming optimization model minimizes total annualized system cost while ensuring supply-demand balance at all hours. The model considers existing hydro, wind, and thermal generation, alongside new investments in wind, tidal, and battery storage. Results show that 100% renewable electricity is economically feasible with significant wind and tidal expansion combined with pumped hydro and battery storage.

energy expansion planning100% renewable energyFaroe Islandslinear programmingwind energytidal energyenergy storageeconomic optimization

✦ Research context

What this agent contributes to the literature.

Problem solved

Island grid operators need least-cost pathways to eliminate fossil thermal generation entirely.
Faroe Islands currently rely on thermal backup, lacking a validated plan for full renewable transition.
The model determines optimal investment mix minimizing total annualized CAPEX and OPEX under hourly supply-demand balance.

Novelty

First LP-based expansion planning model targeting 100% renewable electricity specifically for the Faroe Islands.

Related research

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Canvas contract1-in / 1-out · unpacked into system, costs legacy ports

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Citations

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4/16/2026

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sha256:6fecd6d8732ae7b36d3b64e2234e7ea16c302b9f3958aaf2c53745fd3765895b

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python main.py

Inputs

input:application/json

Outputs

output:application/json

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Pre-filled with the paper's canonical scenario. Click Invoke agent to reproduce the original result, or edit the JSON below to run a counterfactual.

inputapplication/jsonoptional

Unified canvas input. The executor unpacks this JSON blob into legacy per-port files: system, costs

Leave empty to run the paper's canonical scenario.

{
  "system": {
    "note": "8 representative hours; scale to 8760 h/yr for full annual model",
    "hours": [
      1,
      2,
      3,
      4,
      5,
      6,
      7,
      8
    ],
    "zones": [
      {
        "name": "Streymoy",
        "cf_wind": [
          0.38,
          0.42,
          0.35,
          0.29,
          0.31,
          0.45,
          0.5,
          0.44
        ],
        "cf_hydro": 0.45,
        "cf_tidal": [
          0.32,
          0.28,
          0.35,
          0.33,
          0.3,
          0.34,
          0.31,
          0.29
        ],
        "max_new_wind_mw": 120,
        "existing_wind_mw": 12.6,
        "max_new_batt_mwh": 300,
        "max_new_tidal_mw": 60,
        "existing_hydro_mw": 33,
        "existing_thermal_mw": 40
      },
      {
        "name": "Eysturoy",
        "cf_wind": [
          0.36,
          0.4,
          0.33,
          0.27,
          0.3,
          0.43,
          0.48,
          0.42
        ],
        "cf_hydro": 0.48,
        "cf_tidal": [
          0.31,
          0.27,
          0.34,
          0.32,
          0.29,
          0.33,
          0.3,
          0.28
        ],
        "max_new_wind_mw": 80,
        "existing_wind_mw": 5.4,
        "max_new_batt_mwh": 200,
        "max_new_tidal_mw": 40,
        "existing_hydro_mw": 19,
        "existing_thermal_mw": 10
      },
      {
        "name": "NorthernIslands",
        "cf_wind": [
          0.4,
          0.44,
          0.37,
          0.31,
          0.33,
          0.47,
          0.52,
          0.46
        ],
        "cf_hydro": 0.4,
        "cf_tidal": [
          0.33,
          0.29,
          0.36,
          0.34,
          0.31,
          0.35,
          0.32,
          0.3
        ],
        "max_new_wind_mw": 60,
        "existing_wind_mw": 2,
        "max_new_batt_mwh": 150,
        "max_new_tidal_mw": 30,
        "existing_hydro_mw": 5,
        "existing_thermal_mw": 8
      }
    ],
    "demand_mwh": {
      "Eysturoy": [
        12.4,
        10.9,
        9.8,
        9.1,
        10.2,
        13.1,
        15.5,
        14.7
      ],
      "Streymoy": [
        28.5,
        25.1,
        22.8,
        21,
        23.4,
        30.2,
        35.6,
        33.8
      ],
      "NorthernIslands": [
        5.2,
        4.6,
        4.1,
        3.8,
        4.3,
        5.5,
        6.5,
        6.2
      ]
    },
    "description": "Simplified 3-zone Faroe Islands power system model"
  },
  "costs": {
    "note": "Costs approximate values from literature consistent with paper",
    "description": "Techno-economic parameters for Faroe Islands expansion planning",
    "technologies": {
      "wind": {
        "unit": "EUR",
        "lifetime": 25,
        "capex_per_mw": 1400000,
        "opex_per_mw_yr": 28000
      },
      "hydro": {
        "note": "Existing assets - only O&M applied in model",
        "unit": "EUR",
        "lifetime": 40,
        "capex_per_mw": 2000000,
        "opex_per_mw_yr": 20000
      },
      "tidal": {
        "note": "Tidal still emerging technology; higher CAPEX than wind",
        "unit": "EUR",
        "lifetime": 20,
        "capex_per_mw": 3500000,
        "opex_per_mw_yr": 105000
      },
      "battery": {
        "unit": "EUR",
        "lifetime": 15,
        "capex_per_mwh": 280000,
        "opex_per_mwh_yr": 5600
      },
      "thermal": {
        "note": "Diesel/HFO; targeted for phase-out in 100% RE scenario",
        "unit": "EUR",
        "lifetime": 20,
        "capex_per_mw": 800000,
        "opex_per_mw_yr": 16000,
        "fuel_cost_per_mwh": 75
      }
    },
    "discount_rate": 0.05
  }
}