Towards Sustainability and Resilience of Modular Energy Islands

Abstract Modular energy islands represent an innovative solution designed to support the global transition towards renewable energy, combining sustainability and resilience. These islands integrate renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar power, and energy storage technologies to provide reliable, self-sufficient energy generation in isolated or grid-connected systems. Their modular nature allows for scalability and adaptability to local conditions, rendering them a critical element for addressing energy-related challenges. The objectives of this narrative review are to provide an analysis of the methodologies and tools used to assess the sustainability and resilience of modular energy islands. This review explores the potential of modular energy islands to meet prevalent and future energy challenges, focusing on their scalability, flexibility, and ability to integrate multiple renewable energy sources. In addition, it highlights the novel approach of combining sustainability and resilience metrics to provide a more comprehensive understanding of modular energy islands’ advantages. The review addresses that gap by exploring how the two concepts interact in the development of modular energy solutions. It focuses on the methodologies used to assess both sustainability and resilience, such as LCA for environmental impacts and FMEA for resilience assessment. The combination of these tools provides deeper insights on the benefits and limitations of modular energy islands compared to traditional energy systems. Two key components which are vital to their implementation: power systems and their stability, and energy storage, are discussed with reference to sustainability and resilience of modular floating energy islands.