Optimizing the operation of energy islands with predictive nonlinear programming – a case study based on the Princess Elisabeth Energy Island

Abstract. The concepts of energy islands or energy hubs have gained attention in Europe as a means to enhance offshore wind integration and regional energy systems. These islands can incorporate high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and hydrogen production, requiring advanced operational strategies to manage the inherent nonlinearities and time dependence of their subsystems. To address these challenges, this work proposes a comprehensive framework for the optimal operation of hybrid AC/DC energy islands, addressing (i) active and reactive power dispatch, incorporating BESS and hydrogen production; (ii) a detailed wind resource characterization based on 1 year of hourly data obtained using a realistic wind model with local measurements, including wake losses and turbine-level forecasts, used to define representative seasonal and spatial production patterns that inform typical operating conditions; (iii) operational optimization of a realistic test system based on the Princess Elisabeth Energy Island, and (iv) uncertainty analysis via Monte Carlo simulations, quantifying the impact of wind power and electricity price forecast errors, set up using commercial wind power planning tools and advanced forecasting software, and verified with Pyomo/Python.