https://github.com/flixOpt/flixOpt
Vector based Energy Optimization Framework
https://github.com/flixOpt/flixOpt
climate-change energy energy-system energy-system-modeling energy-systems linear-programming mathematical-modelling milp mixed-integer-linear-programming modeling optimisation optimization python renewables
Last synced: 3 months ago
JSON representation
Vector based Energy Optimization Framework
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/flixOpt/flixOpt
- Owner: flixOpt
- License: mit
- Created: 2022-09-23T09:58:32.000Z (over 3 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-10-13T23:05:16.000Z (3 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-10-14T12:07:35.240Z (3 months ago)
- Topics: climate-change, energy, energy-system, energy-system-modeling, energy-systems, linear-programming, mathematical-modelling, milp, mixed-integer-linear-programming, modeling, optimisation, optimization, python, renewables
- Language: Python
- Homepage:
- Size: 14.2 MB
- Stars: 11
- Watchers: 3
- Forks: 9
- Open Issues: 37
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Changelog: CHANGELOG.md
- Contributing: .github/CONTRIBUTING.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
- open-sustainable-technology - flixOpt - Python-based optimization framework designed to tackle energy and material flow problems using mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) and provides a powerful platform for both dispatch and investment optimization challenges. (Energy Systems / Energy System Modeling Frameworks)
README
# FlixOpt: Energy and Material Flow Optimization Framework
[](https://flixopt.github.io/flixopt/latest/)
[](https://github.com/flixOpt/flixopt/actions/workflows/python-app.yaml)
[](https://pypi.org/project/flixopt/)
[](https://pypi.org/project/flixopt/)
[](https://pypi.org/project/flixopt/)
[](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
[](https://pypi.org/project/flixopt/)
[](https://github.com/flixOpt/flixopt/commits/main)
[](https://github.com/flixOpt/flixopt/issues)
[](https://results.pre-commit.ci/latest/github/flixOpt/flixopt/main)
[](https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff)
[](https://github.com/PyPSA/linopy/)
[](https://xarray.dev/)
[](https://doi.org/10.18086/eurosun.2022.04.07)
[](https://github.com/flixOpt/flixopt/stargazers)
---
**FlixOpt is a Python framework for optimizing energy and material flow systems** - from district heating networks to industrial production lines, from renewable energy portfolios to supply chain logistics.
**Start simple, scale complex:** Build a working optimization model in minutes, then progressively add detail - multi-period investments, stochastic scenarios, custom constraints - without rewriting your code.
---
## 🚀 Quick Start
```bash
pip install flixopt
```
That's it! FlixOpt comes with the [HiGHS](https://highs.dev/) solver included. You're ready to optimize.
**The basic workflow:**
```python
import flixopt as fx
# 1. Define your system structure
flow_system = fx.FlowSystem(timesteps)
flow_system.add_elements(buses, components, effects)
# 2. Create and solve
calculation = fx.FullCalculation("MyModel", flow_system)
calculation.solve()
# 3. Analyze results
calculation.results.solution
```
**Get started with real examples:**
- 📚 [Full Documentation](https://flixopt.github.io/flixopt/latest/)
- 💡 [Examples Gallery](https://flixopt.github.io/flixopt/latest/examples/) - Complete working examples from simple to complex
- 🔧 [API Reference](https://flixopt.github.io/flixopt/latest/api-reference/)
---
## 🌟 Why FlixOpt?
### Progressive Enhancement - Your Model Grows With You
**Start simple:**
```python
# Basic single-period model
flow_system = fx.FlowSystem(timesteps)
boiler = fx.Boiler("Boiler", eta=0.9, ...)
```
**Add complexity incrementally:**
- **Investment decisions** → Add `InvestParameters` to components
- **Multi-period planning** → Add `periods` dimension to FlowSystem
- **Uncertainty modeling** → Add `scenarios` dimension with probabilities
- **Custom constraints** → Extend with native linopy syntax
**No refactoring required.** Your component definitions stay the same - periods, scenarios, and features are added as dimensions and parameters.
→ [Learn more about multi-period and stochastic modeling](https://flixopt.github.io/flixopt/latest/user-guide/mathematical-notation/dimensions/)
### For Everyone
- **Beginners:** High-level components that "just work"
- **Experts:** Full access to modify models with linopy
- **Researchers:** Quick prototyping with customization options
- **Engineers:** Reliable, tested components without black boxes
- **Students:** Clear, Pythonic interfaces for learning optimization
### Key Features
**Multi-criteria optimization:** Model costs, emissions, resource use - any custom metric. Optimize single objectives or use weighted combinations and ε-constraints.
→ [Effects documentation](https://flixopt.github.io/flixopt/latest/user-guide/mathematical-notation/effects-penalty-objective/)
**Performance at any scale:** Choose calculation modes without changing your model - Full, Segmented, or Aggregated (using [TSAM](https://github.com/FZJ-IEK3-VSA/tsam)).
→ [Calculation modes](https://flixopt.github.io/flixopt/latest/api-reference/calculation/)
**Built for reproducibility:** Self-contained NetCDF result files with complete model information. Load results months later - everything is preserved.
→ [Results documentation](https://flixopt.github.io/flixopt/latest/api-reference/results/)
**Flexible data operations:** Transform FlowSystems with xarray-style operations (`sel()`, `resample()`) for multi-stage optimization.
---
## 🎯 What is FlixOpt?
### A General-Purpose Flow Optimization Framework
FlixOpt models **any system involving flows and conversions:**
- **Energy systems:** District heating/cooling, microgrids, renewable portfolios, sector coupling
- **Material flows:** Supply chains, production lines, chemical processes
- **Integrated systems:** Water-energy nexus, industrial symbiosis
While energy systems are our primary focus, the same foundation applies universally. This enables coupling different system types within integrated models.
### Modern Foundations
Built on [linopy](https://github.com/PyPSA/linopy/) and [xarray](https://github.com/pydata/xarray), FlixOpt delivers **performance** and **transparency**. Full access to variables, constraints, and model structure. Extend anything with native linopy syntax.
### Our Position
We bridge the gap between high-level strategic models (like [FINE](https://github.com/FZJ-IEK3-VSA/FINE)) and low-level dispatch tools - similar to [PyPSA](https://docs.pypsa.org/latest/). FlixOpt is the sweet spot for detailed operational planning and long-term investment analysis in the **same framework**.
### Academic Roots
Originally developed at [TU Dresden](https://github.com/gewv-tu-dresden) for the SMARTBIOGRID project (funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, FKZ: 03KB159B). FlixOpt evolved from the MATLAB-based flixOptMat framework while incorporating best practices from [oemof/solph](https://github.com/oemof/oemof-solph).
---
## 🛣️ Roadmap
**FlixOpt aims to be the most accessible, flexible, and universal Python framework for energy and material flow optimization.** We believe optimization modeling should be approachable for beginners yet powerful for experts, minimizing context switching between different planning horizons.
**Current focus:**
- Enhanced component library (sector coupling, hydrogen, thermal networks)
- Examples showcasing multi-period and stochastic modeling
- Advanced result analysis and visualization
**Future vision:**
- Modeling to generate alternatives (MGA) for robust decision-making
- Advanced stochastic optimization (two-stage, CVaR)
- Community ecosystem of user-contributed components
→ [Full roadmap and vision](https://flixopt.github.io/flixopt/latest/roadmap/)
---
## 🛠️ Installation
### Basic Installation
```bash
pip install flixopt
```
Includes the [HiGHS](https://highs.dev/) solver - you're ready to optimize immediately.
### Full Installation
For additional features (interactive network visualization, time series aggregation):
```bash
pip install "flixopt[full]"
```
### Solver Support
FlixOpt supports many solvers via linopy: **HiGHS** (included), **Gurobi**, **CPLEX**, **CBC**, **GLPK**, and more.
→ [Installation guide](https://flixopt.github.io/flixopt/latest/getting-started/)
---
## 🤝 Contributing
FlixOpt thrives on community input. Whether you're fixing bugs, adding components, improving docs, or sharing use cases - **we welcome your contributions.**
→ [Contribution guide](https://flixopt.github.io/flixopt/latest/contribute/)
---
## 📖 Citation
If FlixOpt supports your research or project, please cite:
- **Main Citation:** [DOI:10.18086/eurosun.2022.04.07](https://doi.org/10.18086/eurosun.2022.04.07)
- **Short Overview:** [DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.14948.24969](https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.14948.24969)
---
## 📄 License
MIT License - See [LICENSE](https://github.com/flixopt/flixopt/blob/main/LICENSE) for details.