*Article* **Mixed-Integer Linear Programming for Decentralized Multi-Carrier Optimal Energy Management of a Micro-Grid**

**Mohammad Faghiri 1, Shadi Samizadeh 1, Amirhossein Nikoofard 1,\*, Mahdi Khosravy 2,\* and Tomonobu Senjyu 3,\***


**Abstract:** Increasing the load demand and penetration of renewable energy sources (RESs) poses real challenges for optimal energy management of distribution networks. Moreover, considering multicarrier energy systems has increased the efficiency of systems, and provides an opportunity for using the advantages of RESs. In this regard, we adopted a new framework based on the new challenges in the multi-carrier energy micro-grid (MEMG). In the proposed method, a comprehensive MEMG was modeled that benefits from a large assortment of distributed energy resources (DERs), such as micro-turbines, fuel cells, wind turbines, and energy storage. Considering many DERs is necessary, because these resources could cover one another's disadvantages, which have a great impact on the total cost of the MEMG and decrease the emission impacts of fossil-fuel-based units. Furthermore, waste power plants, inverters, rectifiers, and emission constraints are considered in the proposed method for modeling a practical MEMG. Additionally, for modeling the uncertainty of stochastic parameters, a model based on a multilayer neural network was used in this paper. The results of this study indicate that using a decentralized model, along with stochastic methods for predicting uncertainty, can reduce operational costs in micro-grids and computational complexity compared with optimal centralized programming methods. Finally, the equations and results obtained from the proposed method were evaluated by experiments.

**Keywords:** optimal energy management; multi-agent system; multi-energy carrier; renewable energy sources; uncertainty
