Multi-Objective Optimization in Energy Systems

Dear Colleagues,

We invite authors to submit articles to this Special Issue of Energies entitled “Multiobjective Optimization in Energy Systems”. Energy systems are a complex engineering field, constantly evolving in line with state-of-the-art technologies to meet modern life demands. Concerns about climate change and the depletion of fossil fuels have incentivized the proliferation of renewable energy sources (wind turbines, photovoltaics, etc.) and the development of new technology (energy storage devices, electric vehicles, active buildings) integrated via sophisticated control schemes in a transition towards a decentralized energy generation model and a clean-energy economy. The diversity of the new energy mix, the technological complexity of modern energy systems, and the need to address complex trade-offs in the presence of multiple agents (stakeholders, end-users, environment), often with conflicting views and interests (efficiency, low-cost, low-carbon emissions), are factors that give rise to elaborate decision-making and control problems that cannot be resolved via standard single-objective optimization approaches.

Multiobjective optimization (MOO) emerges as a powerful mathematical tool for tackling complex and multicriteria problems arising in the modern energy systems paradigm. In the presence of multiple constraints and objectives, possibly conflicting, the design, monitoring, and control of energy systems is typically too complex a task to be addressed within a single-objective optimization framework. In contrast, multiobjective optimization allows for a more flexible combination of different objectives within a meaningful mathematical formulation. In this regard, MOO has proven to be a useful platform for addressing problems such as investment planning, energy market clearing, economic load dispatch, provision of ancillary services, and control/coordination of smart microgrids, enabling also the introduction of more sophisticated criteria into play, such as net-zero energy and environmental footprint.

This Special Issue focuses on novel multiobjective optimization methods to address complex multicriteria design and control problems arising in modern energy systems. The following topics are guidelines to the topics that need to be addressed:

• MOO-based control of smart-/micro-grids
• MOO-based control of hybrid energy systems comprising renewable sources, energy storage devices, electric vehicles, active buildings, etc.
• Multiobjective district heating and cooling optimization and control with centralized and/or distributed architecture
• MOO of demand side management of power and heating networks
• MOO methods for peer-to-peer energy trading platforms
• MOO of asset maintenance management
• Co-optimization of energy and reserve auctions
• Multiobjective operational optimization of transmission and distribution systems (congestion management, transient stability margin, network reconfiguration)
• MOO of expansion planning of power systems
• MOO of location of distributed generation, control and protection devices
• MOO of multienergy systems operation
• Multiobjective decision support models for efficient planning investments of energy projects
• Efficient balancing policies for energy market clearing with maximum renewable penetration and curtailment mitigation
• Multicriteria economic dispatch for trading off generation and environmental costs
• MOO strategies for improving and retrofitting existing energy schemes

Prof. Dr. George Halikias
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• Multiobjective optimization
• Pareto-optimality
• Optimization-based control of energy systems
• Distributed energy systems
• Distributed storage
• Electric vehicles
• Active buildings
• District heating
• Renewable energy
• Microgrids
• Smart grids
• Electricity markets
• Energy management
• Economic dispatch
• Resource allocation
• Ancillary services