A Novel Design Approach for Multi-Carrier Energy Systems Incorporating Self-Sufficient Microgrids

Energy hubs that connect different energy systems, form a multi-carrier energy (MCE) network, which is emerging as a new paradigm for the future of energy supply. This study investigates the self-adequacy of microgrids (MGs) within an MCE framework, aiming to achieve an optimal MG design. The MGs under consideration operate in both grid-connected and islanded modes, allowing for independent performance and improving supply adequacy. This leads to a large-scale, nonlinear optimization problem that requires robust optimization techniques to solve. A modified version of the group search optimization (GSO) algorithm is employed to tackle this issue effectively. To facilitate comprehensive performance, analysis, and evaluations, several efficient indices are proposed. The developed scheme is applied to an 11 -hub test system, and the results are thoroughly analyzed and discussed to demonstrate the viability and effectiveness of the proposed approach. By implementing the proposed method, the optimal design as well as the appropriate value for the MGs which can be optimally operated in the considered MCE system is achieved