Coordinated Optimal Dispatch of Electricity–Cooling–Storage Multi-Energy Systems in Commercial Building Clusters

This study addresses the energy demand profiles of commercial buildings by developing an optimal dispatch strategy for a regional high-efficiency distributed energy system integrating electricity, cooling, and storage through source–load coordination. The spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of cooling, heating, and electrical loads are analyzed and an integrated energy system model is established, comprising gas internal combustion engine, a lithium bromide absorption chiller/heater, gas-fired boiler, centrifugal chillers, and an ice storage system. Taking into account seasonal electricity pricing policies and meteorological variations in Shanghai, a load grading system and a time-of-use (TOU) pricing response mechanism are constructed, leading to the development of operational strategy portfolios for different typical scenarios. A multi-objective optimization dispatch model is formulated with the dual aims of minimizing operating costs and maximizing energy efficiency. The results indicate that, compared to a fixed operational mode, the optimized strategy achieves average CO2 emission reduction rates of 16.4% in summer, 25.2% in non-summer periods, and 20.9% annually. Additionally, annual grid electricity purchases are reduced by 10.2%, with a static investment payback period of 11.37 years. This research provides an intelligent, practically applicable operational solution for distributed energy systems in commercial buildings, effectively overcoming the limitations of traditional approaches in terms of flexibility and economic performance.