Optimal Scheduling of Integrated Energy System with Hydrogen Energy and Stepped Carbon Trading

To address the high carbon emissions and low wind power accommodation in integrated energy systems (IES) under carbon neutrality goals, this paper proposes an optimal scheduling strategy incorporating hydrogen energy and stepped carbon trading. First, a hydrogen module is introduced into the traditional electricity-heat-gas framework. Surplus wind power is used for hydrogen production and storage; during power shortages, hydrogen fuel cells (HFC) supply electricity and heat, forming a complementary electricity-heat-gas-hydrogen multi-energy network. Second, a stepped carbon trading mechanism is proposed, imposing progressively higher carbon prices on high-emission equipment through segmented cumulative pricing. Finally, an optimization model minimizing total operating costs is established, integrating equipment constraints and multi-energy flow balance equations. Comparative simulations demonstrate that this strategy significantly reduces carbon emissions and improves wind power accommodation, providing an effective solution for low-carbon economic scheduling of IES.