Onboard photovoltaic-energy storage system integration in high-speed trains: Economic-environmental optimization via IGWO-WOA algorithm

As the “Dual Carbon" goals advance, China pursues energy transition towards green and low-carbon development. High-speed railways, essential to transportation networks, face growing scrutiny regarding energy consumption and carbon emissions. This paper proposes an integrated optimization framework for onboard energy management, featuring roof-mounted Photovoltaic systems and carriage-integrated Energy Storage Systems interconnected with the traction power supply network. In order to reduce grid electricity consumption, lower energy costs, and decrease carbon emissions, the work analyzed the load requirements under various conditions and established a corresponding mathematical model. A high-speed railway line characterized by significant weather differences along its route was selected as a case study. Utilizing the IGWO-WOA algorithm proposed in this paper to optimize the size and operational power of the Energy Storage System, its balanced exploration-exploitation strategy enables initial design-space exploration during early stages followed by intensified solution-space exploitation in later stages. Using the method proposed in this paper, the total cost is reduced by 11.79 % and the total carbon emissions are reduced by 12.7 % over a period of 10 years compared to using only the traction power grid. This study provides a novel technical approach for the green transformation of the high-speed railway power system and plays a significant role in achieving sustainable development.