Towards safe, economical, and low-carbon coordinated multi-energy systems: a novel scheduling strategy for hybrid wind-solar-hydro-thermal power generation

Achieving a clean and efficient scheduling strategy is crucial for the reliable operation and power supply of multi-energy power systems. A multi-objective scheduling model is established to minimize coal consumption, carbon emissions, and electricity curtailment, validated using the Chinese Yalong River Basin multi-energy base. Dynamic balance experiments of hydropower units provide critical data for scheduling. Two realistic scenarios, normal and extremely high load demand, are considered. Under normal conditions, unit commitment is optimized by restricting hydropower output ranges and start-stop sequences based on quantified losses, economic benefits, coal consumption, and emissions. In high-revenue mode, driven by start-stop costs, hydropower output influence is analyzed to prioritize hydro and thermal units in load regulation. The results indicate that properly utilizing operating zones of hydropower units boosts regulatable capacity by 45% without compromising stability or environmental performance. Although limiting thermal unit cycling raises carbon emissions by 4.1%, it yields a net daily economic benefit exceeding $34,000. For extremely high load demand, adequate reserve capacity is established according to the maximum power shortfall and related economic losses to prevent blackouts. This strategy offers a practical solution for achieving safety, economy, and sustainability in multi-energy systems through direct carbon mitigation and energy conservation.