Carbon-Aware Dispatch of Industrial Park Energy Systems with Demand Response and Ladder-Type Carbon Trading

The transition to sustainable energy systems is essential for attaining global carbon neutrality targets. Demand-side flexibility for carbon mitigation is investigated, and a low-carbon operational strategy tailored for industrial park energy systems is proposed. Demand response (DR) is classified into price-based and alternative categories, with respective models developed utilizing a price elasticity matrix and accounting for electricity-to-heat conversion. Integrated energy system (IES) involvement in the carbon trading market is incorporated through a stepped carbon pricing mechanism to regulate emissions. A mixed-integer linear programming model is constructed to characterize IES operations under ladder-type carbon pricing and DR frameworks. The model is resolved via the off-the-shelf commercial solver, facilitating effective optimization of dispatch over multiple time intervals and complex market interactions. Case study findings indicate that implementing stepped carbon pricing alongside DR strategies yields a 44.45% reduction in carbon emission costs, a 9.85% decrease in actual carbon emissions, and a 10.62% reduction in total system costs. These results offer a viable approach toward sustainable development of IES, achieving coordinated improvements in economic efficiency and low-carbon performance.