Planning, Operation and Control of Low-Carbon Power Systems

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Decarbonization is rapidly transforming power systems into converter‑dominated, data‑rich, and highly distributed networks. The shift toward high penetrations of wind, solar, storage, electric mobility, and sector‑coupled resources challenges traditional planning and operational paradigms—raising new questions about adequacy, stability, flexibility, and resilience under uncertainty. At the same time, advances in optimization, control, power electronics, and digitalization offer powerful tools to design and operate reliable low‑carbon grids.

This topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, communications, data/resource papers, and real‑world case studies that address the planning, operation, and control of low‑carbon power systems. Submissions reporting field demonstrations, open datasets/code, uncertainty treatment, and reproducible workflows are especially encouraged.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:

• Long‑term generation and transmission planning under carbon constraints (net‑zero pathways, multi‑criteria planning);
• Resource adequacy with high VRE and storage (ELCC, firming portfolios, capacity expansion);
• Distribution system planning with DER hosting capacity, network reconfiguration, and dynamic line rating;
• Transmission–distribution co‑simulation and TSO–DSO coordination mechanisms;
• Security‑constrained unit commitment and optimal power flow (deterministic, stochastic, chance‑constrained, distributionally robust);
• Markets and regulation for low‑carbon systems (carbon pricing, flexibility/ancillary services, capacity and balancing markets);
• Operation of microgrids, virtual power plants, and aggregators (demand response, transactive energy, V2G/V2B strategies);
• Energy storage planning and dispatch (BESS sizing, SoC/SoH management, hybrid storage, seasonal storage);
• Control of converter‑interfaced resources: grid‑forming vs. grid‑following inverters, VSM/synthetic inertia, droop/MPC/robust control;
• Voltage, frequency, and oscillation damping control with FACTS/STATCOM/HVDC and synchronous condensers;
• Stability analysis of converter‑dominated grids (small‑signal, transient, voltage, frequency, EMT‑RMS interactions);
• Inertia estimation, fast frequency response, and restoration/black‑start strategies in low‑inertia systems;
• Multi‑terminal HVDC grids, offshore hubs, and hybrid AC/DC architectures;
• Sector coupling and multi‑energy systems planning (power–heat–gas–hydrogen integration);
• Integration of large EV fleets and charging infrastructure planning and operation;
• Climate‑ and weather‑driven risk, resilience, and restoration planning (wildfire, flood, heat stress, extreme events);
• Measurement, monitoring, and state estimation (PMU/WAMS, dynamic state estimation, cyber‑physical observability);
• Cybersecurity and privacy‑preserving operation for digital substations and IoT‑enabled assets;
• Emissions accounting, lifecycle assessment, and carbon‑aware scheduling/dispatch;
• Data‑driven methods, AI/ML, digital twins, and physics‑informed approaches for planning and control;
• Benchmark systems, standardized test cases, open datasets, and MLOps for power‑system analytics;
• Practical demonstrations, pilot projects, grid‑code compliance, and lessons learned from real deployments.

Prof. Dr. Junhua Zhao
Prof. Dr. Gaoqi Liang
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Energies energies	3.2	7.3	2008	16.2 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Applied Sciences applsci	2.5	5.5	2011	19.8 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Electronics electronics	2.6	6.1	2012	16.8 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
AI ai	5.0	6.9	2020	20.7 Days	CHF 1600	Submit
Electricity electricity	1.8	5.1	2020	26 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Sci sci	-	5.2	2019	36.6 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Energy Storage and Applications esa	-	-	2024	15.0 days *	CHF 1000	Submit

* Median value for all MDPI journals in the first half of 2025.

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