Multi-objective optimization framework for dynamic energy management in hybrid microgrids using NSGA-III.

Abstract

This study proposes a comprehensive multi-objective optimization framework for demand-side management of a hybrid microgrid comprising photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines (WT), a battery energy storage system (BESS), a fuel cell (FC), and a grid connection. The framework simultaneously minimizes the Peak-to-Average Ratio (PAR) and total operating cost through dynamic load scheduling under real-time pricing (RTP). A renewable energy utilization strategy prioritizes clean energy dispatch, while an intelligent battery management scheme optimizes charging and discharging decisions according to renewable generation availability, load demand, and electricity price signals. To address the limitations of conventional weighted-sum optimization approaches, the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm III (NSGA-III) is employed to generate a diverse and well-distributed Pareto front without requiring predefined objective weights. The proposed framework is evaluated under three energy system configurations: (i) grid-only operation, (ii) grid-integrated renewable energy and battery storage, and (iii) grid-integrated renewable energy, battery storage, and fuel-cell support. The results demonstrate that hybrid renewable energy configurations significantly improve both economic and operational performance compared with conventional grid-dependent operation. The proposed framework generated multiple Pareto-optimal operating strategies with different trade-offs between operating cost and PAR. The minimum-cost solution achieved an operating cost of 131.73 Cents, while a representative compromise solution achieved 155.98 Cents with improved demand-side management performance. Comparative evaluation against NSGA-II, MOPSO, SPEA2, and the Weighted Sum Method reveals that NSGA-III consistently achieves superior Pareto-front quality, convergence characteristics, solution diversity, and robustness across 30 independent trials. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of NSGA-III for multi-objective energy management and provide a scalable optimization framework for enhancing the economic efficiency, operational flexibility, and sustainability of future smart microgrid systems.