With a background of carbon peak and neutrality, the economic and environmental requirements are increasing for microgrids. In view of the problem of energy wastage and conflicts of interest among multiple microgrid integrated energy systems, it is important to study the operation optimization of microgrid clusters while considering the sharing and trading of both carbon emissions and green certificates. In this study, a Stackelberg game mechanism is applied, in which the microgrid operator is the leader and its subscribers are the followers, forming a master–slave interaction model. Following this, breaking the trading barriers of energy and various policy markets, the joint carbon and green certificate trading mechanism is proposed. Moreover, a mutually beneficial shared trading model of multi-microgrids considering coupled energy and carbon and green certificate trading is proposed to avoid the problem of double counting of environmental attributes. In addition, a cooperative sharing center is assumed to propose a flexible multi-resource sharing price mechanism. It guides each microgrid operator to conduct internal multi-resource sharing trading, so as to reduce the daily operating costs of energy supplying entities in the cooperative system of multiple microgrids, effectively reduce carbon emissions, and improve the balance of network group mutual aid. According to the simulation results of an illustrative example, the proposed trading strategy can effectively unlock the potential of resource sharing and mutual aid within multi-microgrids and improve the economy and carbon reduction effects of the overall system.

Driven by market value, a co-benefits assessment framework to encompass various benefits arising from distributed energy systems is developed. Using a monetization approach, a quantitative analysis model is established to evaluate both direct and indirect benefits. According to the simulation results of typical distributed energy systems, the distributed photovoltaic (PV) system demonstrates superior economic performance compared with the gas-fired distributed energy system, highlighting its potential for widespread commercialization. Moreover, the inclusion of indirect benefits significantly enhances the economic viability of the distributed energy system. While the PV system exhibits a more favorable promotional impact, it also renders the gas-fired distributed energy system commercially feasible.

With the goal of achieving “carbon peak in 2030 and carbon neutrality in 2060”, as clearly proposed by China, the transportation sector will face long–term pressure on carbon emissions, and the application of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will usher in a rapid growth period. However, true “zero carbon” emissions cannot be separated from “green hydrogen”. Therefore, it is of practical significance to explore the feasibility of renewable energy hydrogen production in the context of hydrogen refueling stations, especially photovoltaic hydrogen production, which is applied to hydrogen refueling stations (hereinafter referred to “photovoltaic hydrogen refueling stations”). This paper takes a hydrogen refueling station in Shanghai with a supply capacity of 500 kg/day as the research object. Based on a characteristic analysis of the hydrogen demand of the hydrogen refueling station throughout the day, this paper studies and analyzes the system configuration, operation strategy, environmental effects, and economics of the photovoltaic hydrogen refueling station. It is estimated that when the hydrogen price is no less than 6.23 USD, the photovoltaic hydrogen refueling station has good economic benefits. Additionally, compared with the conventional hydrogen refueling station, it can reduce carbon emissions by approximately 1237.28 tons per year, with good environmental benefits.

Against the backdrop of climate change, the volatility of energy supply and demand in integrated energy systems (IESs) has intensified, resulting in heightened scheduling challenges. Electric–hydrogen coupling has emerged as a pivotal approach to fostering multi-energy complementarity while enhancing the flexibility and stability of IES. Rational planning of an electric–hydrogen coupled integrated energy system (EH-IES) can further strengthen energy interconnection and mutual support. First, the architecture and diverse coupling modes of the EH-IES are outlined based on key technologies and coupling mechanisms. Accurate modeling serves as the “cornerstone” of planning, with electric power and hydrogen energy equipment acting as the foundational “carriers” and electric–hydrogen coupling devices as the critical “link.” By examining application scenarios across the transportation, building, and industrial sectors, the study analyzes EH-IES planning scenarios, objectives, and modeling methodologies. Sector-specific planning primarily focuses on equipment configuration and layout, evaluated from economic and/or environmental perspectives. Finally, future research directions for EH-IES planning are proposed, addressing multiple uncertainties, energy demand dynamics, and market mechanisms. These insights aim to provide a reference for subsequent studies.