The widespread deployment of distributed generation (DG) has significantly impacted the planning and operation of current distribution networks. The environmental benefits and the reduced installation cost have been the primary drivers for the investment in large-scale wind farms and photovoltaics (PVs). However, the distribution network operators (DNOs) face the challenge of conductor upgrade and selection problems due to the increasing capacity of DG. In this paper, a hybrid optimization approach is introduced to solve the optimal conductor size selection (CSS) problem in the distribution network with high penetration of DGs. An adaptive genetic algorithm (AGA) is employed as the primary optimization strategy to find the optimal conductor sizes for distribution networks. The aim of the proposed approach is to minimize the sum of life-cycle cost (LCC) of the selected conductor and the total energy procurement cost during the expected operation periods. Alternating current optimal power flow (AC-OPF) analysis is applied as the secondary optimization strategy to capture the economic dispatch (ED) and return the results to the primary optimization process when a certain conductor arrangement is assigned by AGA. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm for optimal CSS is validated through simulations on modified IEEE 33-bus and IEEE 69-bus distribution systems.

To solve the problems of unclear boundaries and inconsistent influence weights among prioritization evaluation factors for grasping stacked fruit clusters by parallel robots, a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method for the grasping prioritization of stacked fruit clusters based on a relative hierarchy factor set is proposed. According to the morphological features of stacked fruit clusters and motion features of parallel robots, a hierarchical tree model without a cross based on a subtree structure is constructed to analyze the multiple factors with unclear boundaries. A relative factor set with positive and negative effects is constructed, and a mathematical expectation is used to construct an average random consistency index and consistency satisfaction value for improving the consistency of influence weights and precision of consistency verification for a comparison matrix. The weight vector is constructed from the top to the bottom of the model, and the membership matrix of the multi-layer factors and grasping prioritization are calculated from bottom to top. The results showed that the average precision of grasping prioritization of stacked fruit clusters based on the proposed method increased by 27.77% compared with the existing fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. The proposed method can effectively improve prioritization precision for grasping randomly stacked fruit clusters affected by multiple factors and can further realize accurate automatic sorting.

The application of electric vehicles (EVs) in the logistics industry has become more extensive. However, the mileage limitation of electric logistics vehicles (ELVs) and the long-distance distribution of ELVs have become urgent problems. Therefore, this paper proposes a long-distance distribution model for ELVs based on dynamic traffic information considering fleet mileage, distribution time and total distribution cost as the optimisation objectives, thus reasonably planning road selection and charging, and alleviating “mileage anxiety” in the long-distance distribution of ELVs. The model proposed in this paper comprehensively considers the characteristics of the high-speed and low-speed roads, the changes in road traffic flow on weekdays and non-weekdays, the time-of-use electricity price of electric vehicle charging stations (EVCSs) and uses the M/M/s queuing theory model to determine the charging waiting time. Finally, a real traffic network is taken as an example to verify the practicability and effectiveness of this model.

To enhance the operational dependability of renewable energy power systems with high proportions, this study proposes a multi-timescale optimization strategy based on the inertia evaluation model. Firstly, the inertia evaluation model is established based on the factors influencing the inertia demand of the power system, and the concept of the inertia margin coefficient is introduced. Secondly, to address the uncertainties associated with sustainable energy output and the cost of carbon emissions, a multi-timescale optimization operation model is formulated for day-ahead, intraday, and real-time operations, aimed at economic optimization. The output status of each unit is obtained and adjusted in a timely manner in the next stage, while meeting the system’s inertia demand, to derive the final scheduling strategy. Lastly, a sensitivity analysis of the inertia margin coefficient is conducted through simulations to validate the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of the proposed scheduling strategy.

This article aims to propose a highly reliable permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) for flywheel energy-storage systems. Flywheel energy-storage systems are large-capacity energy storage technologies suitable for the short-term storage of electrical energy. PMSMs have been used in the flywheel energy-storage systems due to their advantages. One of the key requirements for PMSMs in flywheel energy-storage systems is high reliability. A double redundant winding structure is adopted to ensure fault-tolerant operation of the PMSM. The stator is designed with auxiliary teeth to reduce the short-circuit current. Moreover, the number of slots and poles is determined to ensure the winding factor, heat dissipation, and reduce losses. Moreover, the dual three-phase stator winding structure and auxiliary teeth are adopted on the PMSM to improve reliability. Afterward, the electromagnetic performance is analyzed, and the mechanical stress is investigated to ensure mechanical strength. Finally, a prototype is built and tested to verify the theoretical analysis and performance of the PMSM.

With the accelerated transition of the global energy structure towards decarbonization, the share of PV power generation in the power system continues to rise. IEA predicts PV will account for 80% of new global renewable installations during 2025–2030. However, latent faults emerging from the long-term operation of photovoltaic (PV) power plants significantly compromise their operational efficiency. The existing EL detection methods in PV plants face challenges including grain boundary interference, probe band artifacts, non-uniform luminescence, and complex backgrounds, which elevate the risk of missing small defects. In this paper, we propose a high-precision defect detection method based on BiFDRep-YOLOv8n for small target defects in photovoltaic (PV) power plants, aiming to improve the detection accuracy and real-time performance and to provide an efficient solution for the intelligent detection of PV power plants. Firstly, the visual transformer RepViT is constructed as the backbone network, based on the dual-path mechanism of Token Mixer and Channel Mixer, to achieve local feature extraction and global information modeling, and combined with the structural reparameterization technique, to enhance the sensitivity of detecting small defects. Secondly, for the multi-scale characteristics of defects, the neck network is optimized by introducing a bidirectional weighted feature pyramid network (BiFPN), which adopts an adaptive weight allocation strategy to enhance feature fusion and improve the characterization of defects at different scales. Finally, the detection head part uses DyHead-DCNv3, which combines the triple attention mechanism of scale, space, and task awareness, and introduces deformable convolution (DCNv3) to improve the modeling capability and detection accuracy of irregular defects.