Special Issue (SI): Multi-Agent Game Theory and Optimization in Smart Grid and Integrated Energy Systems: Advancing Decision-Making Frameworks for Sustainable Energy Management

Short Abstract

The ongoing transformation of the global energy landscape—fueled by the rapid integration of renewable energy sources, distributed generation technologies, and digital infrastructure—demands sophisticated tools for intelligent energy management. Smart grids and integrated energy systems have emerged as critical infrastructures for enabling bidirectional energy flows, decentralized control, and real-time decision-making. Within these complex socio-technical systems, diverse stakeholders—utilities, independent power producers, energy aggregators, consumers, and prosumers—engage in strategic interactions that directly influence system reliability, sustainability, and efficiency.

Multi-agent systems offer a powerful paradigm to model and coordinate such interactions, yet traditional optimization methods fall short when agents exhibit independent objectives and bounded rationality. Game theory, particularly when coupled with advanced optimization, machine learning, and blockchain technologies, provides a robust mathematical framework for analyzing both cooperative and competitive behaviors in dynamic energy markets. This convergence enables the design of novel decision-making architectures for demand response, market trading, energy storage management, electric vehicle coordination, and secure decentralized energy exchange.

This Special Issue invites cutting-edge research that explores the use of multi-agent game theory and optimization techniques in smart energy systems. We particularly encourage submissions that bridge theoretical innovation with practical applications in areas such as renewable integration, peer-to-peer trading, cyber-physical energy security, and privacy-preserving mechanisms. Contributions may address, but are not limited to, Stackelberg games, evolutionary games, auction mechanisms, mean field games, distributed optimization, and regulatory strategy modeling in sustainable energy contexts.

Keywords:
Smart grid optimization, multi-agent systems, game theory, renewable integration, distributed energy resources, peer-to-peer trading, mechanism design, blockchain, energy storage, cyber-security, demand response, privacy preservation, market equilibrium, integrated energy systems.

 

Research Background and Motivation

The global transition to sustainable energy systems is characterized by increased complexity, decentralization, and digitalization. Smart grids and integrated energy systems facilitate intelligent coordination among distributed resources, enabling the next generation of clean and reliable energy infrastructures. Within this environment, the involvement of multiple heterogeneous agents—each pursuing distinct economic or technical goals—introduces new layers of complexity.

While traditional centralized optimization models assume full information and perfect cooperation, real-world energy systems often involve bounded rationality, asymmetric information, and conflicting objectives. Game theory, as a discipline centered on strategic interaction among rational agents, is uniquely positioned to address these challenges. In particular, the integration of game-theoretic reasoning with data-driven optimization, real-time analytics, and emerging technologies such as blockchain and AI creates a compelling new research frontier.

This Special Issue aims to consolidate leading research at the intersection of game theory, optimization, and intelligent energy management, offering both methodological advances and practical insights. The goal is to promote rigorous and applicable solutions that enhance grid efficiency, resilience, and fairness in a decentralized and uncertain environment.

 

Necessity and Significance of the Special Issue

This Special Issue addresses the pressing need for comprehensive theoretical and empirical exploration of multi-agent interaction in smart energy systems. As energy systems grow increasingly complex, it becomes critical to develop adaptive and intelligent mechanisms for control, trading, planning, and protection.

By focusing on multi-agent game theory, this issue contributes to a deeper understanding of dynamic stakeholder behavior, incentive design, and the evolution of market structures. It will also highlight how strategic modeling can inform policy development, guide technological deployment, and support the integration of decentralized energy assets. The Special Issue is designed to serve as a key reference point for researchers, policymakers, and industry practitioners aiming to address 21st-century energy challenges.

 

Forward-Thinking Insights and Research Inspiration

This issue aims not only to report current progress but to shape future trajectories. It will encourage explorations into quantum game theory in energy, machine learning-enhanced optimization strategies, decentralized blockchain energy markets, and privacy-aware system design. The Special Issue will also foster discourse on equity, behavioral economics, and cyber-security in energy decision-making, supporting inclusive and resilient transitions to sustainable energy futures.

 

Proposed Research Topics (include, but are not limited to)

• Multi-agent game theory frameworks for smart grid control and optimization
• Cooperative and non-cooperative models in energy trading
• Stackelberg games in hierarchical energy management
• Auction mechanisms for distributed energy resource (DER) integration
• Evolutionary game theory in long-term energy investment
• Coalition formation in virtual power plants and energy communities
• Mean field games for demand response coordination
• Robust games under uncertainty in smart grid operations
• Blockchain-enabled P2P energy trading mechanisms
• Machine learning-assisted game-theoretic optimization
• Cyber-security games in critical energy infrastructures
• Real-time pricing games and demand-side management
• Electric vehicle charging coordination using game theory
• Privacy-preserving mechanisms in energy markets
• Game theory for energy storage control and optimization
• Regulatory and incentive design for sustainable transitions
• Behavioral economics and human-centered decision modeling
• Distributed algorithms in multi-agent energy systems
• Multi-objective optimization in integrated energy networks

 

Guest Editors

Dr. Lefeng Cheng
Associate Professor, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Guangzhou University, China
Email: chenglefeng@gzhu.edu.cn

Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55982036400

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7007-7535

 

Prof. Guobo Xie
Professor, School of Computer Science, Guangdong University of Technology, China
Email: xiegb@gdut.edu.cn

Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=23398925100

 

Dr. Xiaoshun Zhang
Associate Professor, Foshan Graduate School, Northeastern University, China
Email: xszhang1990@sina.cn

Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=56375323700

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7189-2040

 

Timeline

• Submission Opens: July 31, 2025
• Submission Deadline: July 31, 2026

 

Editorial Process Timeline

Preliminary Review: 1 week

Peer Review: 4-6 weeks

Final Decision: 2 weeks

Authors are encouraged to submit their manuscripts through the journal's online submission system, adhering to the submission guidelines provided on the journal's website.

 

Submit Options

- OJS: https://ojs.wiserpub.com/index.php/EST/about/submissions

- Email: editorest@universalwiser.com

  Contact for Inquiries

Dr. Lefeng Cheng
School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Email: chenglefeng@gzhu.edu.cn

 

We look forward to your contributions to this endeavor!

 

 

Michelle Zu

Journal Coordinator

Email: editorest@universalwiser.com