To address the challenges of restricted renewable energy accommodation, high carbon emissions, and elevated operating costs in integrated energy systems (IES), this paper proposes a stochastic optimization scheduling method that incorporates the synergy between carbon–green certificate trading and the multi-use applications of hydrogen energy. First, an integrated “electricity–carbon–hydrogen–methanol” model is constructed, incorporating proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers (ELs), methanol synthesis reactors, hydrogen storage systems, and hydrogen fuel cells (HFCs). Second, a concentrating solar power (CSP) plant coupled with an electric heater (EH) is integrated based on an “electricity–heat–electricity” mechanism. Concurrently, a joint carbon emission trading (CET) and green certificate trading (GCT) mechanism is incorporated into a low-carbon economic dispatch model to minimize total operational costs. On this basis, Information Gap Decision Theory (IGDT) is applied to address source–load uncertainties via risk-averse (RAS) and opportunity-seeking (OSS) strategies. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed strategy achieves full accommodation of renewable energy. The EH-coupled CSP plant increases thermal output by 4.96%, reducing system carbon emissions by 8.07% compared with the non-EH scenario and decreasing natural gas procurement costs by 14.1%. Furthermore, the joint CET-GCT mechanism overcomes single-market limitations, increasing carbon trading revenues by 298.01% and lowering total operating costs by 39.6% compared with uncoordinated mechanisms. Finally, under IGDT uncertainty analysis, the opportunity-seeking strategy further reduces operating costs by 9.5% compared with the risk-averse strategy, enhancing the system’s low-carbon economic performance and operational flexibility. From the perspective of sustainable development, this study provides a practical dispatch framework for regional integrated energy systems to balance energy security, low-carbon transition and economic cost, offering methodological support for advancing the sustainable transformation of multi-energy systems amid the dual-carbon drive.
Yun et al. (2026) studied this question.