Amirkabir University of TechnologyAdvances in Energy Sciences and Technologies3115-91171320251201Energy imbalance in Iran: Modern technologies, challenges, and the transition to a sustainable future with global insights228265585010.22060/aest.2025.5850ENMahtaSafaeeEnergy Engineering and Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology, PO Box: 15875-4413, Tehran, IranSeyed AmiraliMoghadasinejadEnergy Engineering and Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology, PO Box: 15875-4413, Tehran, IranMasoumehMohamadianEnergy Engineering and Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology, PO Box: 15875-4413, Tehran, Iran0000-0001-9964-1462Journal Article20251008The energy imbalance in Iran stands as one of the fundamental challenges in the country''''s energy supply and consumption sectors, exerting profound impacts on its economic, social, and environmental sustainability. This study examines the historical trajectory of energy imbalance in Iran, analyzing key contributing factors such as inefficiencies in energy distribution and consumption, resource wastage, and insufficient development of renewable energy infrastructure. Additionally, the experiences of several developed countries in optimizing energy consumption management are reviewed to identify successful models for mitigating energy imbalance in Iran.<br />Based on this analysis, a range of solutions is proposed, including the optimization of energy consumption in industrial sectors, the advancement of innovative energy production technologies, the reform of supportive policies, and the adoption of renewable energy sources. The findings of this study demonstrate that a combination of structural reforms, appropriate economic policies, and the utilization of cutting-edge technologies can play a pivotal role in reducing energy imbalance and achieving sustainable development in the country.https://aest.aut.ac.ir/article_5850_234a1273487bf7b2e2061b9b56373a29.pdfAmirkabir University of TechnologyAdvances in Energy Sciences and Technologies3115-91171320251201Optimization of economic dispatch for distributed generation-based power networks266279590610.22060/aest.2025.24945.1000ENAmirBahrami YajlooDepartment of Energy Engineering and Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran, Iran.0009-0008-2222-8950ErfanAbbasian HamedaniDepartment of Energy Engineering and Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran, Iran.0009-0008-0617-2432ParsaMalekiDepartment of Energy Engineering and Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran, Iran.MortezaHosseinpourRenewable Energy Research Department, NRI0000-0001-7012-1420Journal Article20251020The rapid growth in energy demand, along with escalating environmental concerns, highlights the necessity of developing and integrating renewable energy sources into modern power systems. In this context, economic dispatch can play a crucial role in optimizing resource utilization, minimizing operational costs, and ensuring reliable networks. This study provides a renewable-integrated framework using economic dispatching to minimize the total operation cost while achieving optimal utilization of distributed generation (DG) units in the state of Texas. In this study, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is employed for forecasting, while the GAMS software is utilized for optimization to perform economic dispatch. In the first stage, an ANN model is developed using historical data from the previous 72 hours to forecast the power output of wind turbines, photovoltaic systems, and electricity demand. The results demonstrated that the proposed model achieved high accuracy, with the Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) remaining below 5%. In the second stage, a Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model was implemented in the GAMS environment to determine the optimal generation mix for each hour of the forthcoming 24-hour period. The optimization results indicated that the total electricity demand for the next day, amounting to 138.93 MWh, was supplied through an optimal combination of wind turbines (19.8%), photovoltaic systems (10.9%), gas micro turbines (4.3%), fuel cells (2.5%), and the main grid (62.5%). The total operational cost was calculated to be $18,434, representing an approximate 15% reduction compared to the existing supply scenario relying solely on the main grid.https://aest.aut.ac.ir/article_5906_6d96718a701f5bfba283bbdc71dfa5c4.pdfAmirkabir University of TechnologyAdvances in Energy Sciences and Technologies3115-91171320251201Small modular reactors; A comprehensive review of applications, economic viability, and technology280293594810.22060/aest.2025.5948ENSaeed ZareGanjaroodiEnergy and Physics Department, Amirkabir University of Technology, 424 Hafez Ave., Tehran, IranMaryamFaniEnergy and Physics Department, Amirkabir University of Technology, 424 Hafez Ave., Tehran, IranJournal Article20251024Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are emerging as a flexible, scalable, and potentially cost-effective alternative to conventional large nuclear plants. Characterized by modular construction, compact size, and advanced passive safety systems, SMRs are suitable for regions with limited grid capacity or decentralized energy needs. Their applications extend beyond electricity generation to industrial process heat, desalination, hydrogen production, and marine propulsion, highlighting their potential contribution to global decarbonization and energy transition goals. Economically, SMRs offer reduced upfront capital costs and shorter construction schedules due to modular fabrication, though uncertainties remain regarding long-term competitiveness with large reactors and renewable energy systems. Successful deployment will depend on regulatory frameworks, supply chain readiness, and public acceptance. Global development initiatives such as NuScale (U.S.), SMART (South Korea), RITM (Russia), and CAREM (Argentina) demonstrate technological progress and diverse regional strategies. Overall, SMRs present a promising pathway toward safe, reliable, and low-carbon energy systems, capable of supporting sustainable and resilient energy infrastructures worldwide.https://aest.aut.ac.ir/article_5948_cd0b43eac0392accf3624b7372dec36e.pdfAmirkabir University of TechnologyAdvances in Energy Sciences and Technologies3115-91171320251201Exergy analysis and optimization in high-temperature gas-cooled reactors: A review of multi-objective approaches based on evolutionary algorithms294307594910.22060/aest.2025.5949ENMohammad HassanDehghaniEnergy and Physics Department, Amirkabir University of Technology, 424 Hafez Ave., Tehran, IranSaeedTalebiEnergy and Physics Department, Amirkabir University of Technology, 424 Hafez Ave., Tehran, IranMaryamFaniEnergy and Physics Department, Amirkabir University of Technology, 424 Hafez Ave., Tehran, IranJournal Article20251028High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors (HTGRs) have emerged as one of the most promising technologies for sustainable, efficient, and safe system energy generation. Despite their advantages, the thermodynamic performance of HTGRs is often limited by inherent irreversibility, complex thermal-hydraulic interactions, and operational constraints. Exergy analysis has proven to be a powerful tool for identifying, quantifying, and minimizing these inefficiencies, offering critical insights into system design and operational improvement. Alongside this, multi-objective optimization provides a systematic framework to enhance multiple performance indicators simultaneously, enabling engineers to balance competing objectives such as maximizing thermal efficiency, minimizing exergy destruction, reducing operational costs, and improving overall system sustainability. This review focuses on the integration of Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithms (MOEAs) with exergy-based analysis for HTGR optimization. Key methodologies, including Pareto-based, indicator-based, and hybrid evolutionary approaches, are examined in detail, highlighting their effectiveness in navigating complex trade-offs and achieving convergence in high-dimensional design spaces. The study synthesizes recent advancements in algorithm development, performance evaluation, and application strategies, emphasizing the potential of MOEAs to significantly improve reactor thermodynamic efficiency while providing robust decision-making tools for reactor designers. Finally, current challenges and future research directions are discussed, including the development of hybrid optimization frameworks, incorporation of uncertainty quantification, real-time operational optimization, and the extension of these methodologies to next-generation reactor systems, aiming to foster sustainable and high-performance energy solutions.https://aest.aut.ac.ir/article_5949_0c2a1b8eada4803abd90386df241cbf3.pdfAmirkabir University of TechnologyAdvances in Energy Sciences and Technologies3115-91171320251201From energy choices to SMR deployment: A system-level comparative assessment of nuclear power (SMRs), fossil fuels, and renewable energy options in Iran308316596810.22060/aest.2026.25417.1002ENAbouzarKiyanitehran0009-0000-3455-9660NaserMansour ShariflootehranAliBahrami SamanitehranJournal Article20251103Energy planning in countries heavily reliant on fossil fuels demands analytical frameworks that go beyond conventional cost-based comparisons. Iran’s power system—despite its abundant oil and natural gas resources—is increasingly strained by rising electricity demand, seasonal gas supply constraints, aging thermal infrastructure, and growing environmental pressures. In this context, assessing energy technologies not by their standalone generation costs, but by their system-level value, has become critical to ensuring long-term reliability and sustainability.<br />This paper presents a system-level comparative assessment of fossil fuels, renewable energy, and nuclear power—with a specific focus on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)—to evaluate their potential contributions to Iran’s future energy mix. The analysis integrates technological performance, economic viability, regulatory readiness, and market deployment pathways, emphasizing how each option supports grid stability, fuel security, flexibility, and decarbonization.<br />The findings show that fossil-based generation is losing system value due to supply-side pressures and unpriced environmental costs. Renewables deliver clear emission benefits but are limited by intermittency, grid integration challenges, and dependence on backup capacity. In contrast, SMRs offer a balanced profile: firm low-carbon output, modular and phased investment, enhanced passive safety, and synergy with non-electric applications—particularly nuclear desalination, which aligns with Iran’s water-energy nexus. The study concludes that SMRs can serve as a strategic complement to renewables and a viable transitional option for reducing fossil dependence—provided that enabling regulatory, institutional, and financing conditions are established.https://aest.aut.ac.ir/article_5968_8c97dbeee3b0d40ced7f514b99a93d93.pdfAmirkabir University of TechnologyAdvances in Energy Sciences and Technologies3115-91171320251201Optical response of an anisotropic superlattice as a negative phase velocity medium317323596910.22060/aest.2026.25323.1001ENHamid RezaDehghanpourPhysics Department, Amirkabir University of Techology, Tehran, IranJournal Article20251116Precise control of electromagnetic energy propagation is a fundamental requirement for next-generation energy-related photonic technologies. In this work, a non-magnetic anisotropic superlattice is investigated as an effective platform for realizing negative phase velocity and engineered energy transport at infrared frequencies. The structure consists of periodically repeated anisotropic thin films embedded between two isotropic dielectric environments with refractive indices n0 and n2. By appropriate tuning of the incident angle and geometric parameters, negative phase velocity propagation is achieved without magnetic activity, enabling unconventional control over electromagnetic energy flow. The optical response of the superlattice is analyzed using a transfer-matrix formalism combined with Bloch theory for p-polarized electromagnetic waves. The combined influence of layer thickness, incident angle, and operating frequency on reflectivity spectra and Bloch wave dispersion is systematically examined. The results identify tunable spectral regimes in which phase propagation is decoupled from energy transport, leading to left-handed behavior and highly controllable electromagnetic energy transmission. From an application-oriented perspective, the proposed anisotropic superlattice offers a versatile route toward compact photonic components for energy harvesting, infrared energy management, and electromagnetic energy routing. The ability to tailor energy flow through structural and angular tuning makes this platform attractive for integration into energy-efficient waveguides and advanced optical architectures for energy-processing technologies.https://aest.aut.ac.ir/article_5969_631e9c01c190fc1515b9fe3865abbb15.pdf