Building management system with electrical energy storage optimization based on statistical estimates of IBDR event probabilities

• US 10,190,793 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2016
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Drees, Kirk H., Wenzel, Michael J., Turney, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cassity, Robert A
• Application Number:
  US15/247,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20170102162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0205 not using a model or a simulator of the controlled system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/048 using a predictor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39361 Minimize time-energy cost
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 15/00 Systems for storing electric energy mechanical systems therefor F01-F04; in chemical form H01M
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2203/20 Simulating, e g planning, reliability check, modelling or computer assisted design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/10 The network having a local or delimited stationary reach
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/003 Load forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future load demand
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 : involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 : by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/28 : Arrangements for balancing of the load in a network by storage of energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 : using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 : Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/40 : Synchronising a generator for connection to a network or to another generator
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 : Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 : with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 : Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 : Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 : Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 : Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 : Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 : the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/12 : Energy storage units, uninterruptible power supply [UPS] systems or standby or emergency generators, e.g. in the last power distribution stages
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 : End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

A central plant that generates and provides resources to a building. The central plant includes an electrical energy storage subplant configured to store electrical energy purchased from a utility and to discharge the stored electrical energy. The central plant includes a plurality of generator subplants that consume one or more input resources. The central plant includes a controller configured to determine, for each time step within a time horizon, an optimal allocation of the input resources and the output resources for each of the subplants in order to optimize a total monetary value of operating the central plant over the time horizon. The total monetary value includes revenue from participating in incentive-based demand response programs as well as costs associated with resource consumption, equipment degradation, and losses in battery capacity.

Claims

1. A building management system comprising:

building equipment configured to consume electrical energy and generate thermal energy for use in satisfying a thermal energy load of a building;

thermal energy storage configured to store at least a portion of the thermal energy generated by the building equipment and to discharge the stored thermal energy;

electrical energy storage configured to store electrical energy purchased from a utility and to discharge the stored electrical energy; and

a controller configured to determine, for each time step within a time horizon, an optimal amount of electrical energy to allocate to an incentive-based demand response (IBDR) program by optimizing a value function that accounts for revenue predicted to result from participating in the IBDR program based on statistical estimates of IBDR event probabilities;

wherein the controller is configured to estimate the IBDR event probabilities based on a history of past IBDR events, each of the past IBDR events comprising an invitation to participate in the IBDR program in exchange for a monetary incentive.

2. The building management system of claim 1, wherein the controller uses at least one of past clearing prices and past mileage ratios of the past IBDR events to generate the statistical estimates of the IBDR event probabilities.

3. The building management system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines an expected revenue from participating in the IBDR program and determines the optimal amount of electrical energy to allocate to the IBDR program based on the expected revenue.

4. The building management system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to:

calculate values for a plurality of revenue variables based on the statistical estimates of the IBDR event probabilities each of the plurality of revenue variables representing an expected amount of revenue at one of the time steps within the time horizon; and

determine the expected revenue of participating in the IBDR program based on the plurality of revenue variables.

5. The building management system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

operate the electrical energy storage to discharge the optimal amount of electrical energy allocated to the IBDR program; and

provide the discharged electrical energy to an energy grid.

6. The building management system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine an optimal amount of electrical energy to allocate to the building equipment for use in satisfying the thermal energy load of the building.

7. The building management system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine one or more attributes of the past IBDR events comprising at least one of:

a time at which the past IBDR events occur;

a clearing price of the past IBDR events;

a mileage ratio of the past IBDR events; and

participation requirements of the past IBDR events.

8. A method for optimizing revenue from participating in an incentive-based demand response (IBDR) program, the method comprising:

storing electrical energy in electrical energy storage, wherein the electrical energy is purchased from a utility;

determining statistical estimates of IBDR event probabilities based on a history of past IBDR events, each of the past IBDR events comprising an invitation to participate in the IBDR program in exchange for a monetary incentive;

determining, for each time step within a time horizon, an optimal amount of the stored electrical energy to allocate to the IBDR program by providing a value function that accounts for revenue predicted to result from participating in the IBDR program based on the statistical estimates of the IBDR event probabilities;

discharging electrical energy from the electrical energy storage based on the optimal amount of the stored electrical energy to allocate to the IBDR program; and

using the discharged electrical energy to participate in the IBDR program.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the statistical estimates of the IBDR event probabilities are determined from at least one of past clearing prices and past mileage ratios of past IBDR events.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining an expected revenue from participating in the IBDR program; and

determining the optimal amount of electrical energy to allocate to the IBDR program based on the expected revenue.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

calculating values for a plurality of revenue variables based on the statistical estimates of the IBDR event probabilities each of the plurality of revenue variables representing an expected amount of revenue at one of the time steps within the time horizon; and

determining the expected revenue of participating in the IBDR program based on the plurality of revenue variables.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein using the discharged electrical energy to participate in the IBDR program comprises providing the discharged electrical energy to an energy grid.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining an optimal amount of electrical energy to allocate to building equipment for use in satisfying a thermal energy load of a building.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining one or more attributes of the past IBDR events comprising at least one of:

a time at which the past IBDR events occur;

a clearing price of the past IBDR events;

a mileage ratio of the past IBDR events; and

participation requirements of the past IBDR events.

15. A controller for allocating an amount of electrical energy to an incentive-based demand response (IBDR) program, the controller comprising:

a processing circuit configured to;

generate statistical estimates of IBDR event probabilities based on a history of past IBDR events, each of the past IBDR events comprising an invitation to participate in the IBDR program in exchange for a monetary incentive;

predict an expected revenue from participating in the IBDR program from the statistical estimates of the IBDR event probabilities;

determine, for each time step within a time horizon, the amount of electrical energy to allocate to the IBDR program by performing an optimization of a value function that accounts for the expected revenue predicted to result from participating in the IBDR program; and

cause electrical energy storage to discharge electrical energy based on the amount of electrical energy to allocate to the IBDR program.

16. The controller of claim 15, wherein determining the amount of electrical energy to allocate to the IBDR program comprises determining the expected revenue from participating in the IBDR program.

17. The controller of claim 15, wherein the statistical estimates of the IBDR event probabilities are determined from at least one of past clearing prices and past mileage ratios of the past IBDR events.

18. The controller of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine one or more attributes of the past IBDR events comprising at least one of:

a time at which the past IBDR events occur;

a clearing price of the past IBDR events;

a mileage ratio of the past IBDR events; and

participation requirements of the past IBDR events.

19. The controller of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine an amount of electrical energy to allocate to building equipment for use in satisfying a thermal energy load of a building.

20. The controller of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

calculate values for a plurality of revenue variables based on the statistical estimates of the IBDR event probabilities, each of the plurality of revenue variables representing an expected amount of revenue at one of the time steps within the time horizon; and

determine the expected revenue of participating in the IBDR program based on the plurality of revenue variables.