Dynamic curtailment of an energy generation system

• US 10,199,863 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2015
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: SolarCity Corporation (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Eric Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US14/741,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20160334848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2203/20 Simulating, e g planning, reliability check, modelling or computer assisted design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/10 The dispersed energy generation being of fossil origin, e.g. diesel generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/22 The renewable source being solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• 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 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/12 Monitoring or controlling equipment for energy generation units, e.g. distributed energy generation [DER] or load-side generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/14 Energy storage units
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 : using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 : using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 : Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

Techniques for curtailing a power generation system utilizing a message bus may be provided. Power generation data of a message bus system associated with an energy generation system may be subscribed to over a network. The message bus system may be configured to manage messages between the energy generation system, a system load metering device, and/or a server computer. The power generation data of the energy generation system may be received from the message bus system. In some examples, a control signal may be generated to curtail an overgeneration condition of the energy generation system based at least in part on the received power generation data when the overgeneration condition is occurring. The control signal may be published to the message bus system for communication to the energy generation system.

Claims

1. A method for curtailing, by a server, overgeneration of power, comprising:

implementing, by the server, a message bus system operating under a subscribe/publish scheme that is coupled to an energy generation system and a system load metering device configured to measure a system load corresponding to the energy generation system, the message bus system configured to transmit messages between at least one of the energy generation system, the system load metering device, or the server;

subscribing, with the message bus system, to real-time power generation data of the energy generation system;

receiving, from the message bus system, the real-time power generation data of the energy generation system;

determining, based at least in part on the real-time power generation data of the energy generation system, if the energy generation system is experiencing an overgeneration condition, the overgeneration condition occurring when the energy generation system produces more power than is required by a system load corresponding to the system load metering device;

generating a dynamic control signal to curtail the overgeneration condition based at least in part on the real-time power generation data; and

publishing, to the message bus system, the dynamic control signal for transmission to the energy generation system, the dynamic control signal being configured to instruct a power generation asset of the one or more energy generation systems to decrease power production by an amount that is based at least in part on the system load.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the message bus system, information that indicates that the system load metering device has detected a period of time when the system load is below a threshold corresponding to an amount of power provided by the energy generation system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving, from the message bus system, an amount of power required by the system load for the period of time.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the dynamic control signal is provided to the message bus system for curtailing the overgeneration of power during the period of time.

5. A system, comprising a server computer with a processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions, stored in a memory of the server computer, to:

implement a message bus system operating under a subscribe/publish scheme;

subscribe, via a network, to power generation data of the message bus system associated with an energy generation system, the message bus system configured to manage messages between at least one of the energy generation system, a system load metering device configured to measure a system load associated with the energy generation system, or the server computer;

receive, from the message bus system, the power generation data of the energy generation system;

receive, from the message bus system, an amount of power that is required by the system load;

determine, based at least in part on the power generation data of the energy generation system, whether the energy generation system is experiencing an overgeneration condition, the overgeneration condition occurring when the energy generation system produces more power than the amount of power that is required by the system load corresponding to the system load metering device;

generate, by the server computer, a dynamic control signal configured to curtail the overgeneration condition of the energy generation system based at least in part on the power generation data when the energy generation system is experiencing the overgeneration condition; and

publish, to the message bus system, the dynamic control signal for communication to the energy generation system, the dynamic control signal being configured to instruct a power generation asset of the one or more energy generation systems to decrease power production by an amount that is based at least in part on the system load.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the power generation data corresponds to an asset of the energy generation system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the dynamic control signal is further configured to instruct the asset to decrease an amount of power generation.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the asset is configured to control power generation of the energy generation system.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the asset comprises a photovoltaic inverter.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the network comprises at least one of a wireless network, a wired network, or a power line network.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to determine, based at least in part on the power generation data of the energy generation system, whether the energy generation system is experiencing the overgeneration condition.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the overgeneration condition occurs when the energy generation system produces more power than is required by a system load corresponding to the system load metering device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to receive an amount of power that is required by the system load.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein the message bus system receives the power generation data of the energy generation system from a gateway device that collects the power generation data from at least the subset of the plurality of energy generation systems.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the gateway device is capable of receiving the power generation data via a wireless interface of the network.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a server, configure the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

implementing a message bus system operating under a subscribe/publish scheme;

subscribing, with the message bus system configured to manage messages between at least one of an energy generation system, a system load metering device configured to measure a load of a system associated with the energy generation system, or the server, to real-time power generation data of the energy generation system;

receiving, from the message bus system, the real-time power generation data of the energy generation system;

receiving, from the message bus system, an amount of power that is required by the system load;

determining, based at least in part on the real-time power generation data of the energy generation system, whether the energy generation system is experiencing an overgeneration condition, the overgeneration condition occurring when the energy generation system produces more power than the amount of power that is required by the system load corresponding to the system load metering device;

generating, by the server, a dynamic control signal configured to curtail the overgeneration condition of the energy generation system based at least in part on the real-time power generation data if the energy generation system is experiencing the overgeneration condition; and

publishing, to the message bus system, the dynamic control signal for transmission to the energy generation system, the dynamic control signal being configured to instruct a power generation asset of the one or more energy generation systems to decrease power production by an amount that is based at least in part on the system load.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise providing the message bus system for subscription to at least one of the energy generation system or the system load metering device.