Clustered power generator architecture

• US 10,658,841 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2017
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Engie Storage Services NA LLC (ENGIE SA)
• Original Assignee: Engie Storage Services NA LLC (ENGIE SA)
• Inventors: Poon, Ho Shing Abraham
• Primary Examiner(s): Yanchus, III, Paul B
• Application Number:
  US15/650,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20190020196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/67 to the maximum power available from a generator, e.g. from solar cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02008 for solar cells or solar cell modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/10 The network having a local or delimited stationary reach
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

Multiple dispatchable resources such as energy storage systems, generators, and curtailable loads are used to fulfill electricity usage control instructions by implementing multiple different sets of dispatch instructions. The sets of dispatch instructions vary based on individual status characteristics and aggregate status characteristics of the dispatchable resources in order to use the resources optimally. The resources may in some instances be prioritized according to their status characteristics in order to improve response efficiency, improve cost-effectiveness, reduce errors and flawed fulfillment, and improve the ability of the resources to respond to different kinds of electricity usage control instructions over time.

Claims

1. A method of managing a plurality of dispatchable electrical resources, comprising:

receiving electricity usage control instructions at a site of a utility customer, the site having a plurality of dispatchable electrical resources;

receiving individual status characteristics of each of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources at the site;

receiving aggregate status characteristics of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources;

determining a power dispatching mode to fulfill the electricity usage control instructions using the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources based on the individual status characteristics and the aggregate status characteristics;

implementing the power dispatching mode by sending dispatch instructions to the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources, wherein a first set of dispatch instructions is sent to a first portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources and a second set of dispatch instructions is sent to a second portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources, wherein the first portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources performs a first task in response to receiving the first set of dispatch instructions and the second portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources performs a second task in response to receiving the second set of dispatch instructions, the first task being unique relative to the second task and being at least partially performed at a different time than the second task.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second sets of dispatch instructions prioritizes dispatching the first portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources before the second portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting prioritization of the first and second portions of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources over time.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting prioritization of the first and second portions of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources after sending a predetermined quantity of dispatch instructions.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting prioritization of the first and second portions of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources after at least one of the first and second portions of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources have performed a predetermined quantity of load cycles.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources comprises a first power capacity and the second portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources comprises a second power capacity, and wherein the first and second sets of dispatch instructions are weighted by the first and second power capacities of the first and second portions of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of dispatch instructions comprises directions to provide power from the first portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources at a first power level and the second set of dispatch instructions comprises instructions to provide power from the second portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources at a second power level, the first power level being weighted by a first maximum power capacity of the first portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources, the second power level being weighted by a second maximum power capacity of the second portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the individual status characteristics include maximum power efficiency characteristics, and wherein the first and second sets of dispatch instructions prioritize dispatching energy from dispatchable electrical resources having highest maximum power efficiency characteristics.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the individual status characteristics include maximum charging power for each of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources, and wherein the first and second sets of dispatch instructions prioritize dispatching energy from dispatchable electrical resources having highest maximum charging power.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the individual status characteristics include maximum discharging power for each of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources, and wherein the first and second sets of dispatch instructions prioritize dispatching energy from dispatchable electrical resources having highest maximum discharging power.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the individual status characteristics include an amount of charge provided by a renewable energy source to each of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources, and wherein the first and second sets of dispatch instructions prioritize charging dispatchable electrical resources when charging is available from the renewable energy source.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second sets of dispatch instructions preserve a minimum energy capacity of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the electricity usage control instructions comprise instructions to prevent power from being dispatched from the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources to loads outside a micro-grid.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the electricity usage control instructions comprise instructions to at least temporarily suppress demand of a load.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for managing a plurality of dispatchable electrical resources, the code comprising directions executable by a processor to:

receive electricity usage control instructions at a site of a utility customer, the site having a plurality of dispatchable electrical resources;

receive individual real or reactive power characteristics of each of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources at the site;

receive a sum of the individual real or reactive power characteristics of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources;

determine a power dispatching mode to fulfill the electricity usage control instructions using the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources based on the individual real or reactive power characteristics and the sum of the individual real or reactive power characteristics;

implementing the power dispatching mode by sending dispatch instructions to the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources, wherein a first portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources is instructed to perform a first set of dispatch instructions and a second portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources is instructed to perform a second set of dispatch instructions, wherein the first and second sets of dispatch instructions are unique relative to each other.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first and second sets of dispatch instructions prioritizes dispatching the first portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources over the second portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the directions further comprise adjusting prioritization of the first and second portions of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources over time.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first and second sets of dispatch instructions are weighted proportional to the individual status characteristics of the first and second portions of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources.

19. An apparatus for managing a plurality of dispatchable electrical resources, the apparatus comprising a processor, memory in electronic communication with the processor and directions stored in the memory, the directions being executable by the processor to:

receive electricity usage control instructions at a site of a utility customer, the site having a plurality of dispatchable electrical resources;

receive individual real or reactive power characteristics of each of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources at the site;

receive a sum of the individual real or reactive power characteristics of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources;

determine a power dispatching mode to fulfill the electricity usage control instructions using the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources based on the individual status characteristics and the aggregate status characteristics;

generate unique sets of instructions to control the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources based on the power dispatching mode;

perform the unique sets of instructions using the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources, wherein a first portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources are configured to perform a first unique set of instructions of the unique sets of instructions and a second portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources are configured to perform a second unique set of instructions of the unique sets of instructions.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first and second unique sets of instructions prioritizes dispatching the first portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources over the second portion of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the directions further comprise adjusting prioritization of the first and second portions of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources over time.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first and second unique sets of instructions are weighted proportional to the individual status characteristics of the first and second portions of the plurality of dispatchable electrical resources.