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Reducing the Cost of Distributed Electricity Generation Through Opportunity Generation

  • US 20080262857A1
  • Filed: 12/08/2005
  • Published: 10/23/2008
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
  • Status: Abandoned Application
First Claim
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1. A system for managing the supply of energy to a customer that receives power from an electric power grid, comprising:

  • at least one power transmission arrangement for selectively coupling any two or engaging all three of the following main components;

    a driven load, an electric motor which can also operate as a generator (motor-generator), and a prime mover;

    a computer-driven controller that can continuously receive information on drive shaft rotation speeds of the load, the motor-generator, and the prime mover;

    information on electricity prices and price for fuel used by the prime mover including forecasts of short term price trends; and

    information regarding on-going load requirements of the driven load and of electricity requirements of other connected loads at the premises;

    which controller is able to store information about

         1) relevant fixed and variable costs of operating the prime mover including relevant design/operating data on the driven load, the prime mover, and the motor-generator necessary to control their output based on rotation speed, and

         2) relevant information about electricity and fuel supply contract conditions and conditions governing use and export of power into the power grid; and

    which controller selects whether the load is to be driven by the electric motor, by the prime mover, or by a combination of both, or whether the prime mover is to drive the motor as a generator, either as an alternate to or in addition to driving the load, so as to meet the electricity requirements at the premises with or without export of partial output from the prime mover or so as to export all electricity produced by the combination of prime mover and generator; and

    a switching arrangement responsive to control signals from the computer to engage or disengage each of the main components, including computer signals to control fuel supply to the prime mover so as to maintain computed drive speed according to desired load output and/or generator output when the generator is connected.

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