METHODS, CIRCUITS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR GENERATION FOLLOWING LOAD MANAGEMENT

• US 20090105888A1
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sequentric Energy Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Sequentric Energy Systems LLC
• Inventors: Ramsay, Stewart, Flohr, Daniel P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,121,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/004 Generation forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future energy generation
• 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: 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: 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 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

Two water heaters may be installed in series at a customer location, such that an output of a first (or storage) water heater is coupled to the input of a second (or primary) water heater, the output of which provides hot water to the customer location. During normal operation, only the primary water heater may actually heat water for use at the customer location. However, during periods of excess capacity, the electrical service provider may enable the storage water heater to store the excess electrical power that is generated by operating the power plant at higher output (which may be more efficient). Later, during hours of greater demand, the electrical service provider may disable the storage water heater used to store the excess capacity, whereas the primary water heater may operate normally. However, during the time of greater demand, the storage water heaters may provide pre-heated water to the primary water heater, which in-turn, may need to heat the water less or perhaps not at all.

Claims

1. A method of managing excess electrical power generation comprising:

selectively increasing electrical power demand at a customer location connected to an electrical power grid to provide increased demand when excess electrical power generation is available to the electrical power grid; and

selectively decreasing the increased demand at the customer location when the excess electrical power generation is reduced to the electrical power grid.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein selectively increasing electrical power demand at a customer location comprises enabling at least one of the two energy storage devices in response to determining that the excess electrical power generation exists to increase demand associated with the customer location.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein enabling comprises enabling a first water heater to be activated when the excess electrical power generation exists to store excess electrical power at the customer location in the first water heater to allow later usage of the portion of the excess electrical power at the customer location.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the first water heater heats water therein responsive to a thermostat associated therewith when activated to provide heated water via the output.

5. A method according to claim 3 wherein enabling the first water heater to be activated when the excess electrical power generation exists comprises transmitting an activation signal from a system operated by an electric service provider over a network to a power relay at the customer location to couple the first water heater to electrical power.

6. A method according to claim 3 wherein selectively decreasing comprises disabling the first water heater to be de-activated when the excess electrical power generation is reduced.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein disabling the first water heater comprises transmitting a de-activation signal from the system operated by the electric service provider over the network to the power relay at the customer location to de-couple the first water heater from the electrical power.

8. A method of managing excess electrical power generation comprising:

remotely controlling operation of at least one of two energy storage devices coupled in series at a customer location in response to availability of generated electricity to the customer location.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the availability of generated electricity comprises the availability of excess generated electricity exceeding demand.

10. A method according to claim 8 wherein the availability of generated electricity comprises a cost associated with the generated electricity compared to a cost associated with gas.

11. A method according to claim 8 wherein the at least one of two energy storage devices comprise a first water heater having an output thereof coupled to an input of a second water heater.

12. A method according to claim 8 wherein remotely controlling operation of the at least one of the two energy storage devices coupled in series at the customer location in response to the availability of the generated electricity comprises enabling the at least one of the two energy storage devices in response to determining that excess electrical capacity exists to increase demand associated with the customer location.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein remotely controlling operation comprises enabling the first water heater to be activated when excess electrical power generation capacity exists to store excess electrical power at the customer location in the first water heater to allow later usage of the portion of the excess electrical power at the customer location.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the first water heater heats water therein responsive to a thermostat associated therewith when activated to provide heated water via the output.

15. A method according to claim 13 wherein enabling the first water heater to be activated when excess electrical power generation capacity exists comprises transmitting an activation signal from a system operated by an electric service provider over a network to a power relay at the customer location to couple the first water heater to electrical power.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein the second water heater further heats the heated water provided by the first water heater responsive to a thermostat associated therewith for usage at the customer location.

17. A method of managing excess electrical power generation comprising:

enabling/disabling an electrical power storage device coupled to a primary energy storage device, at the customer location, responsive to determining that excess electrical power generation capacity exists to provide storage of a portion of the excess electrical power generation capacity at the customer location to allow later usage of the portion of the excess electrical power generation capacity at the customer location.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the primary energy storage device is powered by electricity.

19. A method according to claim 17 wherein the primary energy storage device is powered by gas.

20. A controller for controlling electrical appliances used at a customer location, comprising:

a processor circuit configured to enable/disable an electrical power storage device coupled to a primary energy storage device, at a customer location, responsive to determining if a lower cost power source used to operate the primary energy storage device is available.

21. A controller according to claim 20 wherein the primary energy storage device comprises a gas water heater and the electrical power storage device comprises an electric water heater.

22. A controller according to claim 20 wherein an output of the electrical power storage device is coupled to an input of the primary energy storage device.

23. A controller according to claim 22 wherein the processor circuit is further configured to enable the electrical power storage device to be activated when excess electrical power generation capacity exists to store excess electrical power at the customer location in the electrical power storage device to allow later usage of the portion of the excess electrical power at the customer location.

24. A controller according to claim 23 wherein the processor circuit is further configured to transmit an activation signal, based on an indication from a system operated by a power service provider over a network, to a power relay at the customer location to couple the electrical power storage device to electrical power.

25. A controller according to claim 23 wherein the electrical power storage device heats water therein responsive to a thermostat associated therewith when activated to provide heated water via the output to the primary energy storage device.

26. A controller according to claim 25 wherein the primary energy storage device further heats the heated water provided by the electrical power storage device responsive to a thermostat associated therewith for usage at the customer location.

27. A computer program product for managing excess electrical power generation comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program product comprising;

computer readable program code configured to enable/disable an electrical power storage device coupled to a primary energy storage device, at the customer location, responsive to determining that excess electrical power generation capacity exists to provide storage of a portion of the excess electrical power generation capacity at the customer location to allow later usage of the portion of the excess electrical power generation capacity at the customer location.

28. A method of managing excess electrical power generation comprising:

selectively enabling/disabling water heaters distributed among a plurality of customer locations responsive to availability of electrical power generated by transient power sources to adjust demand to follow electrical power capacity including the electrical power generated by the transient power sources.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein selectively enabling/disabling the water heaters comprises enabling a number of the water heaters responsive to determining that excess electrical power generated by the transient power sources is increased.

30. A method according to claim 29 wherein the number of the water heaters are enabled to approximately match the excess electrical power generated by the transient power sources.

31. A method according to claim 28 wherein selectively enabling/disabling the water heaters comprises disabling a number of the water heaters responsive to determining that an amount of excess electrical power generated by the transient power sources is reduced.

32. A method according to claim 31 wherein the number of the water heaters are enabled to approximately match the reduced electrical power generated by the transient power sources.

33. A method of managing excess electrical power generation comprising:

selectively increasing electrical power demand at a plurality of first customer locations in a first region connected to an electrical power grid; and

selectively decreasing electrical power demand at a plurality of second customer locations in a second region connected to the electrical power grid while selectively increasing the electrical power demand at the plurality of first customer locations.

34. A method of managing power generation comprising:

enabling/disabling an electrical power storage device coupled to a primary energy storage device, at a customer location, responsive to determining if a lower cost power source used to operate the primary energy storage device is available.

35. A method according to claim 34 wherein the primary energy storage device comprises a gas water heater and the electrical power storage device comprises an electric water heater.

36. A method according to claim 34 wherein an output of the electrical power storage device is coupled to an input of the primary energy storage device.

37. A method according to claim 36 wherein enabling/disabling comprises enabling the electrical power storage device to be activated when excess electrical power generation capacity exists to store excess electrical power at the customer location in the electrical power storage device to allow later usage of the portion of the excess electrical power at the customer location.

38. A method according to claim 37 wherein enabling the electrical power storage device to be activated when excess electrical power generation capacity exists comprises transmitting an activation signal from a system operated by a power service provider over a network to a power relay at the customer location to couple the electrical power storage device to electrical power.

39. A method according to claim 37 wherein the electrical power storage device heats water therein responsive to a thermostat associated therewith when activated to provide heated water via the output to the primary energy storage device.

40. A method according to claim 39 wherein the primary energy storage device further heats the heated water provided by the electrical power storage device responsive to a thermostat associated therewith for usage at the customer location.