Load Shedding By An Electric Utility

• US 20110010018A1
• Filed: 07/07/2009
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Haugh, Julianne F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,135,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• 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 3/144 Demand-response operation of the power transmission or distribution network
• 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

Abstract

Load shedding by an electric utility, including querying power distribution systems that include a DRG system for present power consumption of the local load of the power distribution system; selecting, in dependence upon the present power consumption of the local load of the power distribution systems and predefined power consumption criteria for each substation, a substation to receive a reduction in power; and reducing power provided to the selected substation.

Claims

1. A method of load shedding by an electric utility, the electric utility capable of providing electricity to one or more power distribution systems organized into one or more substations, at least one power distribution system in at least one substation comprising a distributed renewable generation (‘

DRG’

) system, the DRG system capable of providing power to the electric utility, a local load, and one or more batteries for storage, each power distribution system connected for data communications through a data communications network to the electric utility, the method comprising;

querying, by the electric utility, a plurality of power distribution systems that include a DRG system for present power consumption of the local load of the power distribution system;

selecting, in dependence upon the present power consumption of the local load of the plurality of power distribution systems and predefined power consumption criteria for each substation, a substation to receive a reduction in power; and

reducing power provided to the selected substation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein querying a plurality of power distribution systems that include a DRG system for present power consumption of the local load of the power distribution system further comprises:

sending, by the electric utility to a control engine of each of the plurality of power distribution systems that includes a DRG system through the data communications network in a data communications message, a request for the present power consumption of the local load of each power distribution system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the data communications network is a power line communications (‘

PLC’

) network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a substation to receive a reduction in power further comprises:

averaging, for each substation, the present power consumption of the local loads of power distribution systems that include a DRG system in the substation;

calculating, for each substation having an average present power consumption greater than a predetermined expected power consumption for that substation, a difference between the average present power consumption and the predetermined expected power consumption; and

identifying, as the substation to receive the reduction in power, a substation having the greatest difference between the average present power consumption and the predetermined expected power consumption.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a substation to receive a reduction in power further comprises:

averaging, for each substation, the present power consumption of the local loads of power distribution systems that include a DRG system in the substation; and

identifying, as the substation to receive a reduction in power, a substation having the greatest average present power consumption.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one DRG system comprises a photovoltaic (‘

PV’

) system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one DRG system comprises a micro-hydroelectric system.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one DRG system comprises a wind turbine system.

9. An apparatus for load shedding by an electric utility, the electric utility capable of providing electricity to one or more power distribution systems organized into one or more substations, at least one power distribution system in at least one substation comprising a distributed renewable generation (‘

DRG’

) system, the DRG system capable of providing power to the electric utility, a local load, and one or more batteries for storage, each power distribution system connected for data communications through a data communications network to the electric utility, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of;

querying, by the electric utility, a plurality of power distribution systems that include a DRG system for present power consumption of the local load of the power distribution system;

selecting, in dependence upon the present power consumption of the local load of the plurality of power distribution systems and predefined power consumption criteria for each substation, a substation to receive a reduction in power; and

reducing power provided to the selected substation.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein querying a plurality of power distribution systems that include a DRG system for present power consumption of the local load of the power distribution system further comprises:

sending, by the electric utility to a control engine of each of the plurality of power distribution systems that includes a DRG system through the data communications network in a data communications message, a request for the present power consumption of the local load of each power distribution system.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein selecting a substation to receive a reduction in power further comprises:

averaging, for each substation, the present power consumption of the local loads of power distribution systems that include a DRG system in the substation;

calculating, for each substation having an average present power consumption greater than a predetermined expected power consumption for that substation, a difference between the average present power consumption and the predetermined expected power consumption; and

identifying, as the substation to receive the reduction in power, a substation having the greatest difference between the average present power consumption and the predetermined expected power consumption.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein selecting a substation to receive a reduction in power further comprises:

averaging, for each substation, the present power consumption of the local loads of power distribution systems that include a DRG system in the substation; and

identifying, as the substation to receive a reduction in power, a substation having the greatest average present power consumption.

13. A method of participating in electric utility load shedding, the electric utility capable of providing electricity to one or more power distribution systems organized into one or more substations, at least one power distribution system in each substation comprising a distributed renewable generation (‘

DRG’

) system, the DRG system capable of providing power to the electric utility, a local load, and one or more batteries for storage, each power distribution system connected for data communications through a data communications network to the electric utility, the method comprising;

receiving from the electric utility, by a control engine of a power distribution system that includes a DRG system, a query for present power consumption of the local load of the power distribution system;

determining whether a present state of charge of the one or more batteries of the power distribution system is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

responding to the electric utility'"'"'s query with the present power consumption of the local load only if the present state of charge of the one or more batteries of the power distribution system is greater than the predetermined threshold.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the DRG system further comprises a photovoltaic (‘

PV’

) system.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the DRG system further comprises a micro-hydroelectric system.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the DRG system further comprises a wind turbine system.

17. An apparatus for participating in electric utility load shedding, the electric utility capable of providing electricity to one or more power distribution systems organized into one or more substations, at least one power distribution system in each substation comprising a distributed renewable generation (‘

DRG’

) system, the DRG system capable of providing power to the electric utility, a local load, and one or more batteries for storage, each power distribution system connected for data communications through a data communications network to the electric utility, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of;

receiving from the electric utility, by a control engine of a power distribution system that includes a DRG system, a query for present power consumption of the local load of the power distribution system;

determining whether a present state of charge of the one or more batteries of the power distribution system is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

responding to the electric utility'"'"'s query with the present power consumption of the local load only if the present state of charge of the one or more batteries of the power distribution system is greater than the predetermined threshold.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the DRG system further comprises a photovoltaic (‘

PV’

) system.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the DRG system further comprises a micro-hydroelectric system.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the DRG system further comprises a wind turbine system.