ENERGY OPTIMIZATION METHOD

• US 20110106327A1
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Zhou, Zhi, Kern, John Michael, Biyik, Emrah, de Bedout, Juan Manuel, Chandra, Ramu Sharat
• Application Number:
  US12/640,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20110106327A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/024 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier

Abstract

A method for optimizing customer utility usage in a utility network of customer sites, each having one or more utility devices, where customer site information is communicated between each of the customer sites and an optimization server having software for optimizing customer utility usage over one or more networks, including private and public networks. A customer site model for each of the customer sites is generated based upon the customer site information, and the customer utility usage is optimized based upon the customer site information and the customer site model. The optimization server can be hosted by an external source or within the customer site. In addition, the optimization processing can be partitioned between the customer site and an external source.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing customer utility usage in a utility network of customer sites, wherein each of the customer sites comprises one or more utility devices, the method comprising:

communicating customer site information between each of the customer sites and an optimization server having software for optimizing customer utility usage;

generating a customer site model for each of the customer sites based upon the customer site information at the optimization server;

optimizing the customer utility usage for each of the customer sites based upon the customer site information and the customer site model to generate and output customer optimization information from the optimization server; and

outputting control information to each of the customer sites based on the customer optimization information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating the customer site information periodically; and

updating the customer site model for optimization.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer site information comprises utility device information, acquired information, and customer input information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the acquired information comprises at least one of weather information, solar insolation forecast information, cost of utility unit, utility program information, and load demand.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the customer input information comprises at least one of usage preferences, customer site specification information, and customer settings.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating customer site information comprises:

communicating at least a portion of the customer site information via a private network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein communicating customer site information further comprises:

communicating at least another portion of the customer site information via a public network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the public network and the private network are wireless networks.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the customer site model comprises:

generating a mathematical model of the customer site based upon the customer site information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein generating the mathematical model comprises:

performing system identification processing of the customer site information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the customer site model comprises:

selecting a stored customer model corresponding to the customer site information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein optimizing the customer utility usage for each of the customer sites comprises:

formulating an optimization problem including an objective function and at least one of an inequality constraint parameter and an equality parameter; and

solving the optimization problem of the objective function with respect to the at least one of the inequality constraint parameter and an equality parameter.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein optimizing the customer utility usage at each of the customer sites further comprises:

performing at least a portion of the optimization of the customer utility usage at each of the customer sites to generate local customer site optimization information; and

controlling the customer utility usage based on the local customer site optimization information.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating real-time cost information for the customer utility usage at each of the customer sites based upon the customer site information and the customer optimization information; and

displaying the real-time cost information on a display.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting control information to each of the customer sites comprises:

outputting first control information to the customer sites via a first network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first network is a private network

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving the first control information; and

controlling the one or more utility devices via a wireless network.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein outputting control information to each of the customer sites further comprises:

outputting second control information to the customer sites via a second network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second network is a public network.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting control information to each of the customer sites comprises:

controlling the one or more utility devices by direct load control via commands communicated to the one or more utility devices from the utility.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the outputting control information to each of the customer sites further comprises:

controlling the one or more utility devices by direct load control via commands communicated to the utility device from the utility.

22. A method for optimizing customer utility usage at a customer site in a utility network, wherein the customer site comprises one or more utility devices, comprising:

receiving input information at the customer site;

generating a customer site model for the customer site based on the input information;

optimizing the customer utility usage for the customer site based on the input information and the customer site model to generate customer optimization information; and

controlling the customer utility usage at the customer site based on the customer optimization information.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the input information comprises utility device information, acquired information, and customer input information.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the acquired information comprises at least one of weather information, solar insolation forecast information, cost of utility unit, utility program information, and load demand.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the customer input information comprises at least one of usage preferences, customer site specification information, and customer settings.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving the input information periodically; and

updating the customer site model for optimization.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein generating the customer site model comprises:

generating a mathematical model of the customer site based on the input information.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein generating the mathematical model comprises:

performing a system identification processing of the input information.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the generating the customer site model comprises:

selecting a stored customer model corresponding to the input information.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein optimizing the customer utility usage comprises:

formulating an optimization problem including an objective function and at least one of an inequality constraint parameter and an equality parameter; and

solving the optimization problem of the objective function with respect to the at least one of the inequality constraint parameter and an equality parameter.

31. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

generating real-time cost information for the customer utility usage at the customer site based upon the customer input information and the customer optimization information; and

displaying the real-time cost information on a display.

32. The method of claim 22, wherein receiving the input information at the customer site comprises:

receiving at least a first portion of the input information via a first network.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the first network is a private network.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein receiving the input information at the customer site further comprises:

receiving at least a second portion of the input information via public network.

35. The method of claim 22, wherein controlling the customer utility usage at the customer site comprises:

communicating commands to the one or more utility devices via a wireless network.