Systems and Methods for Power Demand Management

• US 20120046798A1
• Filed: 08/19/2011
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Powermaestro, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Heat Assured Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Orthlieb, Frederick L., Letzt, Alan M.
• Application Number:
  US13/213,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20120046798A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• 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: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/14 Energy storage units
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• 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 20/248 UPS systems or standby or emergency generators

Abstract

A system and method for shifting power load on a power distribution network with multiple power loads, each of which draws power from the power distribution network. The system includes a controller communicatively coupled to an energy storage system and power load on the power distribution network. The controller is configured to receive a load-shifting signal, determine a load-shifting procedure, and switch one or more of the communicatively coupled power loads from drawing power from the power distribution network to drawing power from the energy storage system according to a load-shifting algorithm.

Claims

1. A system for managing power demand comprising:

at least one switch configured to;

in a first configuration, power an electrical device with a consumer energy storage system and,

in a second configuration, power the electrical device with a power distribution grid; and

a processor, configured to;

determine if the electrical device is to be powered by a different power source, and in response to the determination;

instruct the at least one switch to operate in the second configuration if the at least one switch is currently in the first configuration and;

instruct the at least one switch to operate in the first configuration if the at least one switch is currently in the second configuration.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the consumer energy storage system comprises batteries.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the consumer energy storage system comprises at least one fuel cell.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine if the electrical device is to be powered by a different power source based on instructions provided by at least one entity.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the entity comprises a utility or consumer.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the consumer includes a residential, commercial or industrial consumer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine if the electrical device is to be powered by a different power source by comparing power usage with at least one threshold.

8. A method for managing power demand comprising:

determining, with a processor, if an electrical device powered in a first configuration with a consumer energy storage system and powered in a second configuration with a power distribution grid is to be powered by a different power source, and

in response to the determining, powering the electrical device in the second configuration if the electrical device is currently powered in the first configuration and powering the electrical device in the first configuration if the electrical device is currently powered in the second configuration.

9. A method for managing power demand comprising:

receiving an input from an entity over a communications interface;

determining, based on the received input, if an electrical device powered in a first configuration with a consumer energy storage system and powered in a second configuration with a power distribution grid is to be powered by a different power source; and

in response to the determining, powering the electrical device by the different power source.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the entity is one of a consumer or a utility.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the consumer is a residential, industrial or commercial consumer.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the communications interface includes at least one of an Internet interface, a power line interface, a hardwired interface, a wireless interface, a cellular interface, and a satellite interface.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the input includes a threshold for power consumption.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the consumer energy storage system comprises batteries.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the consumer energy storage system comprises at least one fuel cell.

16. A method for managing power demand comprising:

measuring a level of power received from a power distribution grid to a consumer;

determining, based on the measured level, if the power distribution grid is in at least one of a brownout condition and a blackout condition; and

in response to the determining, powering an electrical device by a consumer energy storage system, wherein the electrical device is powered in a first configuration with a consumer energy storage system and is powered in a second configuration with the power distribution grid.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the consumer is a residential, industrial or commercial consumer.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the consumer energy storage system comprises batteries.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the consumer energy storage system comprises at least one fuel cell.