Distributed Grid-Interactive Photovoltaic-Based Power Dispatching

• US 20120143384A1
• Filed: 02/08/2012
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Haugh, Julianne F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,229,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/466 Scheduling the operation of the generators, e.g. connecting or disconnecting generators to meet a given demand
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

In one embodiment, each of a plurality of sites may produce surplus power. All or a fraction of the surplus power may be supplied to the power grid according to an agreement between the user of a site and an electric utility. A computer of the utility is in communication with a computer at each of a plurality of sites having a local power source. Terms of power provision that include an amount of power to be provided during a specified time of day is communicated between a site and the utility.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A method to provide power produced by sources located at sites distributed over a geographical area to a power distribution system, comprising:

storing at a location of a utility, information concerning a configuration of each of a plurality of sites, wherein the configuration information comprises an amount of surplus power available from each site in the plurality of sites;

storing power provision terms of agreements between the utility and each site in the plurality of the sites, wherein the power provision terms comprise an amount of surplus power to be delivered to the power distribution system by each site and a time of day at which the amount of surplus power is to be provided;

scheduling by a computer of the utility the time of day during which each site shall produce and provide an agreed amount of surplus power to the power distribution system according to the stored power provision terms; and

reducing an amount of power produced at the location of the utility in proportion to the amount of power received from the plurality of sites.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring the amount of surplus power provided by each site during the time of day for which the amount of surplus power was agreed to be provided to the power distribution system from the site.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sending the power provision terms to one or more sites in the plurality of sites; and

determining which of the one or more sites accepts its associated power provision terms.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving agreed-to power provision terms from each of one or more sites; and

accepting or rejecting the agreed-to power provision terms from each site.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the utility communicates with each site by way of a computer communications network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the computer communications network is the Internet.

15. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored thereon, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to;

store at a location of a utility, information concerning a configuration of each of a plurality of sites, wherein the configuration information comprises an amount of surplus power available from each site in the plurality of sites;

store power provision terms of agreements between the utility and each site in the plurality of the sites, wherein the power provision terms comprise an amount of surplus power to be delivered to a power distribution system by each site and a time of day at which the amount of surplus power is to be provided;

schedule by a computer of the utility the time of day during which each site shall produce and provide an agreed amount of surplus power to the power distribution system according to the stored power provision terms; and

reduce an amount of power produced at the location of the utility in proportion to the amount of power received from the plurality of sites.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computer to:

monitor the amount of surplus power provided by each site during the time of day for which the amount of surplus power was agreed to be provided to the power distribution system from the site.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computer to:

send the power provision terms to one or more sites; and

determine which of the one or more sites accepts its associated power provision terms.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computer to:

receive agreed-to power provision terms from each of one or more sites; and

accept or reject the agreed-to power provision terms from each site.

19. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

store at a location of a utility, information concerning a configuration of each of a plurality of sites. wherein the configuration information comprises an amount of surplus power available from each site in the plurality of sites;

store power provision terms of agreements between the utility and each site in the plurality of sites, wherein the power provision terms comprise an amount of surplus power to be delivered to a power distribution system by each site and a time of day at which the amount of surplus power is to be provided;

schedule the time of day at which the site shall produce and provide an agreed amount of surplus power to the power distribution system according to the stored power provision terms; and

reduce an amount of power produced at the location of the utility in proportion to the amount of power received from the plurality of sites.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

send the power provision terms to one or more sites in the plurality of sites; and

determine which of the one or more sites accepts its associated power provision terms.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive agreed-to power provision terms from each of one or more sites; and

accept or reject the agreed-to power provision terms from each site.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

monitoring the amount of surplus power provided by a site during the time of day for which the amount of surplus power was agreed to be provided to the power distribution system from the site.

22-24. -24. (canceled)