MULTI-RESOURCE RENEWABLE ENERGY INSTALLATION AND METHOD OF MAXIMIZING OPERATIONAL CAPACITY OF SAME
First Claim
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1. A renewable energy apparatus, comprising:
- an multi-component offshore renewable energy resource installation having multiple renewable energy resource components each capable of producing power from a renewable energy resource, the multiple renewable energy resource components including at least a wind component comprising a wind turbine array, a solar component comprising at least one of a plurality of photovoltaic modules installed in at least one photovoltaic tracker mounting system and a plurality of high-temperature solar thermal collectors installed in at least one solar thermal tracker mounting system, and a hydrokinetic component comprising multiple wave energy converters that include at least one of a surface wave turbine array, an oscillating column array, and an sub-surface wave turbine array; and
a power generation module configured to variably and independently operate each one of the wind component, the solar component, and the hydrokinetic component, responsive to a plurality of variables that are aggregated to determine an operational efficiency level of each of the wind component, the solar component, and hydrokinetic component over a specific period of time, the plurality of variables at least including an operational availability of each renewable energy resource component, a commodity price range for each renewable energy resource supported at the multi-component offshore renewable energy resource installation, meteorological conditions relative to each renewable energy resource supported at the multi-component offshore renewable energy resource installation, and a power requirement of an intelligent power distribution network, to produce an amount of power at the operational efficiency level of each of the wind component, the solar component, and hydrokinetic component that satisfies the power requirement over the specific period of time so that the amount of power produced and the power requirement are optimally adapted to each other to minimize a power storage requirement at the multi-component offshore renewable energy resource installation.
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Abstract
A renewable energy resource management system manages a delivery of a power requirement from a multi-resource offshore renewable energy installation to an intelligent power distribution network. The installation includes multiple renewable energy resource components and is capable of variably and independently generating power from each to microgrids comprising the intelligent power distribution network so that the entire power requirement is satisfied from renewable energy resources. An electricity grid infrastructure is also disclosed in which power production is balanced with power consumption so that power storage requirements are minimized.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A renewable energy apparatus, comprising:
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an multi-component offshore renewable energy resource installation having multiple renewable energy resource components each capable of producing power from a renewable energy resource, the multiple renewable energy resource components including at least a wind component comprising a wind turbine array, a solar component comprising at least one of a plurality of photovoltaic modules installed in at least one photovoltaic tracker mounting system and a plurality of high-temperature solar thermal collectors installed in at least one solar thermal tracker mounting system, and a hydrokinetic component comprising multiple wave energy converters that include at least one of a surface wave turbine array, an oscillating column array, and an sub-surface wave turbine array; and a power generation module configured to variably and independently operate each one of the wind component, the solar component, and the hydrokinetic component, responsive to a plurality of variables that are aggregated to determine an operational efficiency level of each of the wind component, the solar component, and hydrokinetic component over a specific period of time, the plurality of variables at least including an operational availability of each renewable energy resource component, a commodity price range for each renewable energy resource supported at the multi-component offshore renewable energy resource installation, meteorological conditions relative to each renewable energy resource supported at the multi-component offshore renewable energy resource installation, and a power requirement of an intelligent power distribution network, to produce an amount of power at the operational efficiency level of each of the wind component, the solar component, and hydrokinetic component that satisfies the power requirement over the specific period of time so that the amount of power produced and the power requirement are optimally adapted to each other to minimize a power storage requirement at the multi-component offshore renewable energy resource installation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A multi-resource renewable energy installation, comprising:
a plurality of renewable resource control systems configured to independently manage and operate a plurality of renewable energy resource components positioned on a multi-resource offshore renewable energy installation, the plurality of renewable energy resource components including a wind turbine array, a plurality of photovoltaic modules, a wave turbine array comprising at least one of a surface wave turbine array, an oscillating column array, and sub-surface turbine array, and an array of high-temperature solar thermal collectors each capable of continual adjustment to ensure an operational efficiency level of each renewable energy resource component responsive to, over a specific period of time, commodity pricing for each renewable energy resource component, meteorological conditions relative to each renewable energy resource component at the offshore renewable energy resource installation, and an operational availability of each renewable energy resource component, and further responsive to a power transmission control system configured to manage a transfer of a power requirement from the multi-resource offshore renewable energy installation to a receiving location in a transmission system comprising a plurality of voltage source converters coupling power output circuits of each of the wind turbine array, the plurality of photovoltaic modules, the wave turbine array comprising at least one of a surface wave turbine array, an oscillating column array, and sub-surface turbine array, and the array of high-temperature solar thermal collectors to a common direct current bus and to a high voltage direct current transmission link, the power transmission control system communicating with each renewable energy resource control system to instruct each of the wind turbine array, the plurality of photovoltaic modules, the wave turbine array comprising at least one of a surface wave turbine array, an oscillating column array, and sub-surface turbine array, and the array of high-temperature solar thermal collectors to separably and variably operate one or more power output circuits to produce either rectified alternating current output or direct current output to ensure that power produced substantially matches the power requirement of at least one customer, so that the power requirement of the at least one power customer is constantly supplied by a combined power output from the plurality of renewable energy resource components over the specific period of time to minimize a power storage requirement at the multi-resource offshore renewable energy installation and at the receiving location. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method comprising:
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receiving a predicted power requirement from at least one power customer for a specific period of time; forecasting a commodity price for each one of a plurality of renewable energy resources from which power is to be produced at a multi-resource offshore renewable energy installation for the specific period of time, the plurality of renewable energy resources including wind energy, solar energy, hydrokinetic energy, and solar thermal energy; forecasting one or more meteorological conditions for each one of the renewable energy resources for the specific period of time at the multi-resource offshore renewable energy installation; requesting an operational availability from each one of a plurality of renewable energy resource components at the offshore renewable energy resource installation responsible for controlling a power output of each apparatus capable of generating power from each one of the renewable energy resources in the plurality of renewable energy resource components; determining an operational efficiency level of each one of the renewable energy resource components for the specific period of time based on the operational availability, the predicted power requirement, the commodity price for each one of the plurality of renewable energy resources, and the meteorological conditions for each one of the plurality of renewable energy resources; and variably and independently operating each apparatus capable of generating power from each one of the renewable energy resources so that each produces a power output that, when combined with all other power output from each operated apparatus and transmitted to the at least one power customer, minimizes a power storage requirement at both the multi-resource offshore renewable energy installation and at a receiving location of the at least one power customer and entirely satisfies the predicted power requirement of the at least one power customer from among the plurality of renewable energy resources over the specific period of time. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification