ARRANGEMENT FOR COMMUNICATING DEMAND RESPONSE RESOURCE INCENTIVES

• US 20150019032A1
• Filed: 07/11/2013
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Koch, Edward, Pierson, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 10,346,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

An approach for influencing demand response event performance through a variable incentive signal. Automated demand response programs may achieve an energy demand reduction by signaling participating consumers to curtail energy usage for a certain period of time, referred to as an “event”. Customers may be free to “opt-out” and withdraw their participation from DR events, on a per-event basis. When a participant opts out, the quantity of energy savings of the event may be reduced. Participating customers may be sent a message offering an incentive to tolerate an ongoing DR event. As the event progresses, the DR operator may dynamically monitor and modulate the rate of opt-outs. The present approach may be different in that instead of modulating the number of participants that are included in the event, it may modulate an incentive signal to keep already-included participants from opting out.

Claims

1. An energy management arrangement comprising:

a mobile device;

a utility information system; and

an energy management system; and

wherein;

the mobile device has a wireless connection with the utility information system and the energy management system for communicating incentives to not opt out or to opt in an energy management arrangement, data and commands for managing consumption of energy;

the utility information system is incorporated by a utility;

the energy management system is incorporated by a facility; and

the facility can consume energy provided by the utility.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein:

the mobile device is operated by a manager of the facility;

the mobile device receives incentives to not opt out or to opt in an energy management arrangement from the utility information system and the energy management system;

the manager reviews the incentives to not opt out or to opt in an energy management arrangement;

the manager provides commands and/or data to the energy management system via the mobile device; and

the manager provides commands and/or data to the utility information system via the mobile device.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein if incentives to not opt out or to opt in an energy management arrangement from the utility to the mobile device indicate demand response information such as a price change for energy due to a demand response event, then the manager can send a command to adjust consumption at the facility from the mobile device to the facility.

4. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein:

the utility information system sends a demand response signal relative to a demand response event to the mobile device; and

the manager reviews the demand response signal and sends a command via the mobile device to the facility directing a change of consumption as necessary at the facility in response to the demand response event.

5. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein:

the demand response signal, having information and data, goes to the mobile device;

the manager reviews the demand response signal at the mobile device; and

the manager provides a command signal, as needed, to the facility in response to the demand response signal.

6. The arrangement of claim 5, wherein the manager receiving demand response messages and/or data from the energy management system of the facility, selectively passes the messages and/or data onto the utility.

7. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein

the utility information system of the utility sends out a demand response signal specific to a demand response event to an energy management system of a facility via the mobile device;

and

upon receipt of a demand response signal from the utility to the mobile device, the manager provides commands for adjusting a load of the facility in response to the demand response signal.

8. A demand response method comprising:

achieving a reduction of energy demand with an automated demand response program by sending a signal to consumers requesting the consumers to participate in the demand response program by reducing energy usage for a certain period of time of a demand response event; and

wherein;

a processor provides the signal to the consumers;

consumers can opt in for participation in the demand response program;

consumers can opt out from participation in the demand response program; and

if the consumers in the demand response program provide energy reduction insufficient to meet needed energy savings, then a variable incentive is sent to encourage consumers to opt in or not to opt out of the demand response program.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein if a number of customers that opt out prevent the demand response program from achieving the needed energy savings, then the variable incentive to the consumers is increased.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein when the needed energy savings is achieved, then a signal is sent to the customers indicating that the demand response program is inactive and the variable incentive is zero.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the customers have communication-enabled thermostats that display whether or not the demand response program is active, and if the program is active, then an amount of incentive is displayed at the thermostats.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the processor automatically provides a magnitude to the variable incentive as needed to reduce a number of customers that opt out of the demand response program to assure achieving the needed energy savings.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the customers automatically opt in to participate in the demand response program even though a need for reduction of energy consumption is absent.

14. A system for energy management comprising:

a mobile device;

a utility;

a facility; and

a communications channel between the utility and the mobile device and between the facility and the mobile device; and

wherein;

the mobile device is operated by a manager of the facility;

the mobile device receives information for a demand response program of the facility for pursuing energy savings relative to a demand response event, and an incentive to opt out or opt in the demand response program by the facility manager; and

the mobile device provides commands and data to the facility and the utility and receives messages and data from the facility.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

one or more additional facilities having a connection via a communications channel and a mobile device with the utility; and

wherein;

when a facility opts out of the demand response program, a quantity of energy savings decreases; and

if a number of opt outs by facilities increases and prevents a goal of energy savings being achieved, then the incentives for the facilities to stay or opt in are increased.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein a facility manager receives a message indicating an incentive for participating in the DR program for a complete period of the DR event.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein only when a facility opts in and stays in the demand response program until an end of a period of the DR event, does the facility receive the incentives.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the facility comprises a communication-enabled thermostat that displays a notice that a DR event is in progress and offers an incentive contingent on the facility manager leaving the thermostat undisturbed until after a specific time in the future or until the DR event has ended.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the thermostat may display an amount of the incentive and a change of the amount of the incentive.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the communications channel is wireless.