Method and apparatus for actively managing electric power supply for an electric power grid

• US 20150100172A1
• Filed: 12/12/2014
• Published: 04/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Causam Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Causam Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Forbes, Joseph W. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,429,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• 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 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 : Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/248 : UPS systems or standby or emergency generators

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing power supplied over an electric power grid by an electric utility and/or other market participants to multiplicity of grid elements and devices for supply and/or load curtailment as supply, each of which having a Power Supply Value (PSV) associated with its energy consumption and/or reduction in consumption and/or supply, and wherein messaging is managed through a network by a Coordinator using IP messaging for communication with the grid elements and devices, with the energy management system (EMS), and with the utilities, market participants, and/or grid operators.

Claims

1. A system for managing and supplying power on an electric power grid that is constructed and configured for supplying and receiving power from a multiplicity of sources, where the power flows to a plurality of power consuming devices or is generated by a plurality of power generation and/or storage solutions that are energized, de-energized, and/or power-reduced by a plurality of controllable devices, the system comprising:

a server comprising a command processor operable to receive or initiate power commands and issue power event messages responsive thereto for supplying power to the electric power grid by at least one power supply grid element;

a coordinator constructed and configured in networked communication with the server, and operable for receiving, sending, storing, processing, and/or managing the power event messages for the server and for the plurality of power generation and storage solutions;

wherein the power event messages are communicated over a network via the coordinator through an IP-based messaging, synchronous time division multiplexed (TDM)-based messaging, or a proprietary-based messaging;

wherein the power event messages include revenue grade metrology;

a database for storing information relating to power consumed by the plurality of power consuming devices and an amount of power to be reduced to each of the power consuming devices and/or an amount of power supply to be provided to the electric power grid or to be made available for supply to the electric power grid; and

wherein the system is operable for providing maintained or improved grid reliability and stability.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one smart meter and at least one smart meter interface operable to receive the power commands and the power event messages from the server, wherein the at least one smart meter interface is further operable to send at least one command to the at least one smart meter in response to the power commands and/or the power event messages received from the server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the smart meter is operable to send at least one reply to the smart meter interface in response to the at least one command, and the smart meter interface is further operable to convert the at least one reply into a server-readable reply and send the server-readable reply to the server.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one environmentally-dependent device including set control points, wherein the coordinator is operable to generate at least one power supply value (PSV) for the at least one environmentally-dependent device corresponding to an amount of power reduced to the at least one environmentally-dependent device based on the set control points.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of power consuming devices includes a drift corresponding to the at least one power consuming device, wherein the drift is the time it takes for the at least one power consuming device to move from a set point to an upper or lower boundary point.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the system is operable to create an energy consumption pattern for the plurality of power consuming devices and/or the at least one power consuming device based on the drift.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the system is operable to classify each of the at least one power consuming devices into a plurality of non-exclusive, intelligent load rotation groups based on at least a total drift of each of the at least one power consuming devices over a designated time period.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the system is operable to implement intelligent load rotation by selecting at least one of the plurality of intelligent load rotation groups, selecting a power consuming device within the intelligent load rotation group, and determining the amount of power to be reduced to the at least one power consuming device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of power consuming devices is a data center.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is operable for providing operating reserves based upon the amount of power to be reduced to each of the power consuming devices and/or the amount of power supply to be provided to the electric power grid or to be made available for supply to the electric power grid, wherein the operating reserves are at least one of a regulating, a high performance, a spinning, and/or a non-spinning operating reserve.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the power event messages and the power commands are communicated through WiMax, High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Evolution for Data Only (EVDO), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Bluetooth, any first or second generation wireless transport method such as EDGE, or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), wireless Ethernet, wired Ethernet, any proprietary Layer 1-4 protocol that contains or is capable of transporting an Internet Protocol message, standards-based protocols, and combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the power commands and the power event messages include information about load curtailment and/or supply requirements for grid operations and/or grid stability, and further including grid stabilization messaging that is communicated over the network through the coordinator and/or to an energy management system (EMS) using IP messaging.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the power commands and/or power event messages further include settlement data based upon the information about load curtailment and/or supply requirements.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the electric power grid is a microgrid.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the messaging and/or the information stored in the database includes status information about the power supply grid element(s), and wherein the status information includes change-in-state information associated with the power supply grid element(s).

16. The system of claim 1, further including a multiplicity of virtual private networks (VPNs) for routing the power event messages.

17. The system of claim 1, further including edge routing of the power event messages and/or the power commands for grid elements.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the power event messages include a power supply value (PSV) that indicates compensation provided for power supply or available for supply by the at least one power supply grid element.

19. The system of claim 18, further including aggregation of PSVs from a multiplicity of devices to form at least one power trade block (PTB), wherein the compensation is based upon native generation and for operating reserves created, and market pricing for the native generation and the operating reserves.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein for each of the at least one power supply grid element(s), the server automatically generates a power supply value (PSV).

21. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one power supply grid element(s) further includes at least one mobile device having at least one access point name (APN) for providing a priority of delivery for the messages.

22. The system of claim 1, further including an event manager operable to receive the power event messages, maintain at least one power management status relating to at least one device, and issue power event instructions responsive to the power event messages, a plurality of controllable devices and corresponding device interfaces facilitating communication of power control instructions to the controllable devices, and a client device manager in communication with the event manager and the database;

the client device manager selecting from the database, based on the information stored in the database, at least one client device to which to issue a power control message indicating at least one of an amount of electric power to be reduced or increased and identifying at least one controllable device to be instructed to disable a flow of electric power or reduce settings corresponding to power consumption to one or more associated power consuming devices responsive to receipt of a power control event instruction requiring a reduction in a specified amount of electric power;

the power control instructions causing the at least one controllable device to selectively enable and/or disable a flow of power to the power consuming device(s); and

a device control manager in communication with the controllable device interfaces for issuing a power control instruction to the controllable devices through the controllable device interfaces, responsive to the received power control message.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one power supply grid element provides messaging including information for an amount of power available for supply and a corresponding power supply value (PSV) provided or aggregated.

24. A system for managing and supplying power on an electric power grid that is constructed and configured for supplying and receiving power from a multiplicity of sources, where the power flows to a plurality of power consuming devices or is generated by a plurality of power generation and storage solutions that are energized, de-energized, and/or power-reduced by a plurality of controllable devices, the system comprising:

a server comprising a command processor operable to receive or initiate power commands and issue power event messages responsive thereto for supplying power to the electric power grid by at least one power supply grid element;

a coordinator constructed and configured in networked communication with the server, and operable for receiving, sending, storing, processing, and/or managing the power event messages for the server and for the plurality of power generation and storage solutions;

wherein the power event messages include revenue grade metrology and are communicated over a network via the coordinator through an IP-based messaging, synchronous time division multiplexed (TDM)-based messaging, or a proprietary-based messaging;

a database for storing information relating to power consumed by the plurality of power consuming devices and an amount of power to be reduced to each of the power consuming devices and/or an amount of power supply to be provided to the electric power grid or to be made available for supply to the electric power grid;

wherein the coordinator is operable for generating, managing, and/or communicating at least one power supply value (PSV), wherein the at least one PSV corresponds to an amount of power to be reduced to each of the power consuming devices and/or an amount of power supply to be provided to the electric power grid or to be made available for supply to the electric power grid; and

wherein the at least one PSV is operable to be aggregated into a minimum power trading block (PTB), wherein the minimum PTB is determined by the governing body for electric power grid for settlement of the supply of power to the electric power grid; and

wherein the system is operable for providing maintained or improved grid stability.

25. An apparatus for managing and supplying power on an electric power grid that is constructed and configured for supplying and receiving power from a multiplicity of sources, where the power flows to a plurality of power consuming devices or is generated by a plurality of power generation and/or storage solutions that are energized, de-energized, and/or power-reduced by a plurality of controllable devices, the apparatus comprising:

a coordinator for managing at least one communication between grid elements and devices, supply sources, and a control server or Energy Management System (EMS);

wherein the at least one communication occurs over a network, includes revenue grade metrology, and has a priority of delivery including at least one of a plurality of methods to include priority access flags, virtual private networks, independent identifying addresses (MAC, IP, Electronic Serial Numbers), manufacturers specific identifying codes, or combinations thereof, wherein the methods comply with standards as determined by the governing entity that regulates grid operations for utilities, market participants or grid operators;

wherein the revenue grade metrology is operable to be provided in real-time, near real-time, or the timing required by the grid operator entity for generating operating reserves for grid stability.