SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO ESTABLISH AND MANAGE A NETWORK OF DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES

• US 20160028231A1
• Filed: 10/06/2015
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MelRok, LLC
• Original Assignee: MelRok, LLC
• Inventors: Kamel, Michel Roger, Donahue, Paul W.
• Application Number:
  US14/876,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20160028231A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• 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 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• 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 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• 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 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/32 comprising DC/AC inverter means associated with the PV module itself, e.g. AC modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 50/00 Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/34 Smart metering supporting the carbon neutral operation of end-user applications in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/20 using renewable energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/84 : Greenhouse gas [GHG] management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/845 : Inventory and reporting systems for greenhouse gases [GHG]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/18 : using switches, relays or circuit breakers, e.g. intelligent electronic devices [IED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 : State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 : Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 : Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 : using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 : using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/128 : involving the use of Internet protocol

Abstract

A system for analyzing energy usage measures one or more parameters indicative of energy usage for a plurality of sub-circuits, where the sampling rate for the measuring is substantially continuous, and automatically transmits information related to at least one of the measured parameters at a rate that enables monitoring of current energy usage. The system further detects a significant change in a measured parameter, determines whether the significant change in the measured parameter is caused by a change in energy usage, and automatically transmits information related to the significant change in the measured parameter caused by the change in energy usage after detecting the significant change.

Claims

1. A method to establish and manage a network of distributed energy resources, the method comprising:

controlling one or more first distributed energy resources associated with a first facility, wherein controlling the one or more first distributed energy resources comprises receiving first digital data based on electrical energy that is associated with the one or more first distributed energy resources, receiving second digital data from a smart meter or one or more submeters associated with the first facility, the second digital data providing an indication of electrical energy associated with at least a portion of the first facility, and receiving at a first communication port weather-related data and grid-related data over a wide area network;

wherein the first digital data is received in accordance with a first protocol and at a first rate of at least once per minute, and wherein the second digital data is received in accordance with a second protocol and at a second rate of at least once per minute; and

controlling one or more second distributed energy resources associated with a second facility, wherein controlling the one or more second distributed energy resources comprises receiving third digital data based on electrical energy that is associated with the one or more second distributed energy resources, receiving fourth digital data from a smart meter or one or more submeters associated with the second facility, the fourth digital data providing an indication of electrical energy associated with at least a portion of the second facility, and receiving at a second communication port the weather-related data and the grid-related data over the wide area network;

wherein the third digital data is received in accordance with a third protocol and at a third rate of at least once per minute, wherein the fourth digital data is received in accordance with a fourth protocol and at a fourth rate of at least once per minute;

wherein controlling the one or more first distributed energy resources further comprises providing, based at least in part on the first, second, third, and fourth digital data, the weather-related data, and the grid-related data, a first control signal to control a first inverter that is operationally coupled to the one or more first distributed energy resources, wherein the first control signal is provided at a fifth rate of at least once per minute;

wherein controlling the one or more second distributed energy resources further comprises providing, based at least in part on the first, second, third, and fourth digital data, the weather-related data, and the grid-related data, a second control signal to control a second inverter that is operationally coupled to the one or more second distributed energy resources, wherein the second control signal is provided at a sixth rate of at least once per minute; and

wherein the weather-related data and the grid-related data are received in accordance with a communication protocol, and further wherein the one or more first distributed energy resources and the one or more second distributed energy resources each comprise at least one of one or more energy generating devices, one or more energy consuming devices, and one or more energy storage devices.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the weather-related data comprises one or more of actual weather data, predicted weather data, and solar irradiance data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the grid-related data comprises one or more of grid loading data, grid capacity data, pricing data, energy rates, grid condition data, and grid forecast data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the control of the first inverter and the control of the second inverter each comprise one or more of pulse width modulation (PWM) control, digital control, and analog control.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first control signal comprises one of a digital control signal and an analog control signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the wide area network comprises the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more energy generating devices comprise at least one of a solar cell, a wind turbine, and a fuel cell.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first communication port is further configured to transmit reporting digital data over the wide area network at a reporting rate that is decoupled from the first rate and the second rate.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first, second, third, and fourth protocols are each selected from the group consisting of wired protocols and wireless protocols.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein, based at least in part on the first control signal, the electrical energy that is associated with the one or more first distributed energy resources is shifted, shed, stored, or supplemented.

11. A system to establish and manage a network of distributed energy resources, the system comprising:

a first apparatus configured to control one or more first distributed energy resources associated with a first facility, the first apparatus comprising a first input/output (I/O) module configured to receive first digital data based on electrical energy that is associated with the one or more first distributed energy resources, a second I/O module configured to receive second digital data from a smart meter or one or more submeters associated with the first facility, the second digital data providing an indication of electrical energy associated with at least a portion of the first facility, and a first communication port configured to receive weather-related data and grid-related data over a wide area network;

wherein the first digital data is received in accordance with a first protocol and at a first rate of at least once per minute, and wherein the second digital data is received in accordance with a second protocol and at a second rate of at least once per minute; and

a second apparatus configured to control one or more second distributed energy resources associated with a second facility, the second apparatus comprising a third I/O module configured to receive third digital data based on electrical energy that is associated with the one or more second distributed energy resources, a fourth I/O module configured to receive fourth digital data from a smart meter or one or more submeters associated with the second facility, the fourth digital data providing an indication of electrical energy associated with at least a portion of the second facility, and a second communication port configured to receive the weather-related data and the grid-related data over the wide area network;

wherein the third digital data is received in accordance with a third protocol and at a third rate of at least once per minute, wherein the fourth digital data is received in accordance with a fourth protocol and at a fourth rate of at least once per minute;

the first apparatus further comprising a fifth I/O module configured to provide, based at least in part on the first, second, third, and fourth digital data, the weather-related data, and the grid-related data, a first control signal to control a first inverter that is operationally coupled to the one or more first distributed energy resources, wherein the first control signal is provided at a fifth rate of at least once per minute;

the second apparatus further comprising a sixth I/O module configured to provide, based at least in part on the first, second, third, and fourth digital data, the weather-related data, and the grid-related data, a second control signal to control a second inverter that is operationally coupled to the one or more second distributed energy resources, wherein the second control signal is provided at a sixth rate of at least once per minute; and

wherein the weather-related data and the grid-related data are received in accordance with a communication protocol, and further wherein the one or more first distributed energy resources and the one or more second distributed energy resources each comprise at least one of one or more energy generating devices, one or more energy consuming devices, and one or more energy storage devices.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the weather-related data comprises one or more of actual weather data, predicted weather data, and solar irradiance data.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the grid-related data comprises one or more of grid loading data, grid capacity data, pricing data, energy rates, grid condition data, and grid forecast data.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the control of the first inverter and the control of the second inverter each comprise one or more of pulse width modulation (PWM) control, digital control, and analog control.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the first control signal comprises one of a digital control signal and an analog control signal.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the wide area network comprises the Internet.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the one or more energy generating devices comprise at least one of a solar cell, a wind turbine, and a fuel cell.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the first communication port is further configured to transmit reporting digital data over the wide area network at a reporting rate that is decoupled from the first rate and the second rate.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the first, second, third, and fourth protocols are each selected from the group consisting of wired protocols and wireless protocols.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein, based at least in part on the first control signal, the electrical energy that is associated with the one or more first distributed energy resources is shifted, shed, stored, or supplemented.