Distributed electrical power management system for selecting remote or local power generators

• US 6,697,951 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2000
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Lyons, James P., Sinha, Gautam
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Dennis M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Application Number:
  US09/559,420
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 700/286, 700/296, 700/295, 705/412
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/007 Arrangements for selectively connecting the load or loads to one or several among a plurality of power lines or power sources for providing uninterruptable power supply H02J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/16 Energy services, e.g. dispersed generation or demand or load or energy savings aggregation

Abstract

Computer based energy service provider (ESP) information service has been developed for providing operational and management services for distributed local power generation units. The ESP is a subscription service for customers that purchase power from utilities and generate their own power on site from a local power generation unit. The ESP service enables those customers to decide when to purchase power from the utility or generate their own power, and may provide control of the customer'"'"'s power generation unit. Using the ESP, a customer may select whether to exclusively purchase power from a utility, exclusively generate its own power or allow the ESP service to determine whether power should be purchased or self-generated. The ESP service stores the customer'"'"'s selections and remotely controls and operates the local power generation unit and a switch which connects the customer site alternatively to a utility power source or the power generation service.

Claims

1. A method of managing a distributed network of sites each having a local power generation unit using an energy service provider comprising:

selectively providing power to each site from the local power generation unit at the site and from a power utility, wherein each site includes a power mode switch connecting a power load at the site to the local power generation unit and to the power utility;

establishing a data communication link between a computer at each site and a computer system for the energy service provider;

inputting power mode instructions from a local computer system at each site and transmitting the instructions to the energy service provider, wherein the instructions dictate conditions for operating the local power generation unit and switching the site between the local power generation unit and power utility; and

remotely operating the power mode switch in accordance with instructions from the site to automatically select power for each site power from one or both the local power generation unit and the power utility.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of automatically selecting power for each site includes determining whether the local power generation unit has a capacity to supply all power needed by the site.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the power is electric power.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of automatically selecting power for each site is performed periodically at regular time intervals specified by the customer for each said site.

5. A method as in claim 1 further comprising remotely operating the power mode switch to connect the local power generation unit to a power utility, and supplying power from the local power generation unit to the power utility.

6. A method for remotely controlling the supply of power to a plurality of consumers each of which is selectively connectable to one of first and second power sources and the second power source is a distributed power generator at a site of the customer, said method comprising:

providing a power generation information service having customer subscribers who have selected an automatic selection power source mode option provided by the service wherein each customer subscriber selects a predetermined value to be applied in selecting between the first and second power sources;

monitoring by the service the cost of power supplied for a first power source; and

connecting a customer subscriber to the second power source and activating the second power source, if the cost of power from the first power source exceeds the predetermined value selected by the customer subscriber, and if the customer subscriber has selected an automatic selection option.

7. A method as in claim 6 comprising the further step of the customer inputting a power source mode selection from a group of options including the automatic selection power source mode.

8. A method as in claim 6 wherein the distributed power generator is selected from a group consisting of fuel cells and micro-turbine-powered generators.

9. A method for remotely controlling the supply of power to a plurality of consumers each of which is selectively connectable to one of first and second power sources and the second power source is a distributed power generator at a site of the customer, said method comprising:

providing a power generation information service having customer subscribers who have selected an automatic selection power source mode option provided by the service wherein each customer subscriber selects a predetermined value to be applied in selecting between the first and second power sources;

monitoring by the service the cost of power supplied for a first power source; and

connecting a customer subscriber to the second power source and activating the second power source, if the cost of power from the first power source exceeds the predetermined value selected by the customer subscriber, and if the customer subscriber has selected an automatic selection option supplying power from the second power source to the first power source if a price paid for power supplied from the second power source exceeds a predetermined value.

11. A system as in claim 9 wherein the switch is located at a site with the local power generation unit.

12. A system as in claim 11 wherein the local power generators are selected from the group consisting of fuel cells and micro-turbine-powered generators.

13. A system as in claim 9 wherein the first power source is an electric utility.

10. A system for controlling the supply of power to a plurality of consumers each of whom is selectively connectable to a utility and a local power generation unit, the system comprising:

a central monitor for monitoring the amount of power demand by a consumer;

switches responsive to signals from the central monitor for connecting the consumer to their local power generation unit if the cost of power from the utility exceeds a cost of generating power by the local power generation unit and a customer has selected automatic power selection; and

a local power mode selection device at a customer site and receiving automatic power selection input from the customer.