Communication and control network for distributed power resource units

• US 6,882,904 B1
• Filed: 11/17/2003
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ABB Power Grids Switzerland AG (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ABB Technology AG (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Willis, H. Lee, Levander, Hans, Stillman, Harold M., Petrie, Edward M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael D.
• Application Number:
  US10/715,038
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 700/286, 700/291, 700/295, 705/412
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/003 Load forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future load demand
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/28 Arrangements for balancing of the load in a network by storage of energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/30 using dynamo-electric machines coupled to flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• 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: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/16 Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/12 Monitoring or controlling equipment for energy generation units, e.g. distributed energy generation [DER] or load-side generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/14 Energy storage units
• 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 20/221 General power management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for managing a plurality of power resource assets from a central control center, operating the plurality of power resource assets in an automated fashion as a single power plant.

Claims

1. A method for providing electrical power to a plurality of end-users of electricity, comprising:

receiving data in a central control center from each of the plurality of end-users, the data representing a demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users;

determining a power output from each of a plurality of electric-power devices each capable of providing a maximum of approximately 10 megawatts of electrical power necessary to meet an aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users based on the data from each of the plurality of end-users and operating characteristics of each of the plurality of electric-power devices, using only the central control center, to optimize the operation of at least one of the electric-power devices by at least one of;

minimizing an operating expense of the at least one of the electric-power devices;

maximizing a reliability of the at least one of the electric-power devices;

minimizing a cost to produce electric power using the at least one of the electric-power devices; and

maximizing an efficiency of the at least one of the electric-power devices; and

sending commands from the central control center to each of the plurality of electric-power devices to cause the plurality of electric-power devices to generate a combined power output equal to at least the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving operating data in the central control center from each of the plurality of electric-power devices, and determining a power output from each of the plurality of electric-power devices necessary to meet an aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users based on the operating data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electric-power devices are located in separate geographic locations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electric-power devices comprise at least one of an emergency generator;

a fuel cell;

a photovoltaic cell;

a reciprocating engine;

a wind turbine;

a microturbine;

a battery;

a super-conducting magnetic energy storage device; and

a flywheel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electric-power devices comprise at least one of an electric power generator and an electric storage unit.

6. A system for providing electrical power to a plurality of end-users of electricity, comprising:

a communications network;

a plurality of electric-power devices each capable of providing a maximum of approximately 10 megawatts of electrical power;

a central control center in communication with the plurality of electric-power devices, wherein the central control center;

receives data from each of the plurality of end-users by way of the communications system, the data representing a demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users;

exclusively determines a power output from each of the plurality of electric-power devices necessary to meet an aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users based on the data from each of the plurality of end-users and operating characteristics of each of the plurality of electric-power devices, to optimize the operation of at least one of the electric-power devices by at least one of;

minimizing an operating expense of the at least one of the electric-power devices;

maximizing a reliability of the at least one of the electric-power devices;

minimizing a cost to produce electric power using the at least one of the electric-power devices; and

maximizing an efficiency of the at least one of the electric-power devices; and

sends commands to the plurality of electric-power devices by way of the communications network, the commands causing the plurality of electric-power devices to generate a combined power output equal to at least the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the central control center further comprises:

at least one input device for at least one of receiving the data representing a demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users and receiving operating data from the plurality of electric-power devices; and

a processor for exclusively determining the power output from each of the plurality of electric-power devices necessary to meet the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users based on the data from each of the plurality of end-users and operating characteristics of each of the plurality of electric-power devices.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor includes computer-executable instructions for:

receiving the data from each of the plurality of end-users;

determining the power output from each of the plurality of electric-power devices necessary to meet the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users; and

sending the commands causing the plurality of electric-power devices to generate a combined power output equal to at least the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of controllers for controlling operation of the plurality of electric-power devices in response to the commands sent to the plurality of electric-power devices by way of the communications network, and a plurality of communications devices for receiving the commands from the communications network and relaying the commands to the plurality of controllers.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of electric-power devices are located in separate geographic locations.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of electric-power devices comprise at least one of an emergency generator;

a fuel cell;

a photovoltaic cell;

a reciprocating engine;

a wind turbine;

a microturbine;

a battery;

a super-conducting magnetic energy storage device; and

a flywheel.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of electric-power devices comprise at least one of an electric power generator and an electric storage unit.

13. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for:

receiving data from each of a plurality of end-users of electrical power, the data representing a demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users;

exclusively determining a power output from each of a plurality of electric-power devices having a maximum power-generating capacity of approximately 10 megawatts necessary to meet an aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users based on the data from each of the plurality of end-users and operating characteristics of each of the plurality of electric-power devices, to optimize the operation of at least one of the electric-power devices by at least one of;

minimizing an operating expense of the at least one of the electric-power devices;

maximizing a reliability of the at least one of the electric-power devices;

minimizing a cost to produce electric power using the at least one of the electric-power devices; and

maximizing an efficiency of the at least one of the electric-power devices; and

sending commands to the plurality of electric-power devices for causing the plurality of electric-power devices to generate a combined power output equal to at least the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein exclusively determining a power output from each of a plurality of electric-power devices having a maximum power-generating capacity of approximately 10 megawatts necessary to meet an aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users comprises determining an optimum power output from at least one of the electric-power devices.