Method of coordinating and stabilizing the delivery of wind generated energy

• US 6,963,802 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2004
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ben M. Enis, Paul Lieberman
• Original Assignee: Ben M. Enis, Paul Lieberman
• Inventors: Enis, Ben M., Lieberman, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirshfeld, Andrew H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor, Victor J.
• Application Number:
  US10/865,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 702/2, 702/60, 290/55, 290/44, 700/286, 606/417, 405/57
• US Class Current: 702/2
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 15/10 using gearing not limited to rotary motion, e.g. with oscillating or reciprocating members
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0284 in relation to the state of the electric grid
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/048 controlling wind farms
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/10 Combinations of wind motors with apparatus storing energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/11 storing electrical energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/257 the wind motor being part of a wind farm
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/96 as part of a wind turbine farm
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/821 Parameter estimation or prediction
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/32 Wind speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/404 active, predictive, or anticipative
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/004 Generation forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future energy generation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/00 Adapting or protecting infrastructure or their operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of coordinating and stabilizing the delivery of wind generated power, such as to a power grid, so as to avoid sudden surges and spikes, despite wind speed fluctuations and oscillations. The method preferably uses a plurality of windmill stations, including a number of immediate use stations, energy storage stations, and hybrid stations, wherein energy can be used directly by the power grid, and stored for later use when demand is high or wind availability is low. The method contemplates forming an energy delivery schedule, to coordinate the use of direct energy and energy from storage, based on daily wind speed forecasts, which help to predict the resulting wind power availability levels for the upcoming day. The schedule preferably sets a reduced number of constant power output periods during the day, during which time energy delivery levels remain substantially constant, despite fluctuations and oscillations in wind speed and wind power availability levels.

Claims

1. A method of coordinating and stabilizing the delivery of wind generated power, comprising:

using a wind farm having a plurality of windmill stations, wherein said wind farm comprises a predetermined number of immediate use stations dedicated to providing energy for immediate use, energy storage stations dedicated to storing energy for later use, and hybrid stations dedicated to providing energy for immediate use and/or storage;

forecasting or obtaining a forecast of wind speed conditions at the wind farm for an upcoming period of time;

using the forecasts to predict the wind speed conditions and the resulting wind power availability levels for the upcoming period of time;

preparing an energy delivery schedule based on the predictions for wind speed and wind power availability levels for the upcoming period, utilizing energy derived from both immediate use and energy storage windmill stations, and as necessary, the hybrid stations; and

using the delivery schedule to set a reduced number of constant power output periods during the upcoming period of time, during which time energy delivery levels can remain substantially constant, despite fluctuations and oscillations in wind speed and wind power availability levels.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the upcoming period of time is the next 24 hour period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises setting no more than seven constant power output periods during any given 24 hour period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises determining the ratio between the number of immediate use and energy storage windmill stations that are to be in operation during the upcoming period of time, and using the hybrid stations to supplement the number of such stations that are to be in operation as needed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery schedule is set or designed to be set based on the forecasts so that the amount of pressure in storage at any given time will not exceed 600 psig or go below 100 psig.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the immediate use stations are adapted to supply electrical energy directly to a power grid, and the energy storage stations are adapted to provide compressed air energy into storage, and the hybrid stations are adapted to switch between being an immediate use station to supply electrical energy directly, and an energy storage station to provide compressed air energy into storage.

7. The method of claim 6, the delivery schedule takes into account the amount of energy that can be supplied directly from the immediate use stations, and the amount of energy that can be provided from storage from the energy storage stations, and the amount of power expected to be used and withdrawn by the power grid, so as to maintain a predetermined amount of power in storage, which can help ensure that wind generated power will be available at the constant power output levels, even when the wind power availability levels drop below the demand for power needed by the power grid.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery schedule is set so that the amount of compressed air energy in storage from the energy storage stations and any hybrid stations that are set to the energy storage mode at the end of the upcoming period of time is equal to or greater than the amount of compressed air energy in storage at the beginning of the upcoming period of time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery schedule takes into account when the wind power availability into storage is equal to the demand for wind generated power out of storage, when the wind power availability into storage is greater than the demand for wind generated power out of storage, and when the wind power availability into storage is less than the demand for wind generated power out of storage.

10. A method of coordinating and stabilizing the delivery of wind generated power, comprising:

using a plurality of windmill stations, at least one comprising an electrical generator for generating electricity directly, and at least one comprising a compressor for storing compressed air energy into storage;

forecasting or obtaining a forecast of wind speed conditions for an upcoming period of time;

using the forecasts to predict the wind speed conditions and the resulting wind power availability levels for the upcoming period of time;

preparing an energy delivery schedule based on the predictions for wind speed and wind power availability levels for the upcoming period, utilizing energy derived from the electrical generators and compressed air energy in storage; and

using the delivery schedule to set a reduced number of constant power output periods during the upcoming period of time, during which time energy delivery levels remain substantially constant, despite fluctuations and oscillations in wind speed and wind power availability levels.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the upcoming period of time is the next 24 hour period.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the method comprises setting no more than seven constant power output periods during any given 24 hour period.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the method comprises providing a predetermined ratio of immediate use and energy storage windmill stations that are to be in operation during the upcoming period of time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a predetermined number of hybrid stations capable of being switched between immediate use and energy storage are provided and used to set the predetermined ratio.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the delivery schedule is set to take into account that the amount of pressure in storage at any given time should not exceed 600 psig or go below 100 psig.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the immediate use stations are adapted to supply electrical energy directly to a power grid, and the energy storage stations are adapted to provide compressed air energy into storage, and the delivery schedule takes into account the amount of energy that can be supplied directly from the immediate use stations, and the amount of energy that can be provided into storage from the energy storage stations.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the delivery schedule takes into account the amount of power expected to be used and withdrawn by the power grid from the immediate use and energy storage stations, so as to maintain a predetermined amount of power in storage, which helps ensure that wind generated power will be available at the constant power output levels, even when the wind power availability levels drop below the demand for power needed by the power grid.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the delivery schedule is set so that the amount of compressed air energy in storage at the end of the upcoming period of time is equal to or greater than the amount of compressed air energy in storage at the beginning of the upcoming period of time.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the delivery schedule takes into account when the wind power availability into storage is equal to the demand for wind generated power out of storage, when the wind power availability into storage is greater than the demand for wind generated power out of storage, and when the wind power availability into storage is less than the demand for wind generated power out of storage.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined ratio is determined and set for the upcoming period of time, based on whether the forecasts show there will be fewer or greater variations in wind speed during the upcoming period of time, wherein more immediate use stations will be desired when there are fewer variations in wind speed, and more energy storage stations will be desired when there are more variations in wind speed.