Method of coordinating and stabilizing the delivery of wind generated energy

• US 7,308,361 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• 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): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor, Victor J.
• Application Number:
  US11/242,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20060089805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 702 1- 4, 703/1, 603/98
• US Class Current: 702/2
• 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: Y02P 90/50 Energy storage in industry with an added climate change mitigation effect
• 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 at least one windmill station is adapted to store energy generated by the wind;

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, taking into account the amount of energy that can be stored and used at a later time; 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 are substantially constant, despite fluctuations and oscillations in wind speed and wind power availability levels.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises at least one feature taken from the group consisting of:

a. wherein the upcoming period of time is the next 24 hour period;

b. wherein the method comprises setting no more than seven constant power output periods during any given 24 hour period; and

c. wherein energy is stored as compressed air energy, and 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.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises providing a predetermined number of immediate use stations dedicated to providing energy for immediate use, and energy storage stations dedicated to storing energy for later use, and 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.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein 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.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the delivery schedule is set so that the amount of energy in storage from the energy storage stations at the end of the upcoming period of time is equal to or greater than the amount of energy in storage at the beginning of the upcoming period of time.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the delivery schedule takes into account when the wind power availability into storage is substantially 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.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the method comprises providing a predetermined number of hybrid windmill stations dedicated to providing energy for immediate use and/or storage, and using the hybrid stations to supplement the number of stations that are to be in operation.

8. The method of claim 7, 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 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.

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

using a plurality of windmill stations, comprising at least one immediate use station dedicated to providing energy for immediate use, and at least one energy storage station dedicated to storing energy for later use;

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 immediate use and energy storage 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 remain substantially constant, despite fluctuations and oscillations in wind speed and wind power availability levels.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the method comprises at least one feature taken from the group consisting of:

a. wherein the upcoming period of time is the next 24 hour period;

b. wherein the method comprises setting no more than seven constant power output periods during any given 24 hour period;

c. wherein energy is stored as compressed air energy, and 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; and

d. determining the ratio between the number of immediate use and energy storage stations that are to be in operation during the upcoming period of time.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein 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.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the delivery schedule is set so that the amount of energy in storage from the energy storage stations at the end of the upcoming period of time is equal to or greater than the amount of energy in storage at the beginning of the upcoming period of time.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the delivery schedule takes into account when the wind power availability into storage is substantially 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.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the method comprises providing a predetermined number of hybrid stations dedicated to providing energy for immediate use and/or storage, and using the hybrid stations to supplement the number of stations that are to be in operation.

15. The method of claim 14, 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 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 energy into storage.

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

using a wind farm having the ability to generate energy for immediate use, and the ability to store energy for later use;

preparing an energy delivery schedule based on predictions for wind speed and wind power availability levels for an upcoming period of time, utilizing energy from the wind farm for immediate use, and energy from the wind farm stored for later use; 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.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the method comprises at least one feature taken from the group consisting of:

a. wherein the upcoming period of time is the next 24 hour period;

b. wherein the method comprises setting no more than seven constant power output periods during any given 24 hour period;

c. wherein the delivery schedule is based on forecasts of wind speed conditions for the upcoming period of time, wherein the forecasts are used to predict the wind speed conditions and the resulting wind power availability levels for the upcoming period of time; and

d. wherein energy is stored as compressed air energy, and the delivery schedule is set or designed to be set so that the amount of compressed air pressure in storage at any given time will not exceed 600 psig or go below 100 psig.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the delivery schedule takes into account the amount of energy that can be supplied immediately, and the amount of energy that can be provided from storage, 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.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the delivery schedule is set so that the amount of energy in storage at the end of the upcoming period of time is equal to or greater than the amount of energy in storage at the beginning of the upcoming period of time.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the delivery schedule takes into account when the wind power availability into storage is substantially 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.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein a predetermined number of immediate use stations are adapted to supply electrical energy directly to a power grid, and a predetermined number of energy storage stations are adapted to provide energy into storage.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the method comprises providing a predetermined number of hybrid stations dedicated to providing energy for immediate use and/or storage, and using the hybrid stations to supplement the number of stations that are to be in operation.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein 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 energy into storage.