System and method for creating and operating an enhanced distributed energy network or virtual power plant

• US 7,778,940 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2002
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph R. Mazzarella
• Original Assignee: Joseph R. Mazzarella
• Inventors: Mazzarella, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): WU, RUTAO
• Application Number:
  US10/194,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20030144864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,959 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/004 Generation forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future energy generation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/40 Fuel cell technologies in production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/845 Inventory and reporting systems for greenhouse gases [GHG]
• 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 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A system and method for operating a distributed power generation system comprising one or more Local Production Units (LPPUs) is provided. The method includes the steps of receiving and storing data relating to the operating performance of a plurality of LPPUs, receiving and storing data relating to the local power consumption for the plurality of LPPUs, determining the available aggregate quantity of excess power generation capacity for the plurality of LPPUs based upon the operating performance data and the power consumption data, communicating to at least one power purchasing entity an offer to sell at least part of the available aggregate quantity of excess power generation capacity, receiving from at least one power purchasing entity an order to purchase, and communicating with the plurality of LPPUs to provide each LPPU with instructions regarding the quantity of power to be produced. The system includes means for performing each of these steps.

Claims

1. A system for managing an energy distribution network of local power production units over a distributed communications network, comprising:

a control server configured to control the power production of a plurality of local power production units, wherein the control server determines the amount of power to be provided by each of the local power production units based on at least the operating characteristics of the local power production units, local power production needed by the local power production units, and sequencing power generation among the energy distribution network and interconnected local power production units, wherein the control server is configured to establish a plurality of operational nodes comprising one or more local power production units, wherein a grouping of local power production units into a particular operational node is based upon geography, mutual proximity, combined generation power outputs, or peaking/non-peaking performance considerations of the local power production units, wherein the control server is configured to dynamically add or remove local power production units from the operational node;

a plurality of local power production interface units configured to;

receive control messages from the control server, wherein each of the local power production interface units is communicatively coupled to a local power production unit; and

transmit operating characteristic messages to the control server, wherein each of the local power production interface units includes one or more data interfaces configured to receive operating characteristic information from a one or more of the local power production unit, an electrical meter, a thermometer, a gas pressure meter, a fuel pressure meter or a fuel consumption meter; and

an interconnection switch coupled to each local power production unit and a power grid, wherein the control server is configured to operate the switch.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control server is further configured to determine the efficiency of fuel consumption for each local power production unit based on emissions data received by the control server from the local power production interface units.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the local power production units comprise one or more of fuel cells, microturbines, solar electrical generating devices and wind based electrical generating devices.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control server is further configured to dynamically adjust the amount of power produced by one or more of the local power production units in response to a change in energy production by one or more local power production units, wherein the total power produced by the one or more local power production units is maintained to achieve a target power amount.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control server is further configured to determine the amount of power to be provided by each of the local power production units by considering a factor based on minimizing transmission line losses between the local power production units and the power purchasing entity.

6. A system for managing an energy distribution network of local power production units over a distributed communications network, comprising

a control server configured to control the power production of a plurality of local power production units, wherein the control server determines the amount of power to be provided by each of the local power production units;

and

a plurality of local power production interface units coupled to the control server configured to provide instructions to local power production units,

wherein the control server is further configured to establish a plurality of operational nodes comprising one or more local power production units, wherein a grouping of local power production units into a particular operational node is based upon one or more of geography, mutual proximity, combined generation power outputs, or peaking/non-peaking performance considerations of the local power production units, wherein the control server is configured to dynamically add or remove local power production units from the operational node.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the control server determines the amount of power to be provided by each of the local power production units based upon minimizing transmission line losses between the local power production units and the power purchasing entity.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the local power production units comprise one or more of fuel cells, microturbines, solar electrical generating devices and wind based electrical generating devices.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the control server is further configured to determine the efficiency of fuel consumption for each local power production unit based on emissions data received by the control server from the local power production interface units.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the control server is further configured to dynamically adjust the amount of power produced by one or more of the local power production units in response to a change in energy production by one or more local power production units, wherein the total power produced by the one or more local power production units is maintained to achieve a target power amount.

11. The system of claim 6, further comprising an interconnection switch coupled to each local power production unit and a power grid, wherein the control server is configured to operate the switch.