System and method for monitoring and managing energy performance

• US 8,103,465 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2008
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Noveda Technologies, Inc. (IDGlobal Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Noveda Technologies, Inc. (IDGlobal Corp.)
• Inventors: Brzezowski, Edward H., Grabowski, Joseph G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kundu, Sujoy
• Application Number:
  US12/082,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20090088991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 702 60- 62, 702182-186, 702/188, 700/286, 700/291, 705/412
• US Class Current: 702/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/00 Tariff metering apparatus in taximeters G07B13/00; apparatus actuated by coins, cards or the like with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas, or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/10 using digital techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy wind motors F03D
• 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: Y02B 70/34 Smart metering supporting the carbon neutral operation of end-user applications in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• 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: Y04S 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 : Display of information, e.g. of data or controls
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 : Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 : using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

Generation of renewable energy for, exportation of the renewable energy from, importation of utility generated energy to, and consumption of energy at, a facility are monitored in substantially real time to provide for substantially real time management and reporting of energy performance of the facility. Monitoring of environmental conditions and facility operations of the facility, also in substantially real time and time correlated with the energy monitoring, is performed to further enhance the management and reporting of the energy performance of the facility.

Claims

1. A system for managing energy performance comprising:

a renewable energy meter for coupling to an output of a renewable energy generator of a facility, wherein the renewable energy meter is for monitoring generation of renewable energy by the renewable energy generator and for supplying, in real time, renewable energy data representative of the generation of renewable energy, wherein the renewable meter includes a first communications module;

a facility energy meter for coupling to an export energy conveying medium, an import energy conveying medium and a consumption energy conveying medium, wherein the facility energy meter is for monitoring (i) export of the renewable energy generated by the renewable energy generator from the facility on the export medium;

(ii) import of energy to the facility on the import medium; and

(iii) energy conveyed on the consumption medium for consumption at the facility;

wherein the facility energy meter is for supplying, in real time, (i) exported energy data representative of the energy exported from the facility;

(ii) imported energy data representative of the energy imported to the facility; and

(iii) consumed energy data representative of the energy consumed at the facility, wherein the facility meter includes a second communications module;

an energy management module for communicatively coupling to the first and second communications modules and for obtaining, in real time, the renewable energy data from the renewable energy meter and the imported, exported and consumed energy data from the facility energy meter, wherein the management module, in real time, processes the obtained energy data for determining energy performance data for the facility, wherein the energy performance data indicates whether at least a portion of the renewable energy generated by the renewable energy meter is being exported from the facility; and

wherein the management module, in real time, controls display on a display screen of indicia indicating renewable energy is being exported from the facility when the energy performance data indicates that at least a portion of the renewable energy generated by the renewable energy meter is being exported from the facility.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the management module, in real time, transmits display data indicating the indicia over a communications network in response to a request for the display data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the renewable energy data, the exported energy data, the imported energy data and the consumed energy data are time correlated.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the management module transmits, to at least one of the renewable meter and the facility meter, a request for transmission from the at least one meter to the management module of the supplied energy data for a predetermined time.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the management module controls display of indicia representative of whether energy is being exported from, or imported to, the facility at a predetermined time.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the management module controls display of at least one of an instantaneous renewable energy generation value, an instantaneous imported energy value, an instantaneous exported energy value and an instantaneous consumed energy value.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an environmental conditions monitor for monitoring, in real time, at least one of an environmental condition in an interior of the facility and an environmental condition exterior to the facility, wherein the environmental monitor is for supplying, in real time, environmental conditions data representative of the monitored environmental conditions, and wherein the environmental monitor includes a third communications module; and

wherein the management module is for communicatively coupling to the third communications module and for obtaining, in real time, the environmental conditions data from the environmental monitor.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the renewable energy data, the exported energy data, the imported energy data, the consumed energy data and the environmental conditions data are time correlated, wherein the management module is for communicatively coupling to at least one of the renewable energy generator and an energy consumption device in the facility, wherein the management module, in real time, generates and transmits to an operations control module, coupled to at least one of the energy generator and the energy consumption device, demand response data determined based on the energy performance data.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the management module controls display of a performance indicator on the display screen.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an operations monitor for monitoring, in real time, at least one of an operations condition in an interior of the facility and an operations condition exterior to the facility, wherein the operations monitor is for supplying, in real time, operations data representative of the monitored operations conditions, and wherein the operations monitor includes a third communications module; and

wherein the management module is for communicatively coupling to the third communications module and for obtaining, in real time, the operations condition data from the operations monitor.

11. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

an operations monitor for monitoring, in real time, at least one of an operations condition in an interior of the facility and an operations condition exterior to the facility, wherein the operations monitor is for supplying, in real time, operations data representative of the monitored operations conditions, and wherein the operations monitor includes a fourth communications module; and

wherein the management module is for communicatively coupling to the fourth communications module and for obtaining, in real time, the operations conditions data from the operations monitor.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the renewable energy data, the exported energy data, the imported energy data, the consumed energy data, the environmental conditions data and the operations data are time correlated, wherein the management module is for communicatively coupling to a regulator of an operations device in the facility monitored by the operations monitor and for supplying to the regulator, in real time, demand response data determined based on the energy performance data.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the demand response data includes data for controlling an operational component of the device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the renewable energy generator includes at least one of a solar panel and wind turbine.

15. The system of claim 1, where the facility includes a plurality of facilities.

16. A system for certifying energy performance comprising:

a renewable energy meter having communications capabilities and for coupling to an output of a renewable energy generator of a facility, wherein the renewable energy meter is for monitoring generation of renewable energy by the renewable energy generator and for supplying, in real time, renewable energy data representative of the generation of renewable energy;

a facility energy meter having communication capabilities and for coupling to an export energy conveying medium, an import energy conveying medium and a consumption energy conveying medium, wherein the facility energy meter is for monitoring (i) export of the renewable energy generated by the renewable energy generator from the facility on the export medium;

(ii) import of energy to the facility on the import medium; and

(iii) energy conveyed on the consumption medium for consumption at the facility;

wherein the facility energy meter is for supplying, in real time, (i) exported energy data representative of the energy exported from the facility;

(ii) imported energy data representative of the energy imported to the facility; and

(iii) consumed energy data representative of the energy consumed at the facility;

an energy management module for communicatively coupling to the renewable energy meter and the facility energy meter and for obtaining, in real time, the renewable energy data from the renewable energy meter and the imported, exported and consumed energy data from the facility energy meter, wherein the management module, in real time, processes the obtained energy data for determining certified energy performance data for the facility,

wherein the management module, in real time, controls, based on the certified performance data, display on a display screen of an indication of (i) a difference between expected and actual renewable energy generated by the renewable energy generator for the facility;

(ii) a difference between expected and actual consumption of energy at the facility; and

(iii) a difference between expected and actual imported energy at the facility, wherein the performance data is for a predetermined time interval.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the renewable energy data, the exported energy data, the imported energy data and the consumed energy data are time correlated.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the management module, in real time, transmits the certified data to a remote communications device.

19. A method for diagnosing energy performance operation for a facility comprising:

monitoring generation of renewable energy by a renewable energy generator of the facility and supplying, in real time, energy data representative of the monitored, generated renewable energy; and

monitoring operation conditions of and environmental conditions at the renewable energy generator and supplying, in real time, monitoring data representative of the monitored operation and environmental conditions, the monitoring data being time correlated with the energy data;

communicating the supplied energy and monitoring data, in real time, to a data processing device, wherein the processing device, in real time, determines energy performance results for the renewable energy generator, based on the energy data, the monitoring data and data representative of expected energy performance operation of the renewable energy generator; and

providing, by a processor, for adaptive control of the renewable energy generator of the facility, in real time, based on the energy performance results, to modify generation of renewable energy by the renewable energy generator.