Methods and computer program products for remotely managing power demand

• US 8,571,692 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daniel P. Flohr, Stewart Ramsay
• Original Assignee: Daniel P. Flohr, Stewart Ramsay
• Inventors: Flohr, Daniel P., Ramsay, Stewart
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US13/399,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20120203389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 700 19- 20, 700/22, 700 65- 66, 700/286, 700/291, 700/295, 700/297, 126/615, 126621-623, 236/21.B, 340/693.3
• US Class Current: 700/65
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• 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: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/28 Arrangements for balancing of the load in a network by storage of energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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: Y04S 20/12 Energy storage units, uninterruptible power supply [UPS] systems or standby or emergency generators, e.g. in the last power distribution stages
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A method of managing excess electrical power generation may be provided by remotely controlling operation of at least one of two energy storage devices coupled in series at a customer location in response to availability of generated electricity to the customer location.

Claims

1. A method of managing excess electrical power generation comprising:

remotely controlling operation of at least one of two energy storage devices coupled in series at a customer location in response to availability of generated electricity to the customer location, wherein each energy storage device comprises a water heating device.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the availability of generated electricity comprises the availability of excess generated electricity exceeding demand.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the availability of generated electricity comprises a cost associated with the generated electricity compared to a cost associated with gas.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one of two energy storage devices comprise a first water heater having an output thereof to provide pre-heated water to an input of a second water heater.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein remotely controlling operation of the at least one of the two energy storage devices coupled in series at the customer location in response to the availability of the generated electricity comprises enabling the at least one of the two energy storage devices in response to determining that excess electrical capacity exists to increase demand associated with the customer location.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein remotely controlling operation comprises enabling a first water heating device to be activated when excess electrical power generation capacity exists to store excess electrical power at the customer location as pre-heated water for a second water heating device.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the first water heating device is configured to heat water responsive to a thermostat associated therewith when activated.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein enabling the first water heating device to be activated when excess electrical power generation capacity exists comprises transmitting an activation signal from a system operated by an electric service provider over a network to a power relay at the customer location to couple the first water heating device to electrical power.

9. A method according to claim 4 wherein the second water heater further heats the pre-heated water provided by the first water heater responsive to a thermostat associated therewith.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein each energy storage device comprises a water heater.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein each of the energy storage devices comprises respective portions of a water heater.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the respective portions each include a respective one of the water heating devices configured to heat water associated with the respective portion.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein each of the water heating devices comprises a water heater element.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein each of the water heating devices comprises a water heater element.

15. A method according to claim 13 wherein the water heater elements comprise two or more water heater elements each being associated with a respective portion of the water heater.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein ones of the water heater elements are configured to pre-heat water in the respective portion for other portions of the water heater.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the water heater elements comprise three water heater elements each being associated with a respective portion of the water heater.

18. A method according to claim 1 wherein remotely controlling operation comprises enabling a first water heating device to store excess electrical power at the customer location as pre-heated water for use by a second water heating device.

19. A computer program product for managing excess electrical power generation comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code when executed by a processor causing the processor to perform operations comprising;

remotely controlling operation of at least one of two energy storage devices coupled in series at a customer location in response to availability of generated electricity to the customer location, wherein the energy storage devices comprise water heating devices.

20. A computer program product according to claim 19 wherein at least one of the energy storage devices comprises a first water heater having an output thereof to provide pre-heated water to an input of a second water heater.

21. A computer program product according to claim 19 wherein remotely controlling operation comprises enabling a first water heating device to store excess electrical power at the customer location as pre-heated water for heating by a second water heating device.

22. A computer program product according to claim 19 wherein each of the energy storage devices comprises a respective portion of a water heater.

23. A computer program product according to claim 22 wherein each of the respective portions include a respective one of the water heating devices configured to heat water associated with the respective portion.

24. A computer program product according to claim 23 wherein each of the water heating devices comprises a respective water heater element.

25. A computer program product according to claim 24 wherein the water heater devices comprise two or more water heater elements each being associated with a respective portion of the water heater.

26. A computer program product according to claim 25 wherein the ones of the water heater elements are configured to pre-heat water in the respective portion for other portions of the water heater.