Networked energy management

• US 8,655,496 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Douglas Ian Stewart
• Original Assignee: Douglas Ian Stewart
• Inventors: Stewart, Douglas Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Kavita
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cummins, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US13/800,673
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/287
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/466 Scheduling the operation of the generators, e.g. connecting or disconnecting generators to meet a given demand
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/60 Superconducting electric elements or equipment; Power systems integrating superconducting elements or equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A network-based energy management system may identify an area that exhibits a need for electrical energy. The network-based energy management system may also identify an area that exhibits an ability to provide electrical energy. The network-based energy management system may cause electrical energy to be routed from the second area to the first area. In some embodiments, the first area and the second area may include base stations that are electrically connected to one another by one or more energy conduits, which may include superconducting wires so as to minimize transmission losses between base stations and their respective areas.

Claims

1. A system for global energy management, the system comprising:

a first base station located on a first continent, wherein a first energy demand curve is associated with energy used from the first base station;

a second base station located on a second continent, wherein a second energy demand curve is associated with energy used from the second base station, and wherein the first and second energy demand curves out of phase with respect to each other by at least eight hours;

an energy network comprising a plurality of superconductive energy conduits and sensing cooling pumping stations coupled to said superconductive energy conduits that provide electrical connectivity between the first base station and the second base station,

wherein the sensing cooling pumping stations are configured to cool the superconductive energy conduits to a temperature that allows superconductive transmission of electrical energy through said superconductive energy conduits, and

wherein a plurality of the sensing cooling pumping stations are submerged beneath an ocean surface;

an energy source configured to generate electricity, wherein the energy source is located on the first continent, and wherein the energy source is electrically connected to the first base station; and

a local grid located on the second continent, wherein the local grid is electrically connected to the second base station;

wherein at least one of the first base station and the second base station are configured to direct the energy source to generate electricity;

wherein the first base station is configured to provide the electricity generated by the energy source to the second base station via one or more energy conduits of the energy network;

wherein the second base station is configured to provide the electricity received via the energy network to the local grid, and

wherein the energy network is configured to transfer electrical energy from the first base station to the second base station at a time that is near the peak of the second energy demand curve and simultaneously near a trough of the first energy demand curve, such that the generating capacity of the first and second continents is significantly reduced.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first base station and the second base station are configured to direct the energy source to generate electricity during a local time in a time zone in which the energy source is located.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the local time in the time zone in which the energy source is located falls substantially between 6 pm local time and 6 am local time, or between 10 pm local time and 4 am local time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first base station and the second base station are configured to direct the energy source to generate electricity during a local time in a time zone in which the local grid is located.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the local time in the time zone in which the local grid is located falls substantially between 8 am local time and 4 pm local time.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of energy conduits of the energy network form a circumpolar loop.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the circumpolar loop is arranged about the geographic north pole.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising an energy storage facility connected to the energy network by one or more energy conduits.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of energy conduits of the energy network comprises a wire comprising a high-temperature superconductor.

20. The system for global energy management of claim 1, wherein at least one sensing cooling pumping station comprises:

a housing configured to accommodate an energy conduit passing therethrough;

a coolant tank disposed inside the housing, the coolant tank configured to store a coolant;

a cryogenic system disposed inside the housing and connected to the coolant tank, wherein the cryogenic system is configured to pump the coolant into the energy conduit;

an energy sensor disposed inside the housing, wherein the energy sensor is configured to detect electricity flowing through the energy conduit;

a routing switch disposed inside the housing, wherein the routing switch is configured to selectively permit or prevent the flow of electricity through the energy conduit; and

a communication system disposed inside the housing, wherein the communication system is configured to;

receive a direction from a base station to permit or prevent the flow of electricity through the portion of the energy conduit passing through the housing; and

responsive to receiving the direction, cause the routing switch to permit or prevent the flow of electricity through the portion of the energy conduit passing through the housing.

10. A computer-implemented method of operating a system for global energy management, the computer-implemented method comprising:

under control of one or more computing devices configured with specific computer-executable instructions,

determining that a plurality of grids within a system for global energy management collectively exhibits a generation capacity greater than a demand for electrical energy collectively exhibited by the plurality of grids,

wherein the system for global energy management comprises;

a first base station located on a first continent, wherein a first energy demand curve is associated with energy used from the first base station;

a second base station located on a second continent, wherein a second energy demand curve is associated with energy used from the second base station, and wherein the first and second energy demand curves out of phase with respect to each other by at least eight hours;

an energy network comprising a plurality of superconductive energy conduits and sensing cooling pumping stations coupled to said superconductive energy conduits that provide electrical connectivity between the first base station and the second base station,

wherein the sensing cooling pumping stations are configured to cool the superconductive energy conduits to a temperature that allows superconductive transmission of electrical energy through said superconductive energy conduits, and

wherein a plurality of the sensing cooling pumping stations are submerged beneath an ocean surface;

an energy source configured to generate electricity, wherein the energy source is located on the first continent, and wherein the energy source is electrically connected to the first base station; and

a local grid located on the second continent, wherein the local grid is electrically connected to the second base station,

wherein at least one of the first base station and the second base station are configured to direct the energy source to generate electricity,

wherein the first base station is configured to provide the electricity generated by the energy source to the second base station via one or more energy conduits of the energy network,

wherein the second base station is configured to provide the electricity received via the energy network to the local grid, and

wherein the energy network is configured to transfer electrical energy from the first base station to the second base station at a time that is near the peak of the second energy demand curve and simultaneously near a trough of the first energy demand curve, such that the generating capacity of the first and second continents is significantly reduced;

identifying a first grid of the plurality of grids, the first grid being located on the first continent and exhibiting a surplus of generation capacity relative to its peak capacity; and

directing the first grid to increase its generation of electrical energy and to route the generated electrical energy in substantially real time to at least one energy storage facility via the one or more energy conduits.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the at least one energy storage facility comprises a superconductive magnetic energy storage apparatus.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the superconductive magnetic storage apparatus comprises one or more loops of superconducting wire.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the energy storage facility comprises:

a caldera formed at the basin at the peak of a volcano, the caldera defining a first height, a second height, and a path between the first height and the second height, wherein the second height is higher than the first height, and wherein the caldera is in fluid communication with a lake, ocean, or sea of water at the first height;

a reservoir disposed at the second height of the caldera, the reservoir configured to store water and to selectively release the water down the path between the first height and the second height; and

a pump positioned within the lake, ocean, or sea of water, offshore from the volcano and configured to use the electrical energy routed to the energy storage facility to pump water from the lake, ocean, or sea of water at the first height to the reservoir at the second height.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the energy storage facility further comprises a turbine disposed in the path between the first height and the second height, wherein the turbine is configured to be turned by water selectively released down the path by the reservoir.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the energy storage facility further comprises a generator operatively connected to the turbine, wherein the generator is configured to generate electrical energy responsive to the turbine being turned.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein determining that the plurality of grids collectively exhibits a generation capacity greater than the demand for electrical energy collectively exhibited by the plurality of grids comprises predicting a time at which the plurality of grids collectively exhibits a generation capacity greater than the demand for electrical energy collectively exhibited by the plurality of grids.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the predicted time substantially corresponds to a time between 10 am and 4 pm local time in at least one of Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time, Samoa Standard Time, and Chamorro Standard Time.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the predicted time is based at least in part on one or more time zones in which one or more of the plurality of grids lie.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining that the plurality of grids no longer collectively exhibits a generation capacity less than the demand for electrical energy collectively exhibited by the plurality of grids;

identifying a second grid of the plurality of grids, the second grid exhibiting a need for electrical energy; and

responsive to identifying the second grid of the plurality of grids, directing the energy storage facility to route the electrical energy stored by the energy storage facility to the second grid via the one or more energy conduits.