Modular energy control system

• US 8,676,389 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gridpoint (Twenty First Century Utilities LLC)
• Original Assignee: Gridpoint (Twenty First Century Utilities LLC)
• Inventors: Golden, Brian, Lewis, Roger Karl, Corsell, Peter L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US13/356,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20130024041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 700/291, 700/286, 700/295
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• 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: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

A wireless base unit communicates with one or more wireless load manager units to receive power measurements for one or more loads connected to the wireless load manager. In response to dynamic variables, such as the changing price of electricity, the wireless base unit transmits commands to the wireless load manager to shut off or reduce power consumed by the one or more loads. In one variation, a wireless adapter also receives commands from the wireless base unit and converts the commands into a vendor-specific format used to control other devices such as a photovoltaic (PV) inverter.

Claims

1. A computer program product for controlling energy consumption at a building having one or more electrical loads being controlled and measured by a load manager, wherein the load manager is in communication with an energy manager, and wherein the energy manager transmits commands to the load manager and receives electrical load measurements from the load manager, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transient computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in the computer usable medium for causing an application program to execute on a computer system, the computer readable program code means comprising;

computer readable program code for causing the energy manager to receive load measurements from the load manager indicating electricity used by the one or more electrical loads;

computer readable program code for determining a baseline demand forecast, using the load measurements, for energy usage by the one or more electrical loads;

computer readable program code for causing the energy manager to receive a current price of energy for an external power grid capable of supplying electrical power to the one or more electrical loads;

computer readable program code for determining a baseline production forecast, using one or more of weather data, time-of-year data, and historical data, for one or more alternative power sources capable of supplying electrical power to the one or more electrical loads;

computer readable program code for determining the lowest cost way of meeting demand of the one or more electrical loads capable of receiving power from the external power grid and the one or more alternative power sources;

computer readable program code for calculating, based on the determination of the lowest cost way of meeting the demand and the current price of power, an estimate of an expected value of the power during the forecast period;

computer readable program code for determining which of the one or more electrical loads can be deferred based on the estimate of the expected value of power during the forecast period and a deferrable service schedule;

computer readable program code for causing the energy manager to send commands to the load manager for deferring power to the one or more electrical loads; and

computer readable program code for determining, based on the estimate of expected value during the forecast period, when to sell power to the external power grid.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising computer readable program code for enabling the energy manager to communicate wirelessly with the load manager.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising computer readable program code for enabling the energy manager to receive a temperature measurement from a wireless thermostat and for enabling the energy manager to transmit commands to the load controller for changing temperature settings.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the one or more loads are deferred by changing the temperature settings.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising computer readable program code for enabling the energy manager to receive commands from a remote control center.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising computer readable program code for enabling the energy manager to receive the current price of energy from a remote control center.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the one or more alternative power sources includes one or more solar panels.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising computer readable program code for enabling the energy manager to receive a demand side management request and for responding to the demand side management request by reducing one or more electrical loads.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising computer readable program code for causing the energy manager to send commands to the load manager to defer one or more of the electrical loads in response to the demand side management request.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program code for determining when to sell power to the external power grid further uses the demand side management request to make such determination.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer readable program code for determining the lowest cost way of meeting demand of the one or more loads uses the demand side management request to make such determination.

12. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program code for determining the demand forecast uses historical data.

13. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program code for determining the demand forecast uses ambient condition data.

14. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program code for determining which of the one or more electrical loads can be deferred further determines when and for how long the one or more electrical loads are to be deferred;

and wherein the commands sent to the load manager for deferring power to the one or more electrical loads include when and for how long the one or more electrical loads are to be deferred.

15. A method of controlling energy consumption at a building having one or more electrical loads being controlled and measured by a load manager, wherein the load manager is in communication with an energy manager, and wherein the energy manager transmits commands to the load manager and receives electrical load measurements from the load manager, the method comprising:

receiving load measurements from the load manager indicating electricity used by the one or more electrical loads;

determining a baseline demand forecast, using the load measurements, for energy usage by the one or more electrical loads;

causing the energy manager to receive a current price of energy for an external power grid capable of supplying electrical power to the one or more electrical loads;

determining a baseline production forecast, using one or more of weather data, time-of-year data, and historical data, for one or more alternative power sources capable of supplying electrical power to the one or more electrical loads;

determining the lowest cost way of meeting demand of the one or more electrical loads capable of receiving power from the external power grid and the one or more alternative power sources;

calculating, based on the determination of the lowest cost way of meeting the demand and the current price of power, an estimate of an expected value of the power during the forecast period;

determining which of the one or more electrical loads can be deferred based on the estimate of the expected value of power during the forecast period and a deferrable service schedule;

causing the energy manager to send commands to the load manager for deferring power to the one or more electrical loads; and

determining, based on the estimate of expected value during the forecast period when to sell power to the external power grid.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the energy manager communicates wirelessly with the load manager.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the energy manager receiving a temperature measurement from a wireless thermostat and transmitting commands to the load controller for changing temperature settings.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more loads are deferred by changing the temperature settings.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the energy manager receiving commands from a remote control center.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the energy manager receiving the current price of energy from a remote control center.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more alternative power sources include one or more solar panels.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising the energy manager receiving a demand side management request and responding to the demand side management request by reducing the one or more electrical loads.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the energy manager to sending commands to the load manager to defer one or more of the electrical loads in response to the demand side management request.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the determination of when to sell power to the external power grid, further uses the demand side management request to make such determination.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the determining of the lowest cost way of meeting demand of the one or more loads uses the demand side management request to make such determination.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the determination of the demand forecast uses historical data.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the determination of the demand forecast uses ambient condition data.

28. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining when, and for how long, the one or more electrical loads are to be deferred using the deferrable service schedule; and

deferring the one or more electrical loads according to the determination of when, and for how long, the one or more electrical loads are to be deferred.