Systems and methods for microgrid power generation management with selective disconnect

• US 8,751,036 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Causam Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Causam Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Szyperski, James Kevin, Forbes, Joseph W. Jr., Darden, Thomas Francis II
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US13/247,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20130079943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 700/219, 700/295, 307/64, 307/29
• US Class Current: 700/219
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00006 characterised by information or instructions transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated power network element or electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/10 The dispersed energy generation being of fossil origin, e.g. diesel generators
• 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 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/08 requiring starting of a prime-mover
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• 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 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 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 10/12 : Monitoring or controlling equipment for energy generation units, e.g. distributed energy generation [DER] or load-side generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/14 : Energy storage units
• 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 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 20/248 : UPS systems or standby or emergency generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/12 : characterised by data transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/12 : Billing, invoicing, buying or selling transactions or other related activities, e.g. cost or usage evaluation

Abstract

Systems and methods for coordinating selective activation of a multiplicity of emergency power generation equipment over a predetermined geographic area for distribution and/or storage to supply a microgrid of electrical power, and automatic, selective disconnect any of the at least one power generator from providing power supply to the microgrid or wider area grid.

Claims

1. A method for microgrid distributed power generation and management comprising the steps of:

providing a microgrid distributed power generation system including at least one power generation equipment for generating electrical power located at predetermined, distributed locations for providing emergency back-up power supply for use at the locations of power generation, wherein the microgrid is associated with a grid for distributing power over a larger geographic area than the microgrid;

providing a controller system connected to the at least one power generation equipment, the controller system further including;

a monitoring device in communication connection that monitors the at least one power generation equipment;

at least one server computer, located centrally or distributed over a network, the at least one server computer in network communication with the monitoring device and a controller connected to a power distribution switch associated with and connected to the at least one power generation equipment, and operable for automatically generating event instructions to a controllable device for automatically releasing and/or preventing release of electrical power to the power grid for distribution on the power grid when a predetermined conditions exist;

wherein each controllable device is remotely operable by the at least one server computer for selectively automatically enabling and disabling the flow of electric power from the at least one power generation equipment to an electric microgrid, for distribution to the power grid;

a device interface for facilitating and producing communication of power releasing and/or preventing power release instructions to at least one controllable device for selective power generation and disconnect of any of the at least one power generation equipment from the microgrid or grid; and

the at least one server computer automatically selectively activating the power generation equipment to produce electricity for distribution over the microgrid via the microgrid based upon instructions from the controller.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of the at least one server computer automatically coordinating selective activation of a multiplicity of emergency power generation equipment during any period wherein power failure on the grid is detected.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of the system providing for automatic power storage of power generated by the equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method provides for the selective activation of the power generation equipment to occur at detection of power failure in the grid, and the system server computer automatically requesting curtailment from a utility company controlling supply and billing for power received through the grid.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the system further includes an automated remote controller for activating the at least one piece of equipment based upon instruction received by the controller from the remote server computer for automatically generating power for use locally during a period of power failure in the grid.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the system further includes a remote server computer in networked communication with the at least one piece of equipment for monitoring the status of the equipment and for activating the equipment remotely.

7. A system for microgrid distributed power generation and management comprising:

a multiplicity of power generation equipment located at predetermined, distributed locations for providing emergency back-up power supply for use in situs, without distribution of the electrical power beyond the locality where it is generated upon automatic detection of power failure in a wider grid to which the microgrid is connected, including the power generation equipment; and

a monitoring device that tracks real time wholesale energy market price;

a database for storing wholesale energy market price;

an analyzing device for storing and analyzing wholesale market price data, and on a per power storage device basis, data indicative of the electricity remaining in that specific device;

at least one server computer, located centrally or distributed over a network, the at least one server computer in network communication for monitoring and being responsive to the market price fluctuation analysis, and operable for generating event instructions to a controllable device for releasing electrical power to the power grid for distribution when the market price is at least at a predetermined threshold at which point the power generated is automatically directed by the at least one server computer to be released and sold to the power grid;

a device interface for facilitating and producing communication of power releasing instructions to at lease one controllable device on power storage device by the at least one server computer;

at lease one controllable device associated with and preferably connected to the at least one power generator and/or electricity storage device, wherein each controllable device is remotely operable by the at least one server computer for executing the communication of power instructions for selectively enabling and disabling or disconnecting the flow of electric power from the electric storage to an electric microgrid, for distribution thereby; and

selectively activating the power generation equipment remotely by the at least one server computer to produce electricity for distribution over the microgrid and/or for storage until later distribution via the microgrid following selective disconnection of the power generation equipment due to a trigger event;

wherein the equipment is remotely, selectively, and automatically activatable, and constructed and configured in connection with an electrical power microgrid to produce electricity local use over the microgrid and/or for storage until later distribution over the microgrid.

8. The system of claim 7, further including more than one power generation equipment that is operable for coordinated, selective activation.

9. The system of claim 7, further including a multiplicity of emergency power generation equipment positioned apart over a predetermined geographic area for distribution and/or storage to supply a microgrid of electrical power.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one equipment is automatically selectively activatable at predetermined times and automatically selectively disconnected from the microgrid or wide area grid.

11. A system for power generation management comprising:

a microgrid distributed power generation system constructed and configured for automatically managing electricity generation and releasing by a cell tower emergency power backup generator based on power failure detection, including at least one power generator, the at least one power generator including at least one electricity generator, wherein the at least one electricity generator is selected from the group consisting of solar arrays, natural gas generators, propane generators, diesel generators, and combinations thereof, wherein the at least one power generator is associated with a cell tower for the use of emergency backup during electricity blackout, constructed and configured to be activated remotely by a power control instruction communicated over a network by a server computer to generate electricity for immediate supply through direct connection into a microgrid electrical distribution system and/or further includes at least one energy storage mechanism for providing temporary power storage for selectively discharging electricity into a microgrid when a wider grid of distributed power experiences a power failure or disruption that is detected by a monitoring device in networked communication to a controller connected to the emergency power generator, and for any of the at least one power generator may be selectively disconnected or disengaged from providing power supply to the microgrid or wider area grid.