Systems, methods, and apparatus for maintaining stable conditions within a power grid

• US 8,831,788 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Flynn, Byron Richard, Caird, Kenneth James
• Primary Examiner(s): SHECHTMAN, SEAN P
• Application Number:
  US13/090,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20120271470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 700/297, 700/292
• US Class Current: 700/292
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• 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 2300/40 wherein a plurality of decentralised, dispersed or local energy generation technologies are operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/10 The network having a local or delimited stationary reach
• 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: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/30 Wind power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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 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 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for maintaining stable conditions within a power grid are provided. A local device that includes one or more computer processors may identify one or more power sources associated with a structure. The local device may additionally monitor one or more parameters associated with a power grid configured to supply power to the structure. Based at least in part on the monitoring, the local device may identify a power grid fluctuation. Based at least in part on the identification of the power grid fluctuation, the local device may adjust operation of at least one power source included in the one or more identified power sources.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, by a local device comprising one or more computer processors, one or more power sources and one or more electrical loads associated with a structure, wherein the one or more power sources are configured to supply power to the structure and a power grid associated with a power service provider;

identifying, by the local device, a subset of the one or more electrical loads associated with the structure that are noncritical electrical loads;

identifying, by the local device, one or more additional power sources associated with a group of one or more related structures geographically near the structure, wherein the one or more additional power sources are customer devices configured to supply power to at least one of the one or more related structures and a neighborhood grid that is connected to the power grid;

monitoring, by the local device, one or more power grid parameters associated with the power grid and one or more neighborhood grid parameters associated with the neighborhood grid;

identifying, by the local device, one or more pricing parameters associated with obtaining power from the power grid that comprises at least a current price associated with grid power;

identifying, by the local device based on the monitoring of the one or more neighborhood grid parameters, one or more neighborhood grid fluctuations;

identifying, by the local device based on the monitoring of;

(i) the one or more power grid parameters and (ii) the one or more neighborhood grid fluctuations, a power grid fluctuation; and

adjusting, by the local device based on the identification of the one or more pricing parameters and the power grid fluctuation, operation of at least one of the one or more power sources that comprises (i) directing, by the local device when a predefined frequency is identified, a sale of power supplied by at least one of the one or more additional power sources to the power grid and (ii) reducing the supply of power from the one or more power sources to the noncritical electrical loads in order to maintain power grid stability.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying one or more power sources comprises identifying at least one of (i) a photovoltaic cell, (ii) a wind turbine, or (iii) a battery.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring one or more power grid parameters associated with a power grid comprises monitoring at least one of (i) a frequency parameter, (ii) a voltage parameter, (iii) a power parameter, or (iv) a reactive power parameter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a power grid fluctuation comprises determining that a value of at least one of the one or more monitored parameters fails to satisfy at least one threshold value, and wherein adjusting operation of at least one power source comprises adjusting operation of the at least one power source in order to maintain power grid stability.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting operation of at least one power source comprises supplying power from the at least one power source to the power grid.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting, by the local device based at least in part on the identification of the power grid fluctuation, an amount of power supplied to at least one electrical load associated with the structure.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the local device, another local device associated with another structure; and

identifying, by the local device based at least in part upon communication with the other local device, one or more additional power sources associated with the other structure; and

directing, by the local device based at least in part on the identification of the power grid fluctuation, operation of at least one of the one or more additional power sources.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the local device, another local device associated with another structure;

determining, by the local device based at least in part upon communication with the other local device, a power supply capability and a power demand associated with a plurality of structures comprising the structure and the other structure; and

controlling, by the local device based upon the determined power supply capability and the determined power demand, operation of at least one of (i) the at least one power source, (ii) one or more additional power sources associated with the other structure, (iii) one or more electrical loads associated with the structure, or (iv) one or more electrical loads associated with the other structure.

9. A system, comprising:

at least one communications interface configured to facilitate communication with (i) one or more power sources and one or more electrical loads associated with a structure and (ii) one or more additional power sources associated with a group of one or more related structures geographically near the structure, wherein the one or more power sources are configured to supply power to the structure and a power grid associated with a power service provider, and wherein the one or more additional power sources are customer devices configured to supply power to at least one of the one or more related structures and a neighborhood grid that is connected to the power grid;

at least one measurement device configured to monitor one or more power grid parameters associated with the power grid and one or more neighborhood grid parameters associated with the neighborhood grid; and

at least one processor configured to (i) identify the one or more power sources, (ii) identify the one or more additional power sources, (iii) identify a subset of the one or more electrical loads associated with the structure that are noncritical electrical loads, (iv) receive monitoring data associated with the one or more power grid parameters and the one or more neighborhood grid parameters from the at least one measurement device, (v) identify one or more pricing parameters associated with power obtained from the power grid, and comprising at least a current price associated with the grid power, (vi) identify, based on the received monitoring data that is associated with the one or more neighborhood grid parameters, one or more neighborhood grid fluctuations, (vii) identify, based on the received monitoring data that is associated with the power grid parameters and the one or more neighborhood grid fluctuations, a power grid fluctuation, and (viii) direct, based on the identification of the one or more pricing parameters and the power grid fluctuation, operation of at least one of the one or more power sources that comprises directing, by the local device when a predefined grid frequency is identified, (i) sale of power supplied by at least one of the one or more additional power sources to the power grid and (ii) reducing the supply of power from the one or more power sources to the noncritical electrical loads in order to maintain power grid stability.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the system comprises at least one power meter.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more power sources comprise at least one of (i) a photovoltaic cell, (ii) a wind turbine, or (iii) a battery.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more power grid parameters associated with a power grid comprise at least one of (i) a frequency parameter, (ii) a voltage parameter, (iii) a power parameter, or (iv) a reactive power parameter.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the at least one processor is configured to identify the power grid fluctuation based at least in part on a determination that a value of at least one of the one or more parameters fails to satisfy at least one threshold value, and the at least one processor is further configured to direct operation of the at least one power source in order to maintain power grid stability.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to direct, based at least in part on the identification of the power grid fluctuation, adjustment of an amount of power supplied to at least one electrical load associated with the structure.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the at least one communications interface is further configured to communicate with a control device associated with another structure; and

the at least one processor is further configured to (i) identify, based at least in part upon the communication with the control device, one or more additional power sources associated with the other structure, and (ii) direct, based at least in part on the identification of the power grid fluctuation, operation of at least one of the one or more additional power sources.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the at least one communications interface is further configured to communicate with a control device associated with another structure; and

the at least one processor is further configured to (i) determine, based at least in part upon communication with the control device, a power supply capability and a power demand associated with a plurality of structures comprising the structure and the other structure, and (ii) direct, based upon the determined power supply capability and the determined power demand, operation of at least one of (a) the at least one power source, (b) one or more additional power sources associated with the other structure, (c) one or more electrical loads associated with the structure, or (d) one or more electrical loads associated with the other structure.