Aggregator, monitor, and manager of distributed micro-generators

• US 9,052,732 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2014
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MCG Versify Acquisition LLC
• Original Assignee: Versify Solutions, Inc. (MCG Energy Solutions LLC)
• Inventors: Ippolito, David, Cona, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): HARTMAN JR, RONALD D
• Application Number:
  US14/471,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20140371938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 285 Days
• Field of Search: 700/286, 700/291, 700/295, 700/297, 705/412
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/58 The condition being electrical
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/003 Load forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future load demand
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/144 Demand-response operation of the power transmission or distribution network
• 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: Y02P 90/82 Energy audits or management systems therefor
• 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 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/16 Energy services, e.g. dispersed generation or demand or load or energy savings aggregation

Abstract

A system includes a processor and a non-transitory data storage device that contains instructions. When executed by the processor, the instructions include an aggregator of distributed micro-generator energy sources capable of delivering an energy source to a power grid; a monitor of the distributed micro-generator energy sources, wherein the monitor communicates micro-generator energy usage data with a wholesale power producer and a microgenerator asset owner; and a portfolio optimizer of the distributed micro-generator energy sources, wherein the portfolio optimizer facilitates commercialization of the distributed micro-generator energy sources, wherein the monitor tracks and reports micro-generator energy source use by a wholesale power producer; and wherein assigning a specific one of the micro-generator energy sources to a wholesale power producer causes energy to be delivered to a wholesale power market via a wholesale power grid.

Claims

1. A system comprising a processor and a non-transitory data storage device that contains instructions when executed by the processor comprising:

an aggregator of distributed micro-generator energy sources capable of delivering an energy source to a power grid;

a monitor of the distributed micro-generator energy sources, wherein the monitor communicates micro-generator energy usage data with a wholesale power producer and a microgenerator asset owner; and

a portfolio optimizer of the distributed micro-generator energy sources, wherein the portfolio optimizer facilitates commercialization of the distributed micro-generator energy sources,

wherein the monitor tracks and reports micro-generator energy source use by a wholesale power producer; and

wherein assigning a specific one of the micro-generator energy sources to a wholesale power producer causes energy to be delivered to a wholesale power market via a wholesale power grid.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the optimizer optimizes micro-generator energy source usage.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the optimization is executed according to a market condition.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the optimization is executed according to a micro-generator energy source asset mix.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the optimizer suggests an allocation of micro-generator energy sources.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the optimizer develops a bid and an offer price for energy trading in an energy trading market.

7. A computer-implemented method performed by a processor and a nontransitory data storage device that contains instructions executed by the processor, said method comprising:

aggregating, by the processor, distributed micro-generator energy sources capable of delivering an energy source to a power grid;

monitoring the distributed micro-generator energy sources by communicating micro-generator energy usage data with a wholesale power producer and a micro-generator asset owner; and

optimizing the distributed micro-generator energy sources by facilitating control of a micro-generator energy source by assigning a specific one of the micro-generator energy sources to a wholesale power producer,

wherein the monitoring further includes tracking and reporting micro-generator energy source use by the wholesale power producer; and

wherein assigning a specific micro-generator energy source to the wholesale power producer causes energy to be delivered to a wholesale power market via a wholesale power grid.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the optimizing further comprises optimizing micro-generator energy source usage.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the optimizing is executed according to a market condition.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the optimizing is executed according to a micro-generator energy source asset mix.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the optimizing further comprises suggesting an allocation of micro-generator energy sources.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the optimizing further comprises developing a bid and an offer price for energy trading in an energy trading market.