Microgrid control system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for configuring a microgrid comprising a virtual power plant having a plurality of power generation sources and a plurality of power loads, the method comprising:
- pinging each element in a plurality of microgrid elements to verify a configuration of the plurality of micro grid elements;
initializing, based on a result of the pinging, a first configuration of the microgrid having a plurality of distributed energy resources and the plurality of microgrid elements, the plurality distributed energy resources being autonomous and the plurality of microgrid elements being connected in a peer-to-peer processor network, wherein a plurality of distributed energy resources include at least one small scale power generation element selected from at least one of a wind turbine, a photovoltaic system, a fuel cell, a geothermal power generator, a microturbine, a combustion turbine, a reciprocating engine, a hybrid power generator that uses both heat and power, or a hydroelectric power generator;
receiving status data from the plurality of microgrid elements that indicates a reconfiguration of the microgrid;
responsive to receiving status data from the plurality of microgrid elements that indicates the reconfiguration of the microgrid, re-aligning the plurality of microgrid elements to form a second grid configuration; and
executing the second grid configuration.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method, apparatus, and computer program product is provided for configuring a microgrid. A first configuration of the microgrid having a set of microgrid elements is initialized. An address for each element in the set of microgrid elements of the microgrid is verified. In response to receiving status data from the set of microgrid elements connected in a peer-to-peer network indicating a reconfiguration of the microgrid, the set of microgrid elements is re-aligned to form a second grid configuration. The second grid configuration is executed.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for configuring a microgrid comprising a virtual power plant having a plurality of power generation sources and a plurality of power loads, the method comprising:
-
pinging each element in a plurality of microgrid elements to verify a configuration of the plurality of micro grid elements; initializing, based on a result of the pinging, a first configuration of the microgrid having a plurality of distributed energy resources and the plurality of microgrid elements, the plurality distributed energy resources being autonomous and the plurality of microgrid elements being connected in a peer-to-peer processor network, wherein a plurality of distributed energy resources include at least one small scale power generation element selected from at least one of a wind turbine, a photovoltaic system, a fuel cell, a geothermal power generator, a microturbine, a combustion turbine, a reciprocating engine, a hybrid power generator that uses both heat and power, or a hydroelectric power generator; receiving status data from the plurality of microgrid elements that indicates a reconfiguration of the microgrid; responsive to receiving status data from the plurality of microgrid elements that indicates the reconfiguration of the microgrid, re-aligning the plurality of microgrid elements to form a second grid configuration; and executing the second grid configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A method for managing a microgrid comprising a virtual power plant having a plurality of power generation sources and a plurality of power loads, the method comprising:
-
pinging each element in a plurality of microgrid controller elements to verify a configuration of the plurality of microgrid elements; receiving, based on a result of the pinging, status data from the plurality of microgrid controller elements connected in a peer-to-peer controller network connecting the plurality of microgrid controller elements within a microgrid local area network of a microgrid having a plurality of distributed energy resources, the plurality of distributed energy resources being autonomous, wherein the plurality of distributed energy resources is at least one small scale power generation element selected from at least one of a wind turbine, a photovoltaic system, a fuel cell, a geothermal power generator, a microturbine, a combustion turbine, a reciprocating engine, a hybrid power generator that uses both heat and power, or a hydroelectric power generator; responsive to the status data indicating a change in the microgrid that exceeds a threshold level, re-aligning the plurality of microgrid controller elements and a plurality of tasks associated with the plurality of microgrid controller elements to form a re-aligned microgrid configuration; and executing the re-aligned microgrid configuration. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. An apparatus comprising:
-
a microgrid comprising a virtual power plant having a plurality of power generation sources and a plurality of power loads and having a plurality of distributed energy resources and a plurality of microgrid elements, the plurality of distributed energy resources being autonomous, wherein the plurality of distributed energy resources is at least one small scale power generation element selected from at least one of a wind turbine, a photovoltaic system, a fuel cell, a geothermal power generator, a microturbine, a combustion turbine, a reciprocating engine, a hybrid power generator that uses both heat and power, or a hydroelectric power generator; and a microgrid controller associated with the microgrid configured to ping each element in a plurality of micro grid elements to verify a configuration of the plurality of microgrid elements, initialize, based on a result of the pinging, a first configuration of the microgrid;
verify an address for each element in the plurality of microgrid elements;
re-align the plurality of microgrid elements to form a second grid configuration in response to receiving status data from the plurality of microgrid elements connected in a peer-to-peer network that indicates a reconfiguration of the microgrid; and
execute the second grid configuration. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A computer program product for configuring a microgrid comprising a virtual power plant having a plurality of power generation sources and a plurality of power loads, the computer program product comprising:
-
a computer recordable storage medium that is non-transitory; program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for pinging each element in a plurality of microgrid elements to verify a configuration of the plurality of microgrid elements; program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for initializing, based on a result of the pinging, a first configuration of the microgrid having a plurality of distributed energy resources and a plurality of microgrid elements, wherein the plurality of distributed energy resources is autonomous, and wherein the plurality of distributed energy resources is at least one small scale power generation element selected from at least one of a wind turbine, a photovoltaic system, a fuel cell, a geothermal power generator, a microturbine, a combustion turbine, a reciprocating engine, a hybrid power generator that uses both heat and power, or a hydroelectric power generator; program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for verifying an address for each element in the plurality of microgrid elements; program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for re-aligning the plurality of microgrid elements to form a second grid configuration in response to receiving status data from the plurality of microgrid elements connected in a peer-to-peer network that indicates a reconfiguration of the microgrid; and program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for executing the second grid configuration. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification