Utility distribution control system

• US 9,306,396 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2012
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Consolidated Edison Company of New York Incorporated (Consolidated Edison Incorporated), Engie Storage Services NA LLC (ENGIE SA)
• Original Assignee: Consolidated Edison Company of New York Incorporated (Consolidated Edison Incorporated), Green Charge Networks LLC (ENGIE SA)
• Inventors: Prosser, Ronald D., Shao, Victor, Kressner, A. Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bukhari, Aqeel
• Application Number:
  US13/403,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20130062944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/40 wherein a plurality of decentralised, dispersed or local energy generation technologies are operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/28 Arrangements for balancing of the load in a network by storage of energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/46 Controlling of the sharing of output between the generators, converters, or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• 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: 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: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/14 Energy storage units
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/221 General power management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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

Abstract

A utility distribution control system and method for performing distribution control of energy within a utility service network including an energy distribution network in communication with a plurality of energy resources. The energy distribution network includes a plurality of energy storage and generation devices which receive energy from at least one of the energy resources of the plurality of resources and distribute energy, and a controller which controls the plurality of energy storage and generation devices, to distribute energy.

Claims

1. A utility distribution control system comprising:

a plurality of energy resources including a utility service network;

an energy distribution network in communication with the plurality of energy resources, the energy distribution network comprising;

a plurality of energy storage and generation devices which are configured to receive energy from at least one of the plurality of energy resources and distribute energy, each of the plurality of energy storage and generation devices comprising at least one sensor configured to detect a state of the utility service network and to perform real-time demands for energy loads, and

a controller which controls the plurality of energy storage and generation devices to distribute energy, wherein the plurality of energy storage and generation devices perform independently;

wherein the controller is positioned within a central control location of the utility service network.

2. The utility distribution control system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy resources comprises at least one of energy charging devices, battery storage systems, and solar and wind resources.

3. The utility distribution control system of claim 1, wherein the energy distribution network performs distribution in real-time.

4. The utility distribution control system of claim 2, wherein, the plurality of energy storage and generation devices communicate with each other and the controller via a communications network.

5. The utility distribution control system of claim 4, wherein the communications network is one of cellular or wireless communication.

6. The utility distribution control system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of energy storage and generation devices perform in combination.

7. The utility distribution control system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy storage and generation devices are coupled with the utility service network.

8. The utility distribution control system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of energy storage and generation device includes a remote controller which communicates with the controller in real-time and which performs remote monitoring to determine a health state and charge/discharge state of each respective energy storage and generation device.

9. The utility distribution control system of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of energy storage and generation device provides energy ranging from approximately 100 kilowatts (KW) to approximately 1 megawatt (MW).

10. The utility distribution control system of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of energy storage and generation devices comprises:

solar receiving elements to receive and distribute solar energy;

a data receiver/transmitter;

a power supply unit;

a main computing unit which controls the respective energy storage and generation device;

an input port to connect with the utility service network.

11. The utility distribution control system of claim 1, wherein the energy distribution network transmits alerts via at least one of the plurality of energy storage and generation devices and the controller to users for discretionary energy use.

12. The utility distribution control system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy storage and generation devices perform distribution based on external information including at least one of pricing and economic data, peak shaving requirements, historical data, risk assessment, and a status of wind and solar generation.

13. A tangible computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions stored thereon for performing a method for implementing utility distribution control of energy resources within a utility service network, the method comprising:

providing energy from a plurality of energy resources including a utility service network;

receiving energy from at least one of the plurality of energy resources and distributing energy remotely via a plurality of energy storage and generation devices, each of the plurality of energy storage and generation devices comprising at least one sensor configured to detect a state of the utility service network and to perform real-time demands for energy loads; and

controlling, via a controller positioned within a central control location of the utility service network, the plurality of energy storage and generation devices, wherein the plurality of energy storage and generation devices perform independently.

14. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the plurality of energy resources comprises at least one of energy charging devices, battery storage systems, and solar and wind resources.

15. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 13, the method further comprising:

evaluating a status of the utility service network, and distributing energy via at least one of the plurality of energy storage and generation devices, from another of the energy resources of the plurality of energy resources based on the status.

16. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of energy storage and generation devices communicate with each other and the controller via a network.

17. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the network is one of cellular or wireless communication.

18. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the plurality of energy storage and generation devices perform in combination.

19. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the plurality of energy storage and generation devices are coupled with the utility service network.

20. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16, the method further comprising:

monitoring of each of the plurality of energy storage and generation device, via a remote controller thereof, which communicates with the controller in real-time, and determines a health state and charge/discharge state of each respective energy storage and generation device.

21. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein each of the plurality of energy storage and generation device provides energy ranging from approximately 100 kilowatts (KW) to approximately 1 megawatt (MW).

22. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 20, the method further comprising:

receiving and distributing solar energy via the plurality of energy storage and generation devices;

receiving and transmitting data between the plurality of energy storage and generation devices and the utility service network; and

detecting and analyzing, via the plurality of energy storage and generation devices, a state of the utility service network, and performing distribution of energy in real-time.