Predictive smart grid re-structuring based on expected load and power generation
First Claim
1. A method for a utility grid having a network of interconnecting segments of power lines connecting generating units to consuming units, each of said interconnecting segments-having a maximum electric power capacity, said method comprising:
- computing a probable electric power output for each of a plurality of generating units, each of said plurality of generating units having a maximum electric power generating capacity, said plurality of generating units including at least one generating unit whose electric power output depends on the weather, and a respective confidence level associated with each of said plurality of generating units, for a given time interval;
computing a probable electrical power load for each of a plurality of consuming units, each of said plurality of consuming units having a maximum allowed electric power load, and a respective confidence level associated with each of said plurality of consuming units, for said time interval; and
determining whether there are paths having one or more segments of power lines from each of said generating units to each of said consuming units, said paths satisfying the following constraints;
a) the actual output of each of said generating units is less than or equal to the probable output thereof for said time interval;
b) the actual load of each of said consuming units is less than or equal to the probable load thereof for said time interval; and
c) the actual load capacity for each of said segments is less than or equal to the maximum load capacity thereof for said time interval; and
when there are paths satisfying said constraints;
setting the utility grid to said paths; and
transmitting electric power over said paths for said time interval.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for structuring an electric utility grid having traditional and renewable sources of electric power uses a weather forecasting system to determine, for a time interval, whether there are paths between all generating units and all consuming units satisfying certain constraints. The method includes computing a probable output for each of the generating units, both traditional and renewable, and computing a probable load for each of said consuming units for the time interval using both historical and weather forecast data. The method also includes determining the maximum load capacity of each segment in the utility grid for the time interval, the segments being the power lines making up the grid, and assigning the maximum load capacity of each segment to be a constraint therefor for the time interval and computing whether there are paths from each of the generating units to each of the consuming units for which the maximum load capacities will not be exceeded. If such paths exist, the method further concludes with setting the utility grid to the paths; and transmitting electric power over the paths for the time interval. If such paths do not exist from each generating unit to each consuming unit, the method instead continues by reducing the maximum capacities of the generating units; and recomputing whether there are paths from each of the generating units to each of the consuming units as many times as is necessary to find paths satisfying the constraints, each time further reducing the maximum capacities of the generating units.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for a utility grid having a network of interconnecting segments of power lines connecting generating units to consuming units, each of said interconnecting segments-having a maximum electric power capacity, said method comprising:
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computing a probable electric power output for each of a plurality of generating units, each of said plurality of generating units having a maximum electric power generating capacity, said plurality of generating units including at least one generating unit whose electric power output depends on the weather, and a respective confidence level associated with each of said plurality of generating units, for a given time interval; computing a probable electrical power load for each of a plurality of consuming units, each of said plurality of consuming units having a maximum allowed electric power load, and a respective confidence level associated with each of said plurality of consuming units, for said time interval; and determining whether there are paths having one or more segments of power lines from each of said generating units to each of said consuming units, said paths satisfying the following constraints; a) the actual output of each of said generating units is less than or equal to the probable output thereof for said time interval; b) the actual load of each of said consuming units is less than or equal to the probable load thereof for said time interval; and c) the actual load capacity for each of said segments is less than or equal to the maximum load capacity thereof for said time interval; and when there are paths satisfying said constraints; setting the utility grid to said paths; and transmitting electric power over said paths for said time interval. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus comprising:
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one or more processors; and one or more memories including computer program code, the one or more memories and the computer program code configured, with the one or more processors, to cause the apparatus to perform the following for a utility grid having a network of interconnecting segments of power lines connecting generating units to consuming units, each of said interconnecting segments-having a maximum electric power capacity; computing a probable electric power output for each of a plurality of generating units, each of said plurality of generating units having a maximum electric power generating capacity, said plurality of generating units including at least one generating unit whose electric power output depends on the weather, and a respective confidence level associated with each of said plurality of generating units, for a given time interval; computing a probable electrical power load for each of a plurality of consuming units, each of said plurality of consuming units having a maximum allowed electric power load, and a respective confidence level associated with each of said plurality of consuming units, for said time interval; and determining whether there are paths having one or more segments of power lines from each of said generating units to each of said consuming units, said paths satisfying the following constraints; a) the actual output of each of said generating units is less than or equal to the probable output thereof for said time interval; b) the actual load of each of said consuming units is less than or equal to the probable load thereof for said time interval; and c) the actual load capacity for each of said segments is less than or equal to the maximum load capacity thereof for said time interval; and when there are paths satisfying said constraints; setting the utility grid to said paths; and transmitting electric power over said paths for said time interval. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising code for performing at least the following for a utility grid having a network of interconnecting segments of power lines connecting generating units to consuming units, each of said interconnecting segments-having a maximum electric power capacity:
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computing a probable electric power output for each of a plurality of generating units, each of said plurality of generating units having a maximum electric power generating capacity, said plurality of generating units including at least one generating unit whose electric power output depends on the weather, and a respective confidence level associated with each of said plurality of generating units, for a given time interval; computing a probable electrical power load for each of a plurality of consuming units, each of said plurality of consuming units having a maximum allowed electric power load, and a respective confidence level associated with each of said plurality of consuming units, for said time interval; and determining whether there are paths having one or more segments of power lines from each of said generating units to each of said consuming units, said paths satisfying the following constraints; a) the actual output of each of said generating units is less than or equal to the probable output thereof for said time interval; b) the actual load of each of said consuming units is less than or equal to the probable load thereof for said time interval; and c) the actual load capacity for each of said segments is less than or equal to the maximum load capacity thereof for said time interval; and when there are paths satisfying said constraints; setting the utility grid to said paths; and transmitting electric power over said paths for said time interval. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification