Method and system for demand response management in a network

• US 9,412,082 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Digital Holdings LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Tyagi, Rajesh, Black, Jason Wayne, Ellis, John Andrew, Thomas, Bex George
• Primary Examiner(s): Rotaru, Octavian
• Application Number:
  US12/646,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20110153102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,421 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2203/20 Simulating, e g planning, reliability check, modelling or computer assisted design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/58 The condition being electrical
• 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: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A method and system for controlling demand events in a utility network with multiple customer sites. The value of a demand response parameter threshold for invoking a demand response event is calculated based on the number of available demand response events and the number of opportunities remaining to issue the available demand response events. This parameter represents the utility objectives for using the demand response program (e.g., cost savings, reliability, avoided costs). A current value of the demand response parameter is compared to the threshold value, and a determination is made whether or not to call a demand response event for the current opportunity, or to save the event for a future opportunity based upon this comparison.

Claims

1. A system for controlling demand response events in a utility network, comprising:

customer sites connected to the utility network, wherein each of the customer sites comprises one or more utility consuming devices; and

a utility management server communicatively coupled to the customer sites and a utility, wherein the utility management server comprises;

a demand response module including a combination of software and hardware elements for calculating a decision criteria of when to apply load shedding actions for reducing loads at customer sites the demand response module configured to;

define an expected value of an estimated saving, of the total expected savings, in each time period of a plurality of time periods;

define the total expected savings by applying a number of the load shedding actions over the plurality of time periods define the decision criteria for a number of opportunities to apply the number of the load shedding actions;

when the number of the opportunities is less or equal than the number of the load shedding actions;

apply a load shedding action by directly switching off the loads remotely, of the load shedding actions, in said each time period;

calculate the total expected savings in said each time period as a sum between the expected value of the estimated saving in said each period and the total expected savings in a preceding period of said each period; and

when the number of the opportunities is greater than the number of the load shedding actions;

calculate the total expected savings in said each time period by utilizing a Monte Carlo simulation;

calculate the decision criteria as the total expected savings in the preceding period when there is only one load shedding action left, from the number of load shedding actions;

calculate the decision criteria as a difference between the total expected savings of subsequent load shedding actions, of the load shedding actions, at a preceding opportunity of the number of the opportunities, when there is more than the one load shedding action left; and

apply another load shedding action by directly switching off the loads remotely, of the load shedding actions, when the Monte Carlo calculated total expected savings are greater than the decision criteria.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a database coupled to the utility management server for storing demand response event information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the decision criteria is utility generation cost.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the decision criteria is one of temperature, total demand, reserve margin, or market price.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the decision criteria is updated at each opportunity based on a number of remaining events, conditions of the system for a current opportunity, a number of remaining opportunities, and a forecast for the system'"'"'s conditions over the remaining opportunities.