Nested, hierarchical resource allocation schema for management and control of an electric power grid

• US 9,425,620 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2010
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Original Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Inventors: Chassin, David P., Pratt, Robert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, George
• Application Number:
  US12/686,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20100179862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,415 Days
• Field of Search: 705 1-412
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0223 based on inventory
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• 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 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

Abstract

Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for distributing a resource (such as electricity) using a resource allocation system. In one exemplary embodiment, a system is disclosed comprising a first feeder network configured to deliver electrical power to a first plurality of customers. The first feeder network is controlled by a first market-based pricing system that computes a first feeder network price of electrical power at first periodic intervals. The system of this embodiment further comprises a second feeder network configured to deliver electrical power to a second plurality of customers. The second feeder network is controlled by a second market-based pricing system that computes a second feeder network price of electrical power at second periodic intervals. In this exemplary embodiment, the first feeder network and the second feeder network are part of a same distribution network, and the first feeder network price of electrical power is different than the second feeder network price of electrical power.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first plurality of requests for electrical power from a corresponding first plurality of electrical-power users, wherein the first plurality of electrical-power users receive electrical power through a first feeder network controlled by a first transmission node of an electrical power distribution network, wherein each of the first plurality of requests indicates a requested quantity of electrical power and a requested price for the requested quantity of electrical power, and wherein one or more of the first plurality of requests for electrical power are associated with price-responsive electrical devices;

receiving a second plurality of requests for electrical power from a corresponding second plurality of electrical-power users, wherein the second plurality of electrical-power users receive electrical power through a second feeder network controlled by a second transmission node of the electrical power distribution network, wherein each of the second plurality of requests indicates a requested quantity of electrical power and a requested price for the requested quantity of electrical power, and wherein one or more of the second plurality of requests for electrical power are associated with price-responsive electrical devices;

receiving a plurality of offers for supplying electrical power to the first and second feeder networks, the plurality of offers being from a corresponding plurality of resource suppliers, wherein each of the plurality of offers indicates an offered quantity of electrical power and an offered price for the requested quantity of electrical power;

by computing hardware associated with the first feeder network, determining a first common price at which electrical power is to be supplied to the first plurality of electrical-power users on the first feeder network based at least in part on the requested prices and the offered prices of the first plurality of requests, the first determined common price being unique to the first feeder network;

by computing hardware associated with the second feeder network, determining a second common price at which electrical power is to be supplied to the second plurality of electrical-power users on the second feeder network based at least in part on the requested prices and the offered prices of the second plurality of requests, the second determined common price being unique to the second feeder network;

altering the electrical loads on the first and second feeder networks by transmitting the value of the determined first common price to the first plurality of electrical-power users on the first feeder network and transmitting the value of the determined second common price to the second plurality of electrical-power users on the second feeder network, and causing the price-responsive electrical devices to automatically adjust their power consumption in response to the values of the first and second determined common prices; and

transmitting power from the first feeder network to the second feeder network or transmitting power from the second feeder network to the first feeder network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the acts of receiving the plurality of requests, receiving the plurality of offers, and determining are repeated at periodic intervals.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting a bid for electrical power to a higher-order transmission node, the bid indicating a quantity of power to be supplied to the electrical-power users and a requested price for the quantity of power.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the periodic intervals are first periodic intervals, and wherein the act of transmitting the bid for electrical power to the higher-order transmission node is repeated at second periodic intervals, the second periodic intervals being longer than the first periodic intervals.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the periodic intervals are intervals of 10 minutes or less.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the offers for supplying electrical power are from one or more other transmission nodes that control one or more other feeder networks through which electrical-power users receive electrical power.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the requests for electrical power are from one or more other transmission nodes that control one or more other feeder networks through which electrical-power users receive electrical power.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting an offer to supply electrical power or a request for electrical power to one or more other transmission nodes that control one or more other feeder networks through which electrical-power users receive electrical power.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the offers for supplying electrical power are from power resources in one or more electrical vehicles.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the offers for supplying electrical power are associated with reserve power generators connected to the first or second transmission nodes.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the value of the determined first common price or the value of the determined second common price to at least one of the resource suppliers.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing hardware is a computer processor or an integrated circuit.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises, by computing hardware associated with a respective one of the price-responsive electrical devices:

receiving the determined price;

comparing the determined price to the requested price for the respective one of the price-responsive electrical devices; and

generating a control signal for selectively operating or shutting off the respective one of the price-responsive electrical devices based on the comparison.

14. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-readable instructions for causing one or more computers to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a first plurality of requests for electrical power from a corresponding first plurality of electrical-power users, wherein the first plurality of electrical-power users receive electrical power through a first feeder network controlled by a first transmission node of an electrical power distribution network, wherein each of the first plurality of requests indicates a requested quantity of electrical power and a requested price for the requested quantity of electrical power, and wherein one or more of the first plurality of requests for electrical power are associated with price-responsive electrical devices;

receiving a second plurality of requests for electrical power from a corresponding second plurality of electrical-power users, wherein the second plurality of electrical-power users receive electrical power through a second feeder network controlled by a second transmission node of the electrical power distribution network, wherein each of the second plurality of requests indicates a requested quantity of electrical power and a requested price for the requested quantity of electrical power, and wherein one or more of the second plurality of requests for electrical power are associated with price-responsive electrical devices;

receiving a plurality of offers for supplying electrical power to the first and second feeder networks, the plurality of offers being from a corresponding plurality of resource suppliers, wherein each of the plurality of offers indicates an offered quantity of electrical power and an offered price for the requested quantity of electrical power;

determining a first common price at which electrical power is to be supplied to the first plurality of electrical-power users on the first feeder network based at least in part on the requested prices and the offered prices of the first plurality of request, the first determined common price being unique to the first feeder network;

determining a second common price at which electrical power is to be supplied to the second plurality of electrical-power users on the second feeder network based at least in part on the requested prices and the offered prices of the second plurality of request, the second determined common price being unique to the second feeder network;

altering the electrical loads on the first and second feeder networks by transmitting the value of the determined first common price to the first plurality of electrical-power users on the first feeder network and transmitting the value of the determined second common price to the second plurality of electrical-power users on the second feeder network, and causing the price-responsive electrical devices to automatically adjust their power consumption in response to the values of the first and second determined common prices; and

transmitting power from the first feeder network to the second feeder network or transmitting power from the second feeder network to the first feeder network.

15. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the acts of receiving the plurality of requests, receiving the plurality of offers, and determining are repeated at periodic intervals.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises transmitting the value of the determined first common price or the value of the determined second common price to at least one of the resource suppliers.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises transmitting a bid for electrical power to a higher-order transmission node, the bid indicating a quantity of power to be supplied to the electrical-power users and a requested price for the quantity of power.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 17 wherein the periodic intervals are first periodic intervals, and wherein the act of transmitting the bid for electrical power to the higher-order transmission node is repeated at second periodic intervals, the second periodic intervals being longer than the first periodic intervals.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein one or more of the offers for supplying electrical power are from one or more other transmission nodes that control one or more other feeder networks through which electrical-power users receive electrical power.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein one or more of the requests for electrical power are from one or more other transmission nodes that control one or more other feeder networks through which electrical-power users receive electrical power.

21. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises transmitting an offer to supply electrical power or a request for electrical power to one or more other transmission nodes that control one or more other feeder networks through which electrical-power users receive electrical power.

22. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein one or more of the offers for supplying electrical power are from power resources in one or more electrical vehicles.

23. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein one or more of the offers for supplying electrical power are associated with reserve power generators connected to the first or second transmission nodes.

24. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the periodic intervals are intervals of 10 minutes or less.