Energy management server, energy management method, and program

• US 9,559,549 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2014
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Murayama, Dai, Saito, Masaaki, Hisada, Nagako, Iino, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US14/448,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20150019036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy wind motors F03D
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/16 The load or loads being an Information and Communication Technology [ICT] facility
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• 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 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• 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: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/12 Energy storage units, uninterruptible power supply [UPS] systems or standby or emergency generators, e.g. in the last power distribution stages
• 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 20/242 : Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/244 : the home appliances being or involving heating ventilating and air conditioning [HVAC] units
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 : using wireless data transmission

Abstract

According to an embodiment, management server includes estimator, scheduler, acquisition unit, monitoring unit, receiver and setting unit. Estimator calculates estimated value of energy demand in building with electric appliance. Scheduler creates schedule of appliance based on estimated value. Acquisition unit acquires actual value of energy demand. Monitoring unit monitors error between estimated value and actual value. Receiver receives DR signal containing information which prompts suppression of energy consumption in a designated period. Setting unit sets threshold. Estimator recalculates estimated value if error is equal or more than threshold. Scheduler reforms schedule based on the recalculated estimated value.

Claims

1. An energy management server comprising:

an estimation unit configured to calculate an estimated value of an energy demand in a building in which an electric appliance is installed;

a scheduler configured to create an operation schedule of the electric appliance based on the estimated value;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire an actual value of the energy demand;

a monitoring unit configured to monitor an error between the estimated value and the actual value;

a receiving unit configured to receive a demand response signal containing information which prompts suppression of energy consumption in a designated period; and

a setting unit configured to set a threshold related to the demand response signal,

wherein the estimation unit recalculates the estimated value if the error is equal or more than the threshold, and

the scheduler reforms the operation schedule based on the recalculated estimated value.

2. The energy management server according to claim 1, wherein the threshold is variably set with respect to time.

3. The energy management server of claim 1, wherein the threshold is set lower in the designated period than that in other periods.

4. The energy management server of claim 1, further comprising a selection unit configured to select one of a power demand and a received power amount as the energy demand.

5. The energy management server of claim 1, further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether to respond to the demand response signal.

6. An energy management method applicable to a server which manages energy in a building in which an electric appliance is installed, the method comprising, in the server,

calculating an estimated value of an energy demand in the building,

creating an operation schedule of the electric appliance based on the estimated value,

acquiring an actual value of the energy demand, and

monitoring an error between the estimated value and the actual value, wherein

the calculating comprising recalculating the estimated value if the error is equal or more than a threshold set in association with a demand response signal containing information which prompts suppression of energy consumption in a designated period, and

the creating comprising reforming the operation schedule based on the recalculated estimated value.

7. The energy management method of claim 6, wherein the threshold is variably set with respect to time.

8. The energy management method of claim 6, wherein the threshold is set lower in the designated period than that in other periods.

9. The energy management method of claim 6, wherein the server further selects one of a power demand and a received power amount as the energy demand.

10. The energy management method of claim 6, wherein the server further determines whether to respond to the demand response signal.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program executed by a computer, the program comprising:

calculating an estimated value of an energy demand in a building in which an electric appliance is installed,

creating an operation schedule of the electric appliance based on the estimated value,

acquiring an actual value of the energy demand, and

monitoring an error between the estimated value and the actual value, wherein

the calculating comprising recalculating the estimated value if the error is equal or more than a threshold set in association with a demand response signal containing information which prompts suppression of energy consumption in a designated period, and

the creating comprising reforming the operation schedule based on the recalculated estimated value.

12. The medium of claim 11, wherein the threshold is variably set with respect to time.

13. The medium of claim 11, wherein the threshold is set lower in the designated period than that in other periods.

14. The medium of claim 11, wherein the program further comprising selecting one of a power demand and a received power amount as the energy demand.

15. The medium of claim 11, wherein the program further comprising determining whether to respond to the demand response signal.