Systems and methods for microgrid power generation management with selective disconnect

• US 9,563,248 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Causam Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Causam Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Darden, Thomas Francis II, Szyperski, James Kevin, Forbes, Joseph W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US14/292,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20140288722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 700/295, 700/219, 700/291
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• 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 2300/10 The dispersed energy generation being of fossil origin, e.g. diesel generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/004 Generation forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future energy generation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/08 requiring starting of a prime-mover
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• 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 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: Y04S 10/12 : Monitoring or controlling equipment for energy generation units, e.g. distributed energy generation [DER] or load-side generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/14 : Energy storage units
• 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 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 20/248 : UPS systems or standby or emergency generators
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/12 : Billing, invoicing, buying or selling transactions or other related activities, e.g. cost or usage evaluation

Abstract

Systems and methods for coordinating selective activation of a multiplicity of emergency power generation equipment over a predetermined geographic area for distribution and/or storage to supply a microgrid of electrical power, and automatic, selective disconnect any of the at least one power generator from providing power supply to the microgrid or wider area grid.

Claims

1. A method for distributed power generation and management comprising the steps of:

providing a distributed power generation system including at least one power generation equipment for generating electrical power located at predetermined, distributed locations for providing emergency back-up power supply for use at the locations of power generation in the event of a failure of an electric power grid;

providing a controller system connected to the at least one power generation equipment, the controller system further including;

a monitoring device in communication connection with the at least one power generation equipment;

at least one server computer, located centrally or distributed over a network, the at least one server computer in network communication with the monitoring device and a controller connected to a controllable device associated with and connected to the at least one power generation equipment, and operable for automatically generating event instructions to the controllable device for automatically releasing and/or preventing release of electrical power to the electric power grid for distribution on the electric power grid;

wherein the controllable device is remotely operable for selectively automatically enabling and disabling electric power flow from the at least one power generation equipment for distribution to the electric power grid;

and

the at least one server computer automatically selectively activating the at least one power generation equipment to produce electricity for distribution over the electric power grid based upon instructions from the controller.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of the at least one server computer automatically coordinating selective activation of a multiplicity of emergency power generation equipment during any period wherein power failure on the electric power grid is detected.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of providing at least one energy storage device for automatic storage of power generated by the at least one power generation equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method provides for selective activation of the at least one power generation equipment to occur at detection of power failure in the electric power grid, and the at least one server computer automatically requesting curtailment from a utility company controlling supply and billing for power received through the electric power grid.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller system further includes an automated remote controller for activating the at least one power generation equipment based upon instructions received from the at least one server computer for automatically generating power for use locally during a period of power failure in the electric power grid.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller system further includes a remote server computer in networked communication with the at least one power generation equipment for monitoring the status of the at least one power generation equipment and for activating the at least one power generation equipment remotely.

7. A system for distributed power generation and management comprising:

a multiplicity of power generation equipment located at predetermined, distributed locations for providing emergency back-up power supply for use in situs, without distribution of electrical power beyond the locality where it is generated upon automatic detection of power failure in an electric power grid; and

a monitoring device in real-time communication with a wholesale energy market;

a database for storing wholesale energy market price;

at least one server computer, located centrally or distributed over a network, the at least one server computer in network communication for monitoring and being responsive to market price fluctuation, and operable for generating event instructions to at least one controllable device for releasing electrical power to the electric power grid for distribution when the wholesale energy market price is at least at a predetermined threshold at which point the electrical power generated is automatically directed by the at least one server computer to be released and sold to the electric power grid;

the at least one controllable device is associated with and preferably connected to at least one power generator and/or electricity storage device, wherein the at least one controllable device is remotely operable by the at least one server computer for executing the communication of power instructions for selectively enabling and disabling or disconnecting electric power flow from the at least one power generator and/or electricity storage device to the electric power grid, for distribution thereby; and

selectively activating at least one of the multiplicity of the power generation equipment remotely by the at least one server computer to produce electricity for distribution over the electric power grid and/or for storage until later distribution via the electric power grid following selective disconnection of the at least one of the multiplicity of power generation equipment due to a trigger event;

wherein the multiplicity of power generation equipment is remotely, selectively, and automatically activatable, and constructed and configured in connection with the electric power grid to produce electricity for local use, for use over the electric power grid and/or for storage until later distribution over the electric power grid.

8. The system of claim 7, further including more than one power generation equipment that is operable for coordinated, selective activation.

9. The system of claim 7, further including a multiplicity of emergency power generation equipment positioned apart over a predetermined geographic area for distribution and/or storage to supply the electric power grid.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one multiplicity of power generation equipment is automatically selectively activatable at predetermined times and automatically selectively disconnected from the electric power grid.

11. A system for power generation management comprising:

a distributed power generation system constructed and configured for automatically managing electricity generation and releasing by a cell tower emergency power backup generator based on power failure detection, including at least one power generator, the at least one power generator including at least one electricity generator, wherein the at least one electricity generator is selected from the group consisting of solar arrays, natural gas generators, propane generators, diesel generators, and combinations thereof, wherein the at least one power generator is associated with a cell tower for use as emergency backup during electricity blackout, constructed and configured to be activated remotely by a power control instruction communicated over a network by a server computer to generate electricity for immediate supply through direct connection into an electric power grid distribution system and/or further includes at least one energy storage mechanism for providing temporary power storage for selectively discharging electricity into the electric power grid of distributed power experiencing a power failure or disruption that is detected by a monitoring device in networked communication to a controller connected to the emergency power generator, and wherein any of the at least one power generator is selectively disconnected or disengaged from providing power supply to the electric power grid.