Multiple renewables site electrical generation and reactive power control

• US 9,660,448 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2016
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventus Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Inventus Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Ellena, Gregory F., Thorp, Scott, McWhorter, Kevin, Caceres, Maximiliano, Quiroga, George, Mango, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): AMAYA, CARLOS DAVID
• Application Number:
  US15/180,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20160301211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 307 55, 307 57, 307 62, 307 67, 307 71, 307 76, 307 84, 290 40 A, 290 40 B, 290 44, 290 55, 700 3, 700287, 700292, 700304
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/16 by adjustment of reactive power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc

Abstract

A method of configuring a renewable energy curtailment and control system uses a master controller and a plurality of controllers configured to control a cluster of renewable energy resources to deliver predetermined amounts of actual power and reactive power to a point of interconnect with a grid in accordance with contractual requirements with users of electrical power while reducing reactive power flow between renewable resources in the cluster.

Claims

1. In a renewable energy system comprising a plurality of renewable energy resources distributed over a geographic area, a method of configuring a renewable energy curtailment and control system comprising:

providing a master controller;

providing a plurality of controllers configured such that each controller is at a discrete location remote from the master controller and is operative to control one or more of the renewable energy resources;

establishing a communication link between the master controller and each of the plurality of controllers, thereby enabling the master controller to receive information from the plurality of controllers and to issue commands to the plurality of controllers;

providing the master controller with data comprising predetermined ranges of actual power and reactive power to be delivered to a point of interconnect remote from each discrete location, the data including set points for actual power and reactive power for at least wind turbine renewable energy resources;

processing the data and issuing commands to cause the renewable energy resources to provide power such that an aggregate of power from the renewable energy resources is delivered to the point of interconnect within the predetermined ranges of actual power and reactive power; and

monitoring active power and reactive power at a plurality of points among the renewable energy resources, and issuing additional commands to the plurality of controllers thereby to reduce flow of reactive power between the renewable energy resources while maintaining active power and reactive power delivered to the point of interconnect within the predetermined ranges.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said issuing additional commands causes flow of reactive power between the renewable energy resources to be reduced to a minimal amount.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising regulating an amount of reactive power being delivered to a power distribution grid.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the data includes curtailment information.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising monitoring voltages and setting voltage set points for at least some of the renewable energy resources.

6. A renewable energy curtailment and control system including a plurality of renewable energy resources distributed over a geographic area, said system comprising:

a master controller;

a plurality of controllers configured such that each controller is at a discrete location remote from said master controller and is operative to control one or more of the renewable energy resources; and

a communication link between said master controller and each of said plurality of controllers, said communication link enabling said master controller to receive information from said plurality of controllers and to issue commands to said plurality of controllers;

wherein said master controller receives data comprising predetermined ranges of actual power and reactive power to be delivered to a point of interconnect remote from each discrete location, the data including set points for actual power and reactive power, and issues commands to cause the renewable energy resources to provide an aggregate of power to the point of interconnect within the predetermined ranges of actual power and reactive power; and

wherein said master controller further monitors active power and reactive power at a plurality of points among the renewable energy resources and issues additional commands to said plurality of controllers thereby to reduce flow of reactive power between the renewable energy resources while maintaining active power and reactive power delivered to the point of interconnect within the predetermined ranges.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the additional commands cause flow of reactive power between the renewable energy resources to be reduced to a minimal amount.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising a regulator situated at the point of interconnect to regulate the amount of reactive power being delivered to a power distribution grid.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said regulator comprises a programmable logic controller and a capacitor bank.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the data includes curtailment information.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said master controller monitors voltage levels and sets voltage set points for at least some of the renewable energy resources.

12. The system of claim 6 wherein the renewable energy resources comprise wind turbines.

13. The system of claim 6 wherein the renewable energy resources comprise solar panel banks.

14. In a renewable energy system comprising a plurality of renewable energy resources distributed over a geographic area, a method comprising:

providing a master controller;

providing a plurality of controllers, each at a discrete location remote from the master controller and operative to control one or more of the renewable energy resources;

establishing a communication link between the master controller and each of the plurality of controllers such that the master controller receives information from and issues commands to each of the plurality of controllers;

providing the master controller with data comprising predetermined ranges of and set points for actual power and reactive power to be delivered to a point of interconnect remote from each discrete location;

issuing commands to cause the renewable energy resources to provide an aggregate of power to the point of interconnect within the predetermined ranges of actual power and reactive power; and

reducing flow of reactive power between the renewable energy resources while maintaining active power and reactive power delivered to the point of interconnect within the predetermined ranges.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said reducing comprises monitoring active power and reactive power at a plurality of points among the renewable energy resources and issuing additional commands to reduce flow of reactive power between the renewable energy resources to a minimal amount.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the data includes curtailment information.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the renewable energy resources comprise wind turbines.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the renewable energy resources comprise solar panel banks.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising regulating an amount of reactive power being delivered to a power distribution grid.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said regulating comprises utilizing a programmable logic controller and a capacitor bank.