Systems and methods to manage and control renewable distributed energy resources
First Claim
1. A method to manage and control solar power generation systems, the method comprising:
- receiving first digital data associated with electrical energy generated by a solar power generator associated with a facility, wherein the first digital data is received in accordance with a first protocol, and further wherein the first digital data is received at a first rate of at least once per minute;
receiving second digital data from a smart meter or one or more submeters associated with the facility, wherein the second digital data provides an indication of electrical energy associated with at least a portion of the facility, wherein the second digital data is received in accordance with a second protocol, and further wherein the second digital data is received at a second rate of at least once per minute;
receiving weather-related data and grid-related data over a wide area network, wherein the weather-related data and the grid-related data are received in accordance with a third protocol; and
providing, based at least in part on the first digital data, the second digital data, the weather-related data, and the grid-related data, a control signal to control an inverter that is operationally coupled to the solar power generator, wherein the control signal is provided at a third rate of at least once per minute.
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Abstract
A system for analyzing energy usage measures one or more parameters indicative of energy usage for a plurality of sub-circuits, where the sampling rate for the measuring is substantially continuous, and automatically transmits information related to at least one of the measured parameters at a rate that enables monitoring of current energy usage. The system further detects a significant change in a measured parameter, determines whether the significant change in the measured parameter is caused by a change in energy usage, and automatically transmits information related to the significant change in the measured parameter caused by the change in energy usage after detecting the significant change.
116 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method to manage and control solar power generation systems, the method comprising:
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receiving first digital data associated with electrical energy generated by a solar power generator associated with a facility, wherein the first digital data is received in accordance with a first protocol, and further wherein the first digital data is received at a first rate of at least once per minute; receiving second digital data from a smart meter or one or more submeters associated with the facility, wherein the second digital data provides an indication of electrical energy associated with at least a portion of the facility, wherein the second digital data is received in accordance with a second protocol, and further wherein the second digital data is received at a second rate of at least once per minute; receiving weather-related data and grid-related data over a wide area network, wherein the weather-related data and the grid-related data are received in accordance with a third protocol; and providing, based at least in part on the first digital data, the second digital data, the weather-related data, and the grid-related data, a control signal to control an inverter that is operationally coupled to the solar power generator, wherein the control signal is provided at a third rate of at least once per minute. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus to manage and control solar power generation systems, the apparatus comprising:
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a first input/output (I/O) module configured to receive first digital data associated with electrical energy generated by a solar power generator associated with a facility, wherein the first digital data is received in accordance with a first protocol, and further wherein the first digital data is received at a first rate of at least once per minute; a second I/O module configured to receive second digital data from a smart meter or one or more submeters associated with the facility, wherein the second digital data provides an indication of electrical energy associated with at least a portion of the facility, wherein the second digital data is received in accordance with a second protocol, and further wherein the second digital data is received at a second rate of at least once per minute; a communication port configured to receive weather-related data and grid-related data over a wide area network, wherein the weather-related data and the grid-related data are received in accordance with a third protocol; and a third I/O module configured to provide, based at least in part on the first digital data, the second digital data, the weather-related data, and the grid-related data, a control signal to control an inverter that is operationally coupled to the solar power generator, wherein the control signal is provided at a third rate of at least once per minute. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification