Methods and apparatus for managing renewable energy services for fixed and mobile assets

• US 10,682,922 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2011
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AES Corporation
• Original Assignee: AES Corporation
• Inventors: Shelton, John Christopher, Zahurancik, John Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Uber, Nathan C
• Application Number:
  US13/283,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20120109798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,155 Days
• Field of Search: 705 34
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/54 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 : Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 : Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 : Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 : dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/008 : Rewarding for providing delivery of electricity to the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0005 : the elements or equipment being or involving power plugs or sockets
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/00 : The network for supplying or distributing electric power characterised by its spatial reach or by the load
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 : The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 : Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00032 : characterised by data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 : Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 : with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 : Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/00 : Market activities related to the operation of systems integrating technologies related to power network operation or related to communication or information technologies
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/12 : Billing, invoicing, buying or selling transactions or other related activities, e.g. cost or usage evaluation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/16 : Energy services, e.g. dispersed generation or demand or load or energy savings aggregation

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for managing energy services are disclosed. One method includes determining a quantity of the energy service realized during the connection event; identifying an account associated with the grid connection point; and adjusting the identified account based on the quantity determined. Another method includes receiving an indicator indicating an asset identifier or a grid connection point identifier; determining a location of the asset on the grid based on the indicator; determining operating conditions for realizing the energy service based on the determined location; sending the conditions; identifying an account associated with the point based on the indicator; and adjusting the account based on a quantity of energy services realized by the asset in accordance with the conditions. A computer readable medium includes instructions for determining a quantity of energy services realized during a connection event; identifying an account associated with a connection point; and adjusting the account.

Claims

1. A method of managing a mobile device connected to a grid connection point during a connection event, comprising:

connecting the mobile device to the grid connection point;

receiving, by the mobile device, said mobile device including a processor and memory and being configured for receiving energy services offered by an electric grid and for providing energy services to an electric grid via the grid connection point, a signal indicating a plurality of energy services being offered including a plurality of energy services to be provided to the electric grid by the mobile device including at least providing frequency support to an electric grid through the grid connection point;

selecting, by the mobile device, one of the offered energy services, as the energy service to be managed;

determining, by the mobile device, a quantity of the energy service realized during the connection event;

identifying an account associated with the grid connection point by reading an identity tag of the grid connection point with a reading device of the mobile device; and

adjusting the identified account based on the quantity determined by the mobile device,

receiving, at the mobile device, operating constraints for managing the energy service;

setting a quantity to be realized of the selected one of the energy services;

managing the energy service based on the received operating constraints;

controlling the mobile device to achieve the set quantity of the selected one of the offered energy services;

registering the mobile device to a mobile device account;

determining, by the mobile device, further quantities of energy services realized during further connection events;

aggregating the realized energy services for billing of the mobile device account,

wherein the selecting of one of the offered energy services is determined based on one or more weighting factors that include;

an anticipated profit margin for realizing the energy service,

safety parameters specified for the mobile device,

anticipated incremental maintenance of the mobile device associated with realizing the energy service, and

anticipated capability of the mobile device, and

wherein the operating constraints for managing the energy service include one or more of;

a state-of-charge constraint;

a charging current constraint;

a voltage constraint; and

a temperature constraint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected energy service comprises:

(1) an energy consuming service for supplying energy to the mobile device from an electric grid;

(2) an energy supplying service for supplying energy to an electric grid by discharging the mobile device;

(3) a spinning reserve service from the mobile device;

(4) a frequency support service from the mobile device for adjusting the frequency of an electric grid;

(5) a regulation service from a respective asset;

or

(6) a VAR support service from the mobile device for adjusting a power factor of an electric grid.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reading device is a RFID reader and the identity tag is a RFID tag.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by a reconciler device, whether the mobile device is authorized to charge at the grid connection point, and when it is determined that the mobile device is authorized to charge;

sending, by the reconciler device, an authorization code to the grid connection point.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting of the one of the offered energy services is performed automatically.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more weighting factors are preset or selected by a user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more weighting factors also include anticipated usage of the mobile device.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon for managing energy services for a mobile device connected to a grid connection point during a connection event, executable on a computing device, the instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving a plurality of energy services being offered by an electric grid including a plurality of energy services to be provided to an electrical grid by the mobile device including at least providing frequency support to an electric grid through the grid connection point, and selecting one of the offered energy services or one of the energy services to be provided, as the energy service to be managed;

instructions for determining a quantity of the energy services realized during the connection event;

instructions for identifying an account associated with the grid connection point by reading an identity tag of the grid connection point with a reading device of the mobile device; and

instructions for adjusting the identified account based on the quantity determined by the mobile device;

instructions for receiving, at the mobile device, operating constraints for managing the energy service;

instructions for setting a quantity to be realized of the selected one of the energy services;

instructions for managing the energy service based on the received operating constraints;

instructions for controlling the mobile device to achieve the set quantity of the selected one of the offered energy services;

instructions for registering the mobile device to a mobile device account;

instructions for determining, by the mobile device, further quantities of energy services realized during further connection events; and

instructions for aggregating the realized energy services for billing of the mobile device account,

wherein the selecting of one of the offered energy services is determined based on one or more weighting factors that include;

an anticipated profit margin for realizing the energy service,

safety parameters specified for the mobile device,

anticipated incremental maintenance of the mobile device associated with realizing the energy service, and

anticipated capability of the mobile device, and

wherein the operating constraints for managing the energy service include one or more of;

a state-of-charge constraint;

a charging current constraint;

a voltage constraint; and

a temperature constraint.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the selected energy service comprises:

(1) an energy consuming service for supplying energy to the mobile device from an electric grid;

(2) an energy supplying service for supplying energy to an electric grid by discharging the mobile device;

(3) a spinning reserve service from the mobile device;

(4) a frequency support service from the mobile device for adjusting the frequency of an electric grid;

(5) a regulation service from a respective asset;

or

(6) a VAR support service from the mobile device for adjusting a power factor of an electric grid.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the reading device is a RFID reader and the identity tag is a RFID tag.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, by a reconciler device, whether the mobile device is authorized to charge at the grid connection point, and when it is determined that the mobile device is authorized to charge;

sending, by the reconciler device, an authorization code to the grid connection point.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the selecting of the one of the offered energy services is performed automatically.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more weighting factors are preset or selected by a user.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more weighting factors also include anticipated usage of the mobile device.