Energy optimization system and method

• US 20090012916A1
• Filed: 07/07/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alexander Montgomery Barnett
• Original Assignee: Alexander Montgomery Barnett
• Inventors: Barnett, Alexander Montgomery
• Application Number:
  US11/825,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20090012916A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A energy optimization system and method is disclosed that permits energy consumers to minimize their energy costs by purchasing energy on the “spot market” at times wherein the cost of such energy is minimal (or alternatively, at times wherein the cost of such energy has not spiked to abnormally high levels). The invention utilizes information from a load constraint database in conjunction with information on the anticipated spot market energy price to determine when and how long to activate customer power loads. The present invention anticipates that power line frequency monitoring and/or the use of communication to the power providers will provide the necessary information to anticipate the spot market energy price for the desired cost reduction optimization to occur as desired. The present invention is equally applicable to a variety of energy sources, including but not limited to electricity, natural gas, and/or fuel oil.

Claims

1. An energy optimization system comprising:

(a) frequency meter;

(b) control computer; and

(c) switchgear having electrical power grid input and customer load output connections;

wherein

said frequency meter monitors the power generation grid frequency of electricity supplying said switchgear electrical power grid input;

said control computer activates said switchgear based on said power generation grid frequency obtained from said frequency meter;

said switchgear controls electricity transfer from said electrical power grid input to one or more customer loads connected to said customer load output;

said control computer operates under control of software that is optimized to reduce said switchgear activations when said power generation grid frequency is below a nominal grid frequency and said software is optimized to increase said switchgear activations when said power generation grid frequency is above said nominal grid frequency.

2. The energy optimization system of claim 1 wherein said nominal grid frequency is 60 Hz.

3. The energy optimization system of claim 1 wherein said nominal grid frequency is 50 Hz.

4. The energy optimization system of claim 1 wherein said control computer activates said switchgear when said one or more customer loads is required to be active.

5. The energy optimization system of claim 1 wherein said control computer deactivates said switchgear when said power generation grid frequency has a high negative derivative.

6. The energy optimization system of claim 1 wherein said control computer activates said switchgear when said power generation grid frequency has a high positive derivative.

7. The energy optimization system of claim 1 wherein said control computer activates said switchgear based on historical spot market pricing information.

8. The energy optimization system of claim 1 wherein said control computer activates said switchgear based on spot market pricing information obtained from said electrical power grid input.

9. The energy optimization system of claim 1 wherein said control computer activates said switchgear based on spot market pricing information obtained from an electric provider via the Internet.

10. The energy optimization system of claim 1 wherein said control computer activates said switchgear based on spot market pricing information obtained from an electric provider via a wireless communication link.

11. An energy optimization system comprising:

(a) frequency meter;

(b) control computer;

(c) load constraint database;

(d) load controller;

wherein

said frequency meter monitors the power generation grid frequency;

said control computer communicates with said load constraint database under direction of an operator;

said load controller is triggered by said power generation grid frequency to activate one or more customer loads in response to data within said load constraint database;

said load constraint database defines the conditions under which said customer loads are activated and the frequency constraints under which the power to said loads constitutes a reduced or optimal spot market price for electricity; and

said triggering is optimized to reduce said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency is below nominal grid frequency and said triggering is optimized to increase said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency is above said nominal grid frequency based on load requirements stored in said load constraint database.

12. The energy optimization system of claim 11 wherein said nominal grid frequency is 60 Hz.

13. The energy optimization system of claim 11 wherein said nominal grid frequency is 50 Hz.

14. The energy optimization system of claim 11 wherein said control computer activates said load controller when said one or more customer loads is required to be active.

15. The energy optimization system of claim 11 wherein said control computer deactivates said load controller when said power generation grid frequency has a high negative derivative.

16. The energy optimization system of claim 11 wherein said control computer activates said load controller when said power generation grid frequency has a high positive derivative.

17. The energy optimization system of claim 11 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on historical spot market pricing information.

18. The energy optimization system of claim 11 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from said power generation grid.

19. The energy optimization system of claim 11 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from an electric provider via the Internet.

20. The energy optimization system of claim 11 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from an electric provider via a wireless communication link.

21. An energy optimization method, said method using a system comprising frequency meter, control computer, load constraint database, and load controller, wherein

said frequency meter monitors the power generation grid frequency;

said control computer communicates with said load constraint database under direction of an operator;

said load controller is triggered by said power generation grid frequency to activate one or more customer loads in response to data within said load constraint database;

said load constraint database defines the conditions under which said customer loads are activated and the frequency constraints under which the power to said loads constitutes a reduced or optimal spot market price for electricity; and

said triggering is optimized to reduce said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency is below a nominal grid frequency and said triggering is optimized to increase said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency is above said nominal grid frequency based on load requirements stored in said load constraint database;

said method comprising;

(1) monitoring said power generation grid frequency;

(2) reducing said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency is below a nominal grid frequency;

(3) increasing said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency is above said nominal grid frequency;

(4) triggering said customer load activations when said load constraint database dictates said customer load is required to be active;

(5) reducing said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency has a high negative derivative; and

(6) increasing said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency has a high positive derivative.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said nominal grid frequency is 60 Hz.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said nominal grid frequency is 50 Hz.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and utilizes this information to anticipate periods of nominal electricity prices based on the current date and time, and activates said triggering during these anticipated nominal prices based on the requirements of said customer loads.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and utilizes this information to anticipate periods of high electricity prices based on the current date and time, and increases said triggering during these anticipated price maximums.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and utilizes this information to anticipate periods of low electricity prices based on the current date and time, and increases said triggering during these anticipated price minimums.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and correlates this information to said power generation grid frequency information to anticipate future spot market pricing and minimize said triggering during periods of positive spot market pricing differentials and maximize said triggering loading during periods of negative spot market pricing differentials.

28. The method of claim 21 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from said power generation grid.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from an electric provider via the Internet.

30. The method of claim 21 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from an electric provider via a wireless communication link.

31. A computer usable medium having computer-readable program code means providing energy optimization functionality using a system comprising frequency meter, control computer, load constraint database, and load controller, wherein

said frequency meter monitors the power generation grid frequency;

said control computer communicates with said load constraint database under direction of an operator;

said load controller is triggered by said power generation grid frequency to activate one or more customer loads in response to data within said load constraint database;

said load constraint database defines the conditions under which said customer loads are activated and the frequency constraints under which the power to said loads constitutes a reduced or optimal spot market price for electricity; and

said triggering is optimized to reduce said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency is below nominal grid frequency and said triggering is optimized to increase said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency is above nominal grid frequency based on load requirements stored in said load constraint database;

said computer-readable program means comprising;

(1) computer program code means for monitoring said power generation grid frequency;

(2) computer program code means for reducing said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency is below nominal grid frequency;

(3) computer program code means for increasing said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency is above said nominal grid frequency;

(4) computer program code means for triggering said customer load activations when said load constraint database dictates said customer load is required to be active;

(5) computer program code means for reducing said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency has a high negative derivative; and

(6) computer program code means for increasing said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency has a high positive derivative.

32. The computer usable medium of claim 31 wherein said nominal grid frequency is 60 Hz.

33. The computer usable medium of claim 31 wherein said nominal grid frequency is 50 Hz.

34. The computer usable medium of claim 31 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and utilizes this information to anticipate periods of nominal electricity prices based on the current date and time, and activates said triggering during these anticipated nominal prices based on the requirements of said customer loads.

35. The computer usable medium of claim 31 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and utilizes this information to anticipate periods of high electricity prices based on the current date and time, and increases said triggering during these anticipated price maximums.

36. The computer usable medium of claim 31 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and utilizes this information to anticipate periods of low electricity prices based on the current date and time, and increases said triggering during these anticipated price minimums.

37. The computer usable medium of claim 31 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and correlates this information to said power generation grid frequency information to anticipate future spot market pricing and minimize said triggering during periods of positive spot market pricing differentials and maximize said triggering loading during periods of negative spot market pricing differentials.

38. The computer usable medium of claim 31 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from said power generation grid.

39. The computer usable medium of claim 31 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from an electric provider via the Internet.

40. The computer usable medium of claim 31 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from an electric provider via a wireless communication link.

41. An electrical grid balancing method, said method using a system comprising frequency meter, control computer, load constraint database, and load controller, wherein

said frequency meter monitors the power generation grid frequency;

said control computer communicates with said load constraint database under direction of an operator;

said load controller is triggered by said power generation grid frequency to activate one or more customer loads in response to data within said load constraint database;

said load constraint database defines the conditions under which said customer loads are activated and the frequency constraints under which the power to said loads constitutes a reduced or optimal spot market price for electricity; and

said triggering is optimized to reduce said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency is below a nominal grid frequency and said triggering is optimized to increase said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency is above said nominal grid frequency based on load requirements stored in said load constraint database;

said method comprising;

(1) monitoring said power generation grid frequency;

(2) triggering customer load shedding when a minimum frequency trip point is detected;

(3) identifying customer load(s) that are eligible for load shedding;

(4) activating selected customer load shedding;

(5) waiting a predetermined time to permit reactivation of said customer load;

(6) enabling reactivation of said customer load once a frequency maximum trip point has been reached;

(7) Repeating steps 1-6 as needed until both the customer load demands are met and/or electrical grid stabilization is achieved.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein said nominal grid frequency is 60 Hz.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein said nominal grid frequency is 50 Hz.

44. The method of claim 41 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and utilizes this information to anticipate periods of nominal electricity prices based on the current date and time, and activates said triggering during these anticipated nominal prices based on the requirements of said customer loads.

45. The method of claim 41 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and utilizes this information to anticipate periods of high electricity prices based on the current date and time, and increases said triggering during these anticipated price maximums.

46. The method of claim 41 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and utilizes this information to anticipate periods of low electricity prices based on the current date and time, and increases said triggering during these anticipated price minimums.

47. The method of claim 41 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and correlates this information to said power generation grid frequency information to anticipate future spot market pricing and minimize said triggering during periods of positive spot market pricing differentials and maximize said triggering loading during periods of negative spot market pricing differentials.

48. The method of claim 41 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from said power generation grid.

49. The method of claim 41 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from an electric provider via the Internet.

50. The method of claim 41 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from an electric provider via a wireless communication link.

51. A computer usable medium having computer-readable program code means providing electrical grid stabilization functionality using a system comprising frequency meter, control computer, load constraint database, and load controller, wherein

said frequency meter monitors the power generation grid frequency;

said control computer communicates with said load constraint database under direction of an operator;

said load controller is triggered by said power generation grid frequency to activate one or more customer loads in response to data within said load constraint database;

said load constraint database defines the conditions under which said customer loads are activated and the frequency constraints under which the power to said loads constitutes a reduced or optimal spot market price for electricity; and

said triggering is optimized to reduce said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency is below nominal grid frequency and said triggering is optimized to increase said customer load activations when said power generation grid frequency is above nominal grid frequency based on load requirements stored in said load constraint database;

said computer-readable program means comprising;

(1) computer program code means for monitoring said power generation grid frequency;

(2) computer program code means for triggering customer load shedding when a minimum frequency trip point is detected;

(3) computer program code means for identifying customer load(s) that are eligible for load shedding;

(4) computer program code means for activating selected customer load shedding;

(5) computer program code means for waiting a predetermined time to permit reactivation of said customer load;

(6) computer program code means for enabling reactivation of said customer load once a frequency maximum trip point has been reached;

(7) computer program code means for repeating steps 1-6 as needed until both the customer load demands are met and/or electrical grid stabilization is achieved.

52. The computer usable medium of claim 51 wherein said nominal grid frequency is 60 Hz.

53. The computer usable medium of claim 51 wherein said nominal grid frequency is 50 Hz.

54. The computer usable medium of claim 51 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and utilizes this information to anticipate periods of nominal electricity prices based on the current date and time, and activates said triggering during these anticipated nominal prices based on the requirements of said customer loads.

55. The computer usable medium of claim 51 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and utilizes this information to anticipate periods of high electricity prices based on the current date and time, and increases said triggering during these anticipated price maximums.

56. The computer usable medium of claim 51 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and utilizes this information to anticipate periods of low electricity prices based on the current date and time, and increases said triggering during these anticipated price minimums.

57. The computer usable medium of claim 51 wherein said load constraint database maintains historical data on spot market electricity prices and correlates this information to said power generation grid frequency information to anticipate future spot market pricing and minimize said triggering during periods of positive spot market pricing differentials and maximize said triggering loading during periods of negative spot market pricing differentials.

58. The computer usable medium of claim 51 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from said power generation grid.

59. The computer usable medium of claim 51 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from an electric provider via the Internet.

60. The computer usable medium of claim 51 wherein said control computer activates said load controller based on spot market pricing information obtained from an electric provider via a wireless communication link.