COMMUNITY ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method executable using at least one computer having at least one processor and memory located within a community energy management system (CEMS), the method comprising:
- monitoring, using a sensor of the CEMS, electricity supplied to a community by monitoring a feeder line from a local utility, the community comprising a plurality of consuming units, the community being a subset of a power grid;
detecting a reduction or loss in electricity supplied by the local utility during one or more time periods for which backup power will have to be provided;
monitoring, using at least one sensor of the CEMS, electricity consumption at the plurality of units;
determining, using the at least one processor, backup power consumed on a per-unit basis during the one or more time periods; and
calculating, using the at least one processor, costs to respective units based on per-unit consumption of the backup power during the one or more time periods.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for distributed control and energy management of one or more communities of energy-consuming units may include aggregation of consumption data from units, and determining per-unit electricity consumption based thereon, including consumption of backup power provided by a community during periods of time of poor quality (brownouts) or blackouts of a utility. A system may calculate and assess to respective units per-unit costs for such backup power. A system may also issue a command or alert to units to carry out one or both of community electricity usage objectives and electricity quotas required by the utility, which may be determined through execution of rules.
95 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method executable using at least one computer having at least one processor and memory located within a community energy management system (CEMS), the method comprising:
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monitoring, using a sensor of the CEMS, electricity supplied to a community by monitoring a feeder line from a local utility, the community comprising a plurality of consuming units, the community being a subset of a power grid; detecting a reduction or loss in electricity supplied by the local utility during one or more time periods for which backup power will have to be provided; monitoring, using at least one sensor of the CEMS, electricity consumption at the plurality of units; determining, using the at least one processor, backup power consumed on a per-unit basis during the one or more time periods; and calculating, using the at least one processor, costs to respective units based on per-unit consumption of the backup power during the one or more time periods. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method executable using at least one computer having at least one processor and memory of a service provider of a plurality of communities, the method comprising:
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monitoring, using a plurality of sensors of community energy management systems (CEMSs) of respective communities, electricity consumption by the plurality of communities by monitoring respective feeder lines from a local utility for each community, including periods of time during which the electricity is cut or reduced, which form incoming electricity patterns of supply for the respective communities, the communities as combined being a subset of a power grid; aggregating data from each community for a plurality of units of each community that consume the electricity, the data including at least consumption patterns on a per-unit basis; accessing one or more rules from the memory, or as received from the local utility, that address demand response requirements of the local utility executable at a micro level of the units, to determine a reduction in power supply at each monitored community necessary to reduce a likelihood of a blackout or a brownout in the local utility; and sending, using at least one processor, an alert or command to a smart device management system (SDMS) of respective units of the communities based on the incoming energy patterns and the per-unit consumption patterns, and in execution of the one or more rules to reduce the likelihood of a blackout or a brownout in the local utility. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A community energy management system for determining per-unit costs of provisioned backup power, comprising:
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at least one computer including at least one processor and computer memory; a network interface coupled with the at least one computer configured to communicate with units of a community over at least one network; the at least one processor configured to; monitor electricity supplied to a community by monitoring a feeder line from a local utility, the community comprising a plurality of consuming units; detect a reduction or loss in electricity supplied by the local utility during one or more time periods for which backup power will have to be provided; monitor electricity consumption at the plurality of units; determining backup power consumed on a per-unit basis during the one or more time periods; and calculate costs to respective units based on per-unit consumption of the backup power during the one or more time periods.
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20. A hierarchical energy management system for executing demand response control over a plurality of communities of respective units, comprising:
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at least one computer each including at least one processor and computer memory; a network interface coupled with the at least one computer configured to communicate with the communities and their units over at least one network; the at least one processor configured to; monitor electricity consumption by at least some of the plurality of communities by monitoring respective feeder lines from a local utility for each community, including periods of time during which the electricity is cut or reduced, which form incoming electricity patterns of supply for the respective communities; aggregate data from each community for a plurality of units of each community that consume the electricity, the data including at least consumption patterns on a per-unit basis; access one or more rules from the memory, or as received from the local utility, that address demand response requirements of the local utility executable at a micro level of the units, to determine a reduction in power supply at each monitored community necessary to reduce a likelihood of a blackout or a brownout in the local utility; and send an alert or command to a smart device management system (SDMS) of respective units of the communities based on the incoming energy patterns and the per-unit consumption patterns, and in execution of the one or more rules to reduce the likelihood of a blackout or a brownout in the local utility.
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Specification