System, method, and apparatus for settlement for participation in an electric power grid

• US 8,849,715 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Causam Exchange Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Causam Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Forbes, Joseph W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ziegle, Stephanie M
• Application Number:
  US13/659,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20140114844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 45
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• 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: G05D 17/00 Control of torque; Control of mechanical power
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 3/12 using feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/008 Rewarding for providing delivery of electricity to the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 : the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2203/20 : Simulating, e g planning, reliability check, modelling or computer assisted design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 : involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 : Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 : in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 : Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/845 : Inventory and reporting systems for greenhouse gases [GHG]
• 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 40/128 : involving the use of Internet protocol
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 : Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid
• 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 50/14 : Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus embodiments for electric power grid and network registration and management of physical and financial settlement for participation of active grid elements in supply and/or curtailment of power. Settlement is provided for grid elements that participate in the electric power grid following initial registration of each grid element with the system, preferably through network-based communication between the grid elements and a coordinator, either in coordination with or outside of an IP-based communications network router. A multiplicity of active grid elements function in the grid for supply capacity, supply and/or load curtailment as supply or capacity, and are compensated through settlement for their functional participation in the electric power grid. Also, messaging related to settlement is managed through a network by a Coordinator using IP messaging for communication with the grid elements, with the energy management system (EMS), and with the utilities, market participants, and/or grid operators.

Claims

1. A system for market-based financial settlement of transactions within an electric power grid network comprising:

a settlement processor;

at least one coordinator;

a plurality of databases;

and at least one active grid element;

the settlement processor for market-based financial settlements comprising a server and/or a processor, constructed and connected via a network-based communication with a network with the at least one coordinator;

wherein the coordinator(s) is constructed and connected via a network-based communication with the at least one active grid element that is registered to participate within the electric power grid;

said coordinator routing messages from the at least one active grid element through the network connecting to the plurality of databases and wherein servers operating the databases exchange information associated with the at least one active grid element;

a memory including instructions that when executed by the settlement processor performs the steps of;

automatically generating a communication relating to each of the active grid element(s) using revenue grade metrology including a market-based financial settlement based upon a market price;

determining the market price based on settlement and participation data for the at least one active grid element participation including electricity supply and electricity demand curtailment as supply at the active grid element location for a time interval, wherein the participation comprises the at least one active grid element communicating said participation data to the coordinator via the network in real-time; and

providing the market-based financial settlement corresponding to the active grid element participation in the time interval of less than about 15 minutes.

2. The system of claim 1, further including a translator constructed and configured in network-based communication with the coordinator and with at least one legacy system for financial settlement processing.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the market-based financial settlement includes factors for grid stability-based pricing, operating reserves-based pricing, peak and off-peak timing pricing, and estimations, network models, and real-time measurement of actual participation by each of the grid elements, and the losses associated with transmission, distribution, and resource nodes.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the market-based financial settlement includes factors for grid stability-based pricing.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the market-based financial settlement includes factors for operating reserves-based pricing.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the market-based financial settlement includes factors considering peak and off-peak timing.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the market-based financial settlement includes measured data that provides higher rate for settlement compared with projected, estimated, or validation, estimating or editing (VEE) rate.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the market-based financial settlement is managed by a clearinghouse between market participants and utilities.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein each of the active grid elements have a home location identifier and a non-home location identifier, and wherein the market-based financial settlement includes factors and attributes for active grid element participation associated with the home location identifier and with the non-home location identifier.

10. The system of claim 3, further including a resource settlement point providing for grid element mobility for market-based financial settlement at more than one location within the electric power grid.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the market-based financial settlement based upon a kilowatt packet (KWP) unit, a power supply value (PSV) unit, a power trading block (PTB) unit, and combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the settlement is processed by the settlement processor in a predetermined timeframe associated with reporting frequency associated with the participation of active grid element(s) within the electric power grid.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one coordinator is remotely positioned from the settlement processor.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the participation of the grid element is communicated to the coordinator via the network.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the participation of the grid element is automatically communicated to the coordinator via the network.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the participation of the grid element is communicated to the coordinator via the network.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the network-based communication is a standards-based communication or a proprietary communication.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the network-based communication is IP-based communication.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication is routable through a router and/or through the coordinator.

20. The system of claim 1, further including a multiplicity of grid elements that aggregate and/or integrate through a master grid element and/or a virtual grid element that represents the participation of the multiplicity of grid elements as one grid element.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least active one grid element is an electrical device.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least active one grid element is a device that consumes electric power from an electric power grid.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one active grid element is a device that provides power to an electric power grid.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one active grid element is a device that provides any power that is monetized and recognized by a governing entity associated with the electric power grid.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one active grid elements is a control device.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the control device operates, programs, and/or updates the power-consuming device.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one active grid element is selected from the group consisting of:

a sensor, a power-consuming device, an appliance, a meter, a switch, a controller, a control device, a power control subsystem integrated with grid element for supply, a thermostat, a building control system, a security device, and combinations thereof.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the active grid elements is under the control of an energy management system (EMS).

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the active grid element is under the control of a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system.

30. The system of claim 1, further including telemetry for each active grid element, wherein the telemetry follows industry standard for energy management system (EMS) and/or SCADA control.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the transformation relating to the active grid element enables the active grid element to provide operating reserves and/or grid stabilization for the electric power grid.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one active grid elements has a unique grid element identifier.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the unique grid element identifier comprises Internet Protocol (IP) address, equipment identifier, Media Access Control (MAC) address, or combinations thereof.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the unique grid element identifier further includes location-based factors, time-based factors, grid-function-based factors, and combinations thereof.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein the server initiates the market-based financial settlement of the participation of the at least one active grid element.

36. The system of claim 1, wherein the market-based financial settlement of the participation of the at least one active grid element is stored in a database.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the database is registered with an international organization for standardization (ISO), balancing authority (BA), control area, utility service area, any geodetic junction where settlements are performed as determined by the governing entity, and/or Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

38. The system of claim 1, wherein each active grid element is registered with the system and wherein the registration of active grid elements is stored in the databases for predetermined periods of time for use with the market-based financial settlement associated with the active grid elements.

39. The system of claim 1, wherein registration information associated with the active grid elements is used to determine attachment points to the electric power grid for distribution and transmission of power, and wherein the attachment point information associated with the active grid elements is communicated to the settlement processor.

40. The system of claim 1, wherein settlement information associated with grid elements is communicated to a market participant, utility, grid operator, international organization for standardization (ISO), energy management system (EMS), and combinations thereof.

41. The system of claim 1, wherein a settlement is made for each active grid element, and the settlement complies with regulations and/or standards established by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Nuclear Energy Regulatory Commission (NERC), and/or a governing authority for the electric power grid.

42. The system of claim 1, wherein the server communicates a settlement message to each of the at least one active grid elements via the network.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the settlement message is an IP-based message.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the settlement message is transmitted wirelessly.

45. The system of claim 42, further comprising:

an interface that facilitates communication of the settlement message with the active grid elements.

46. The system of claim 42 wherein the interface comprises an IP-based interface.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the IP-based interface is selected from the group consisting essentially of WiMax, High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Evolution for Data Only (EVDO), Long Term Evolution (LTE), any first or second generation wireless transport method such as Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), or Code Division Multiple Access, Ethernet, any proprietary Layer 1-4 protocol that contains or is capable of transporting an Internet Protocol message, and combinations thereof.

48. The system of claim 42, wherein the settlement message includes a derived Power Supply Value that meets the minimum requirements for measurement, verification and reporting accuracy as determined by the Governing Entity that regulates the operation of the electric power grid that includes utilities, market participants and/or grid operators.

49. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a security interface associated with each of the grid elements operable to receive security system messages from at least one remotely-located security system.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the security interface is standards-based or determined by the governing entity that regulates grid operations for utilities, market participants or grid operators.

51. The system of claim 42, wherein the settlement message has a delivery priority including at least one of a plurality of methods to include priority access flags, virtual private networks, independent identifying addresses (Media Access Control (MAC), Internet Protocol (IP), Electronic Serial Numbers), manufacturers specific identifying codes, or combinations thereof, wherein the methods comply with standards as determined by the governing entity that regulates grid operations for utilities, market participants or grid operators.

52. The system of claim 1, wherein the grid element(s) further include at least one mobile device having at least one access point name (APN) for providing a priority of delivery for the message.

53. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one active grid element transmits a signal or communicates a message to the server at the point of initial connection with the server via the network.

54. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one active grid element communicates a signal or a settlement message to initiate the market-based financial settlement corresponding to participation in the electric power grid.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the signal or the settlement message is routed through a coordinator.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the coordinator routes the settlement message to the settlement processor.

57. The system of claim 52, wherein the settlement message further includes at least one of:

a geodetic reference, an element identifier, a grid element type, a grid element function, a grid element capacity, a grid element profile, a grid element attachment point reference, a kilowatt packet (KWP) value, a grid element power supply value (PSV), a grid element power trade block (PTB) value, a grid element balancing authority association, a grid element owner identifier, a grid element compatibility identifier, and combinations thereof.