Aggregation server for grid-integrated vehicles

• US 9,043,038 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2010
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NUVVE Corporation
• Original Assignee: University of Delaware
• Inventors: Kempton, Willett
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Karim, Ziaul
• Application Number:
  US12/887,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20110202192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,708 Days
• Field of Search: 700/291, 701/22, 903/930, 320/109, 180/65.29, 180/62.275
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• 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 53/65 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: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/22 Payment schemes or models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 : Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• 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 50/10 : Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for aggregating electric power flow between an electric grid and electric vehicles are disclosed. An apparatus for aggregating power flow may include a memory and a processor coupled to the memory to receive electric vehicle equipment (EVE) attributes from a plurality of EVEs, aggregate EVE attributes, predict total available capacity based on the EVE attributes, and dispatch at least a portion of the total available capacity to the grid. Power flow may be aggregated by receiving EVE operational parameters from each EVE, aggregating the received EVE operational parameters, predicting total available capacity based on the aggregated EVE operational parameters, and dispatching at least a portion of the total available capacity to the grid.

Claims

1. A method for aggregating electric power flow between an electric grid and electric vehicles, the method comprising:

receiving electric vehicle equipment (EVE) operational parameters from each of a plurality of EVE, and electric vehicle station equipment (EVSE) operational parameters from each of a plurality of EVSE;

calculating the power capacity in Watts of each EVE and each EVSE, based on the received EVE operational parameters and EVSE operational parameters;

calculating total available power capacity in Watts or Amps based on the EVE operational parameters, the EVSE operational parameters, and the power capacity calculation for each; and

dispatching an aggregated amount of power in Watts or Amps to the grid that is less than or equal to the calculated total available power capacity;

wherein

the EVSE and EVE operational parameters include grid location of the EVE, maximum power and other attributes of the electric grid, including one or more of, distribution circuits, distribution transformers, building main breakers, and EVSE circuit breakers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

offering a total available power capacity in Watts or Amps to the grid based on the calculated total available power capacity, where the offered total available power capacity in Watts or Amps can be positive or negative;

receiving from a grid operator a continuous sequence of grid dispatch request(s) for a varying amount of power, said sequence of grid dispatch request(s) specifying whether the requested power should be positive or negative and a time for the requested power to be dispatched; and

allocating the grid dispatch request to each EVE of the plurality of EVE, and then dispatching power to or from one or more of the plurality of EVE;

wherein the dispatching step includes instructing each one of the plurality of EVE to each dispatch power at a rate based on their allocated portion of the grid dispatch request.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

Identifying one or more markets for offering all or part of the calculated total available power capacity.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a continuous sequence of real-time measurements of grid services, including delivered power in Watts or Amps from the plurality of EVE;

combining the received reports into an aggregated report of delivered power rate, direction of power flow (positive or negative), and timing; and

sending the resulting aggregated report to a grid operator making a dispatch request.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining if the aggregated report of delivered power matches power requested in the dispatch request by the grid operator.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

adjusting the offered power if the delivered capacity does not match any of the power in Watts or Amps, the direction of power flow (positive or negative), or the timing in the dispatch request.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a predicted driving schedule for each of the plurality of EVE in a memory;

and

synchronizing the stored driving schedules with remote driving schedules stored by the plurality of EVE.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

predicting trips for an electric vehicle associated with one of the plurality of EVE, the vehicle having a battery;

determining effect on the battery life of reaching and sustaining various levels of charge; and

charging the battery to a level sufficient for the electric vehicle to carry out the predicted trips, while minimizing wear on the battery, so as to prolong battery life.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

predicting trips for the electric vehicle;

determining a current temperature in a passenger compartment of the electric vehicle; and

preheating or precooling at least a portion of the electric vehicle based on the predicted trips and a current temperature.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the preheating or precooling is further based on expected weather at a location and time of the predicted trips.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregator and a plurality of EVE, and EVSE together constitute three respective types of agents comprising a multi-agent system, in which all agents communicate in all directions with each other, each agent shares some or all of the information unique to it, each agent may have, or represent, varying interests (e.g. the grid is focused on electric reliability versus the car owner'"'"'s interest in prolonging battery life) each of the three agents makes control decisions based on both shared information and information unique to the agent making the control decision, and in which any one of these three agents can take over some functions if any others are non-operating or not communicating.

12. A system for aggregating electric power flow between an electric grid and electric vehicles, the system comprising:

means for receiving electric vehicle equipment (EVE) operational parameters from each of a plurality of EVE, and electric vehicle station equipment (EVSE) operational parameters from each of a plurality of EVSE;

means for calculating the power capacity in Watts of each EVE and each EVSE, based on the received EVE operational parameters and EVSE operational parameters;

means for calculating total available power capacity in Watts or Amps based on the EVE operational parameters, the EVSE operational parameters, and the power capacity calculation for each; and

means for dispatching an aggregated amount of power in Watts or Amps to the grid that is less than or equal to the calculated total available power capacity;

wherein

the EVSE and EVE operational parameters include grid location of the EVE, maximum power and other attributes of the electric grid, including one or more of, distribution circuits, distribution transformers, building main breakers, and EVSE circuit breakers.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for offering a total available power capacity in Watts to the grid based on the calculated total available power capacity, where the offered total available power capacity in Watts or Amps can be positive or negative;

means for receiving from a grid operator a continuous sequence of grid dispatch request(s) for a varying amount of power, said sequence of grid dispatch request(s) specifying whether the requested power should be positive or negative and a time for the requested power to be dispatched; and

means for allocating the grid dispatch request to each EVE of the plurality of EVE, and then dispatching power to or from one or more of the plurality of EVE;

wherein the means for dispatching includes means for instructing each one of the plurality of EVE to each dispatch power at a rate based on their allocated portion of the grid dispatch request.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for identifying one or more markets for offering all or part of the calculated total available power capacity.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for receiving a sequence of real-time measurements of grid services, including delivered power from the plurality of EVE;

means for combining the received measurements from each EVE into an aggregated report of delivered power rate, direction of power flow (positive or negative), and timing; and

means for sending the resulting aggregated report to a grid operator making a dispatch request.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for determining if the aggregated report of delivered power matches power requested in the dispatch request by the grid operator.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for adjusting the offered power if the delivered capacity does not match any of the power in Watts or Amps, the direction of power flow (positive or negative), or the timing in the dispatch request.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for storing a predicted driving schedule for each of the plurality of EVE in a memory; and

means for synchronizing the stored driving schedules with remote driving schedules stored by the plurality of EVE.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the system further comprises:

means for predicting trips for an electric vehicle associated with one of the plurality of EVE, the electric vehicle having a battery;

means for determining effect on the battery life of reaching and sustaining various levels of charge; and

means for charging the battery to a level sufficient for the electric vehicle to carry out the predicted trips, while minimizing wear on the battery, so as to prolong battery life.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the system further comprises:

means for predicting trips for the electric vehicle;

means for determining a current temperature in a passenger compartment of the electric vehicle; and

means for preheating or precooling at least a portion of the electric vehicle based on the predicted trips and a current temperature.

21. An apparatus for aggregating electric power flow between an electric grid and electric vehicles, the apparatus comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to receive electric vehicle equipment (EVE) attributes and EVSE attributes from a plurality of EVE and EVSE, aggregate those attributes, calculate total available capacity in Watts based on those attributes, and report the current (continuously updated) total available capacity to the grid;

means for receiving electric vehicle equipment (EVE) operational parameters from each of the plurality of EVE, and electric vehicle station equipment (EVSE) operational parameters from each of the plurality of EVSE;

wherein

the EVSE and EVE operational parameters include grid location of the EVE, maximum power and other attributes of the electric grid, including one or more of, distribution circuits, distribution transformers, building main breakers, and EVSE circuit breakers.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, the processor further configured to offer the total available capacity to the grid, receive a grid dispatch for at least a portion of an offered total available capacity, and allocate the grid dispatch to the plurality of EVE, wherein the processor instructs each of the plurality of EVE to dispatch no more than its allocated capacity for delivery to the grid.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, the processor further configured to identify a market for offering at least a portion of the total available capacity.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, the processor further configured to receive a continuous sequence of measurements of delivered power in Watts, continuously in real time, from the plurality of EVE, combine the received reports of delivered power in Watts, and continuously send the combined received reports to a grid operator.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, the processor further configured to determine if the combined delivered power in Watts is as large as the offered total available capacity.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to adjust an allocated capacity if the combined delivered capacity does not match the at least a portion of the offered total available capacity of the grid dispatch.