Systems and methods for microgrid power generation and management

• US 9,979,198 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2015
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Causam Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Causam Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Darden, II, Thomas Francis, Szyperski, James Kevin, Forbes, Jr., Joseph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kessie, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/969,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20160105025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/10 The dispersed energy generation being of fossil origin, e.g. diesel generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/22 The renewable source being solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/004 Generation forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future energy generation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/46 Controlling of the sharing of output between the generators, converters, or transformers
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for coordinating selective activation of a multiplicity of emergency power generation equipment over a predetermined geographic area for distribution and/or storage to supply a microgrid of electrical power for a substantially similar geographic area.

Claims

1. A method for power generation and management, comprising:

providing a central controller and a distributed power generation system for providing emergency back-up power supply for a microgrid;

wherein the distributed power generation system comprises at least two types of equipment for providing electric power;

wherein the central controller is a Price Resource Management System (PRMS);

wherein the PRMS comprises a monitor device, a database, an analyzing device, at least one server computer, a device interface, and at least two controllable devices;

wherein each of the at least two controllable devices is connected to each of the at least two types of equipment for providing electric power respectively;

communicatively connecting the distributed power generation system with the central controller;

the monitor device tracking wholesale energy market price in real time;

the database storing the wholesale energy market price;

the analyzing device analyzing the wholesale energy market price based on predictive modeling;

the at least one server computer generating power instructions when a predetermined threshold market price is reached based on the predictive modeling of the wholesale energy market price;

the device interface facilitating and producing communication of power instructions to at least one of the at least two controllable devices;

the central controller optimizing power generation timing, management, storage and distribution to the microgrid;

the central controller coordinating selective activation of the at least two types of equipment for providing electric power; and

the at least two controllable devices enabling or disabling power flow from at least one of the at least two types of equipment for providing electric power.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the analyzing device analyzing data indicative of electricity remaining on a per power storage device basis;

wherein the at least two types of equipment for providing electric power comprise at least one power storage device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the central controller collecting data including local microgrid metering information, user interface information, microgrid resource and commercial information, microgrid island condition alarm, critical alarm signals from utility, commercial and resource information from the markets and utility, and regulatory and environmental data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the central controller selectively activating the at least two types of equipment for providing power to supply power to the microgrid when the public power grid experiences high demand for power supply.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two types of equipment for providing electric power comprise at least one power generator and at least one energy storage device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two types of equipment for providing electric power comprise at least two different types of power generators selected from the group consisting of solar arrays, natural gas generators, propane generators, diesel generators, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two types of equipment for providing electric power are operable to provide electric power only within the microgrid.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two types of equipment for providing electric power are operable to sell electric power to the public power grid.

9. A system for power generation and management, comprising:

a central controller and a distributed power generation system;

wherein the distributed power generation system comprises at least two types of equipment for providing emergency back-up power to a microgrid;

wherein the central controller is communicatively connected to the distributed power generation system;

wherein the central controller is a Price Resource Management System (PRMS);

wherein the PRMS comprises a monitor device, a database, an analyzing device, at least one server computer, a device interface, and at least two controllable devices;

wherein the monitor device is operable to track wholesale energy market price in real time;

the database is operable to store the wholesale energy market price;

the analyzing device is operable to analyze the wholesale energy market price based on predictive modeling;

the at least one server computer is operable to generate power instructions when a predetermined threshold market price is reached based on the predictive modeling of the wholesale energy market price;

the device interface is operable to facilitate and produce communication of power instructions to at least one of the at least two controllable devices; and

the at least two controllable devices are operable to enable or disable power flow from the at least two types of equipment for providing emergency back-up power to the microgrid respectively;

wherein the central controller is operable to optimize power generation timing, management, storage and distribution to the microgrid; and

coordinate selective activation of the at least two types of equipment for providing emergency back-up power to the microgrid.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least two types of equipment for providing emergency back-up power to the microgrid comprise at least one power storage device;

wherein the analyzing device is further operable to analyze data indicative of electricity remaining in power storage devices on a per power storage device basis.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the central controller is operable to collect data including local microgrid metering information, user interface information, microgrid resource and commercial information, microgrid island condition alarm, critical alarm signals from utility, commercial and resource information from the markets and utility, and regulatory and environmental data.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least two types of equipment for providing emergency back-up power to the microgrid comprise at least one power generator and the at least one energy storage device.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least two types of equipment for providing emergency back-up power to the microgrid comprise at least two different types of power generators selected from the group consisting of solar arrays, natural gas generators, propane generators, diesel generators, and combinations thereof.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least two types of equipment for providing emergency back-up power to the microgrid are operable to provide electric power only within the microgrid.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least two types of equipment for providing emergency back-up power to the microgrid are operable to sell electric power to the public power grid.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein selective action of the at least two types of equipment for providing emergency back-up power to the microgrid is on a regular basis selected from the group consisting of at least once per day and at least once per month.