2419results about "Ac network with energy trading/transmission rights" patented technology

The invention generally concerns systems and methods for monitoring and controlling the power consumption of a power-consuming device. The system and method may connect to a power source and a power-consuming device, connecting the power-consuming device to the power source. The power usage of the power-consuming device may then be measured and monitored. This monitoring data may then be stored and optionally sent to a controlling device on a data network. The location of the power-consuming device may also be determined, recorded, and sent to a controlling device. The system may also control the power usage of the power-consuming device. In some cases, a remote server may connect multiple energy monitoring systems in order to gain additional efficiencies and foster a community-based social network.

A business methodology for optimizing energy procurement energy demand (usage) and energy supply for a facility or complex. After ascertaining a baseline model, energy consumption is monitored and adjusted to reflect dynamic economic factors of operations. With the accumulation of data, contract negotiations with energy suppliers may provide further energy savings. Over time and patterns of usage determined further savings and optimization in energy, equipment, staffing and other operational areas are obtained. Remote access provides efficient monitoring of established systems.

Methods and systems are provided for optimizing the control of energy supply and demand. An energy control unit includes one or more algorithms for scheduling the control of energy consumption devices on the basis of variables relating to forecast energy supply and demand. Devices for which energy consumption can be scheduled or deferred are activated during periods of cheapest energy usage. Battery storage and alternative energy sources (e.g., photovoltaic cells) are activated to sell energy to the power grid during periods that are determined to correspond to favorable cost conditions.

An energy distribution may include a server and one or more databases. The system may communicate with an energy provider to receive energy provider data, at least one information collector to receive information collector data such as individualized energy usage data, customer preferences, and customer or location characteristics, and the one or more databases for receiving data for optimization. The system may calculate a cost of service or avoided cost using at least one of the individualized energy usage data and a system generation cost at a nearest bus. The system may also forecast individualized demand by end-use, individualized demand by location, energy prices, or energy costs. The system may optimize energy distribution, energy use, cost of service, or avoided cost using the forecasted individualized demand by end-use, the forecasted individualized demand by location, the forecasted energy prices, and the forecasted energy costs.

Systems and methods for energy optimization may receive receiving energy provider data, near-real time individualized energy usage data for each of a plurality of end-uses or near-real time individualized whole premise energy usage data, customer preferences, and near-real time and forecasted weather information. The systems and methods may forecast, for a selected time period, individualized energy usage for each of the plurality of end-uses or individualized whole premise energy usage data for a customer location using: (1) the energy provider data, (2) the near-real time individualized energy usage data, (3) the customer preferences, and (4) the near-real time and forecasted weather information. The systems and methods may optimize, for the selected time period, energy usage at the customer location using (1) the individualized energy usage, (2) the energy provider data, and (3) the customer preferences.

Disclosed is a computerized method for dispatching energy from distributed resources in a discharge event so that the energy stored in individual devices is levelized, or so that an operator request is met. Evaluation of event parameters may be deferred. The method may be utilized to dispatch energy from plug-in electric vehicles. Systems and methods to account for electricity dispatched to or from electric vehicles are disclosed. Systems and methods for incentivizing consumers to participate in a dispatch event or curtail energy use are disclosed.

A method, computer-readable medium, and system for managing a transfer of energy is disclosed.

Methods and systems are disclosed for controlling energy consumption at a facility, or a group of facilities, using current and future energy prices, and seasonal and environmental information to control a load shedding scheme.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling the charging of onboard energy storage systems of a plurality of plug-in vehicles using a remote command center. A system for directing the charging of a plurality of remotely located plug-in vehicles is provided. The system includes a communication system configured to transmit charging authorizations to charge each of the plurality of plug-in vehicles and to receive data related to power consumption from each of the plurality of plug-in vehicles. The system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the communication system and configured to receive the data related to power consumption and to direct the charge authorizations based thereon. A database is also included in the system and is communicatively coupled to the controller, with the database configured to store the data related to power consumption.

A control system for an energy-related system including at least a first energy consumer and a first energy producer, and related method, are disclosed. The control system includes a first agent in communication with the first energy consumer for the purpose of at least one of controlling and monitoring an operation of the first energy consumer, a second agent in communication with the first energy producer for the purpose of at least one of controlling and monitoring an operation of the first energy producer, and a network at least indirectly coupling the first and second agents and allowing for communication therebetween. The first and second agents are capable of negotiating with one another in order to determine an amount of energy to be delivered from the first energy producer to the first energy consumer.

Systems for management of community resources; in certain aspects community resources including community-wide resources and individual unit (home, business) resources of a plurality of individual units; management including real-time supervision, monitoring, adjusting, and control of any and all resources, control via network (wired or wireless).

An energy management system uses an expert engine and a numerical solver to determine an optimal manner of using and controlling the various energy consumption, producing and storage equipment in a plant/communities in order to for example reduce energy costs within the plant, and is especially applicable to plants that require or that are capable of using and/or producing different types of energy at different times. The energy management system operates the various energy manufacturing and energy usage components of the plant to minimize the cost of energy over time, or at various different times, while still meeting certain constraints or requirements within the operational system, such as producing a certain amount of heat or cooling, a certain power level, a certain level of production, etc. In some cases, the energy management system may cause the operational equipment of the plant to produce unneeded energy that can be stored until a later time and then used, or that can be sold back to a public utility, for example, so as to reduce the overall cost of energy within the plant.

A resource management client apparatus (client, 102) comprises an interface to a wide area network (WAN, 106) facilitating connection to a resource management server (server, 104), and at least one communications interface (116, 118) to communicate with a plurality of associated resource monitoring and control devices (devices, 120, 122). A secure key interface (128) to receive an electronic access device (130) that securely stores information including at least a unique identifier, server connection data, and one or more encryption keys for encrypting information transmitted between the client (102) and the server (104). The client (102) establishes a connection to the server (104) via the WAN (106), using the server connection data stored in the electronic access device (130), receives status messages from the devices (120, 122), processes received status messages, and encrypts and transmits corresponding status information of the devices (120, 122) to the server (104) via the WAN (106). It receives and decrypts encrypted resource control information from the server (104) via the WAN (106). Furthermore, it processes received resource control information and transmits corresponding control messages to the devices (120, 122).

The present invention relates to a network communication system and method to enable the real time buying and selling of electricity generated by fuel cell powered vehicles between a fuel cell powered vehicle and a consumer. The method comprises: providing connections to the vehicle for the supply of a fuel and for transfer of electricity; determining the current cost of fuel and price paid for generating electricity; based at least on the cost of fuel and price paid for generating electricity, determining whether to make the fuel cell powered vehicle available for generation of electricity; when fuel is consumed by the vehicle and electricity generated by the vehicle, collecting data on the quantity of fuel consumed and amount of electricity generated, calculating the cost of the fuel and the value of the electricity generated, providing a debit charge for the cost of fuel consumed and a credit charge for the value of electricity generated. A method to enable the real time buying and selling of electricity generated by fuel cell powered vehicles between an energy service provider and a consumer of electricity is also disclosed.

A method, system and computer program product enhance the commercial value of electrical power produced from a wind turbine production facility. Features include the use of a premier power conversion device that provides an alternative source of power for supplementing an output power of the wind turbine generation facility when lull periods for wind speed appear. The invention includes a communications infrastructure and coordination mechanism for establishing a relationship with another power production facility such that when excess electrical power is produced by the wind turbine facility, the excess may be provided to the power grid while the other energy production facility cuts back on its output production by a corresponding amount. A tracking mechanism keeps track of the amount of potential energy that was not expended at the other facility and places this amount in a virtual energy storage account, for the benefit of the wind turbine facility. When, the wind turbine power production facility experiences a shortfall in its power production output it may make a request to the other source of electric power, and request that an increase its power output on behalf of the wind turbine facility. This substitution of one power production facility for another is referred to herein as a virtual energy storage mechanism. Furthermore, another feature of the present invention is the use of a renewal power exchange mechanism that creates a market for trading renewable units of power, which have been converted into “premier power” and/or “guaranteed” by secondary sources of power source to provide a reliable source of power to the power grid as required by contract.

Systems that monitor and control energy distribution manage energy distribution or use for Energy Service Providers and end-users. A system includes a publicly or privately accessible distributed network, a network access device, and a management device. The network access device communicates with the management device through the distributed network to control loads at a remote location. The method of monitoring and controlling energy distribution receives data at an on-line Site, processes an application program that evaluates load and market supply data, and initiates power curtailment requests or power curtailment events.

The present disclosure provides for distributed resource scheduling performed by an advanced resource scheduling (ARS) module implemented on a distributed grid management (DGM) server in a power system. The ARS module is configured to automatically generate a resource schedule for controllable distributed energy resources (e.g., resources that are remotely controllable by DGM server and ARS module) in a distribution network of the power system, such as power generation resources and energy storage resources, to provide power in a cost-effective (e.g., optimal) manner. The ARS module is configured to take into account the operating limits of the distributed energy resources (DERs), the cost curves of the DERs, the system load demand, and other operating constraints to determine the most economical operating plan for the DERs, using an optimization technique such as the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm.

The apparatus, systems and methods herein facilitate generation of energy-related revenue for an energy customer of an electricity supplier. The apparatuses and methods herein can be used to generate operating schedules for a controller of the energy assets. When implemented, the generated operating schedules facilitates derivation of the energy-related revenue, over a time period T, associated with operation of the energy assets according to the generated operating schedule. The energy-related revenue available to the energy customer over the time period T is based at least in part on a wholesale electricity market.

An electro-optical, automatic meter reader for enabling a consumer to view and manage power consumption through a browser. A sensor attached to a bracket is mounted to the outside cover of a utility meter without modification of the meter or removal of its housing. A data-collector stores data obtained from the sensor via a serial port which may also provide power for the sensor, thus avoiding use of a dedicated power supply. The data-collector connects to a computer which provides a centralized object through which to view and manage power consumption. The real-time and combined historic data can be used to forecast whether usage will fall above or below a predetermined usage level at the end of a given period of time. In response to a forecast exceeding the level, the computer displays the appropriate graph in a red colored bar within a quantity vs. time chart. The computer may control power consuming devices. A communication system may be established to the system for remote management by the consumer or by the utility company for its own billing and management purposes.

A computer-implemented platform server and method is provided for energy management operations in a Smart Grid environment. The platform server includes an application module configured to operate any of a plurality of Smart Grid Applications. A consumer-side module is configured for bi-directional communication with a plurality of consumer-side intelligent appliances. An Operations Technology (OT) module is configured for communication with an electrical grid Energy Management System (EMS). A translation module is coupled to, and configured to translate data received from, the application, consumer-side, and OT modules, so that the platform is configured to selectively receive, translate, and transmit data from and among any of said application, consumer-side, and OT modules, to facilitate automated energy management operations in a Smart Grid environment.

A metering device that allows the two-way exchange of electrical energy between the power grid and electric vehicles by giving customers the option to upload electrical energy from their vehicle's electrical power system to the power grid or to another vehicle, or the option to download electrical energy from the power grid or another vehicle, to charge their vehicle's electric storage system, depending on the current market price of electricity. This allows users to both buy and sell electricity as a commodity to offset their fuel costs and to generate income. The metering device and the associated server may maintain a database of the user's preferences and identification. The metering device may allow customers to upload and sell electricity from their vehicles during peak, high cost, energy consumption periods, download and buy electricity to their vehicles during low energy, low cost, consumption periods, or algorithmically engage in bi-directional transfer depending on the user's preferences and other variables (see [0043]) in order to maximize the customer's monetary returns and minimize the customer's monetary expenses.