Renewable energy-based electricity grid infrastructure and method of grid infrastructure automation and operation

Abstract

A renewable energy resource management system manages a delivery of a power requirement from a multi-resource offshore renewable energy installation to an intelligent power distribution network. The installation includes multiple renewable energy resource components and is capable of variably and independently generating power from each to microgrids comprising the intelligent power distribution network so that the entire power requirement is satisfied from renewable energy resources. An electricity grid infrastructure is also disclosed in which power production is balanced with power consumption so that power storage requirements are minimized.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS[0001]This patent application claims priority to, and is a continuation of, U.S. non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 13 / 398,744, filed on Feb. 16, 2012, the contents of which is incorporated in its entirety herein.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]Not applicable.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]The present invention relates to renewable energy resources. Specifically, the present invention relates to systems, methods, and apparatuses for supplying the power needs of an intelligent electricity grid from an entirely-renewable energy resource platform.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]As the interest in power generated from renewable energy resources rapidly increases, increasing attention is being focused systems and methods in which such power produced, transmitted, delivered, and consumed. Despite technological advances in developing renewable energy resources and in electricity grids, current energy ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is an energy management system that allows for efficient management of power generation, transmission, distribution, and utilization from multiple renewable energy resources. The system is connected in a distributed computing environment and can balance power production with consumption to minimize storage requirements. The invention also provides a multi-resource renewable energy installation that can efficiently produce power from multiple renewable energy resources in a single location. The electricity grid infrastructure enables dynamic and multi-directional communications and automated decision-making to efficiently generate, transmit, deliver, and distribute power. The method of automating an electricity grid involves determining power requirements for microgrids and adjusting the level of operation of renewable energy resource components to maximize operational efficiency and balance power production with consumption. The invention also includes a transmission control system to monitor power output and compare it to the power requirement, and an intelligent power distribution network to transfer combined power output to the microgrids.

Problems solved by technology

Despite technological advances in developing renewable energy resources and in electricity grids, current energy infrastructure suffers from many limitations that need rapid improvement as demand for such power increases, and grid security importance and regulatory requirements for use of “green” resources become more prominent.

Power derived from renewable energy such as solar, wind, wave, and solar thermal resources are becoming increasingly relied upon, but each includes several limitations that impede them from becoming widespread, low-cost, efficient, and continually viable sources of electricity.

Each is inherently unreliable, owing to factors such as changes in the time of day and variations in weather conditions that mean that maximized performance of components for each resource is very difficult to manage.

Combining any of these together proves even more difficult to manage the inherent inefficiencies involved in operating devices and components to meet energy demand.

Offshore energy installations present many complicated challenges.

However, implementing offshore installations are extremely challenging, time-consuming, expensive, and environmentally sensitive.

Just a few examples of issues that present significant challenges include storage of power, its transmission to the onshore power grid, providing power to the offshore installation itself, maintenance, distance from the electricity grid, and exposure to weather elements.

Additionally, building a large-scale multi-resource platform or installation is very expensive and often has a large environmental impact footprint, making such an installation a questionable investment.

All of these issues can reduce the attractiveness of constructing and operating such an installation.

Storage issues are a particularly challenging problem attendant to transferring power generated offshore to the onshore electricity grid.

The electricity grid itself contains limited inherent facility for storing electrical energy.

Power must be generated constantly to meet uncertain demand, which often results in over-generation (and hence wasted energy) and sometimes results in under-generation (and hence power failures).

Additionally, there is limited facility for storing electrical energy at the point of generation, particularly in the case of offshore installations where available space must be maximized and cost and environmental issues are major considerations.

For example, there are inherent market biases favoring the use of existing, non-renewable energy resources.

Existing energy production infrastructure strongly favors the use of non-renewable energy resources, and the costs of generating power from renewable energy resources are far higher, despite the availability of and ease with which wind, solar, wave, and solar thermal energy can be obtained.

Additionally, energy commodity prices and weather conditions fluctuate widely, making it very difficult and often prohibitively expensive to efficiently generate, transmit, and distribute power derived from renewable energy resources.

These fluctuations, and the inherent inefficiencies resulting from them in utilizing renewable resources, make it difficult for providers to justify investing in the infrastructure needed to develop, transmit, and distribute power from renewable energy resources.

Images