Active Power Load Control for Measured Grid Demand Response
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrical power load management systems are inefficient in actively controlling power consumption and creating operating reserves, relying on crude methods that lack real-time measurement, verification, and standardization, failing to meet the requirements of FERC, NERC, and other regulatory standards, especially in managing peak loads and integrating renewable energy sources.
Innovation Solution
An IP-based active power load management system that includes a server with a command processor, event manager, database, and client device manager to selectively enable and disable power flow to controllable devices, using standards-based OSI Layer 1-3 communications protocols and Internet Protocol-based communication for real-time load curtailment and tracking of power savings, enabling accurate measurement and verification of power consumption and emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional crude methods are used for power load management, then system simplicity is maintained, but measurement precision and verification accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments power load management into multiple hierarchical levels: utility control center for overall coordination, site control units for individual facility management, and controllable devices for specific appliance control. This segmentation enables precise measurement at each level while distributing system complexity across manageable components rather than requiring a monolithic complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
Site control units act as intermediaries between the utility control center and controllable devices, translating high-level utility commands into device-specific control signals while collecting and reporting detailed power consumption data. This intermediary layer enables accurate measurement and verification without requiring direct complex connections between every utility and every device.
2Productivity
If real-time active control is implemented, then productivity and responsiveness improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-configures controllable devices with identification codes and control parameters before utility demand response events occur. Site control units pre-establish communication channels and device profiles, enabling immediate real-time control activation when utility commands are received without requiring complex runtime decision-making or device reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where controllable devices report their operational status and power consumption back to site control units, which aggregate this data and report to the utility control center. This automated feedback mechanism enables real-time monitoring and adjustment of power loads while reducing the need for manual intervention and simplifying control system operations.
3Loss of information
If comprehensive tracking of power savings is implemented, then information completeness improves, but loss of time for data processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system tracks power savings across multiple dimensions simultaneously: individual device-level consumption data, site-level aggregated data, and utility-level cumulative savings. By organizing data in this hierarchical dimensional structure, the system achieves comprehensive tracking information while enabling efficient processing through progressive data aggregation from lower to higher levels rather than requiring centralized processing of all raw data.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for managing power supplied over an electric power grid by an electric utility and/or other market participants to multiple power consuming devices, each of which having a Power Supply Value (PSV) associated with its energy consumption and/or reduction in consumption. Power flow to the power consuming devices is selectively enabled and disabled, or power-reduced thereto, by one or more controllable devices controlled by the client device. Power control messages from a controlling server indicate amounts of electric power to be reduced and an identification of at least one controllable device to be instructed to disable or reduce a flow of electric power to one or more associated power consuming devices.