Building Energy Management System With Predictive Grid Scheduling

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing energy management systems for buildings and microgrids face challenges in efficiently optimizing energy use and storage due to uncertainties in renewable energy production, building load forecasting, battery degradation, and lack of integrated control of flexible loads, leading to inefficiencies and increased operational costs.

Innovation Solution

A system that integrates building energy management, renewable energy generation, and battery energy storage systems using predictive control strategies, forecasting, and dynamic pricing to optimize energy scheduling, battery charging/discharging, and load balancing, while considering weather forecasts, occupancy, and battery health.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If distributed energy resources (DERs) are introduced at building and microgrid levels, then renewable energy penetration increases, but electrical load patterns become uncertain and variable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverenewable energy penetrationVSAvoidgrid stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary forecasting of renewable energy generation and building energy consumption patterns before making scheduling decisions. By predicting future energy availability and demand, the system can proactively plan energy storage charging/discharging cycles and load management strategies, thereby maintaining grid stability despite the variability introduced by DERs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements closed-loop feedback control by continuously monitoring actual energy generation from DERs, comparing it with forecasts, and adjusting battery scheduling and load management in real-time. This feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt to deviations from predicted patterns, ensuring reliable operation despite the uncertain and variable nature of distributed renewable energy sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If renewable energy sources are integrated into the grid, then energy sustainability improves, but power system status becomes more uncertain and variable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy sustainabilityVSAvoidpower system status

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If ancillary service provisions are increased to ensure supply adequacy, then system reliability improves, but operational costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem supply adequacyVSAvoidoperational costs

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Adaptability or versatility

If battery energy storage systems are deployed at multiple buildings, then energy management flexibility improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy management flexibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges the control of multiple distributed battery energy storage systems into a unified centralized management platform. By aggregating control functions and using coordinated scheduling strategies, the system manages multiple batteries as an integrated resource pool, reducing operational complexity while maintaining the flexibility benefits of distributed storage across multiple buildings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a universal control architecture that can manage diverse battery types and building loads through a single platform. The energy management system provides multi-functional capabilities including forecasting, optimization, real-time monitoring, and adaptive control, enabling it to handle various battery chemistries, discharge rates, and building energy patterns through standardized interfaces and algorithms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11522487B2Building and building cluster energy management and optimization system and method

Publication Date: 2022.12.06 BOARD OF RGT THE UNIV OF TEXAS SYST

AI summary

Disclosed are various embodiments for optimizing energy management. A quantity of renewable power that will be generated by renewable energy generation sources can be forecasted. The energy demand for a building or a cluster of buildings can be forecasted. A pricing model for buying energy from a grid can be determined. A quantity of energy to import from the grid or export to the grid can be scheduled based on the quantity of renewable energy forecasted and the state of charge or health of battery energy storage system, current and future operations of building HVAC, lighting and plug loads system, the forecasted energy demand for the building, and the pricing of the energy from the grid.