Building Load Shaping for Smaller Energy Storage Sizing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current energy storage systems for buildings are inefficient due to the need for large batteries to manage peak energy loads, leading to high costs and inefficient energy usage.
Innovation Solution
A system that shapes the load profile of a building by using a building management system, energy storage system, and load shaper to optimize energy consumption, transitioning from a single wide peak to multiple narrower peaks, thereby reducing the size and cost of the battery required.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single wide peak load profile is managed, then the building can meet its energy demand, but the battery size and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single wide peak load profile into multiple narrower peaks by strategically controlling building loads to occur at different times. This segmentation allows the energy storage system to serve multiple smaller peaks rather than one large peak, significantly reducing the required battery capacity while still meeting all energy demands.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic load activation patterns where building equipment is cycled on and off at optimized intervals. By creating a periodic schedule that distributes load demand across multiple time periods, the system reduces peak power requirements and enables smaller battery sizing.
2Reliability
If a single wide peak load profile is managed, then the building can meet its energy demand, but the energy storage system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the load profile into multiple narrower peaks, the patent reduces the total energy storage capacity required. Since battery cost is directly proportional to capacity, this segmentation approach significantly lowers the overall system cost while maintaining reliable energy supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temporal distribution parameter of the load profile, transforming it from a single wide peak to multiple narrower peaks. This parameter change optimizes the interaction between building loads and energy storage, reducing the cost-effective battery size required.
3Ease of operation
If traditional load management is used, then the building operates normally, but energy efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system that continuously monitors building load patterns and adjusts equipment operation timing to create optimized load profiles. This feedback mechanism ensures that building operations maintain normal functionality while achieving improved energy efficiency through strategic load distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic load scheduling that adapts building equipment operation times based on real-time conditions and predicted load patterns. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain operational flexibility while optimizing energy usage efficiency through coordinated load management.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for shaping the load of a building for more efficient sizing and/or economics of an energy storage and/or microgrid system. Shaping the load of a building can include identifying a plurality of core hours of a time period increasing a load of the building, a plurality of different increase instances, by interfacing with a BAS and an ESS during the plurality of core hours, and decreasing the load of the building, a plurality of different decrease instances, by interfacing with the BAS and the ESS during the plurality of core hours, wherein each increase instance from the plurality of different increase instances of the load profile is followed by a decrease instance from the plurality of decrease instances of the load profile.