Charge Station Energy Scheduling for Early Favorable Actions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy management systems for facilities with renewable energy sources and energy storage devices fail to prioritize favorable energy management actions to occur earlier and non-favorable actions to occur later, leading to inefficiencies and increased operational costs due to uncertainties in load behavior and renewable energy availability.
Innovation Solution
An energy management control strategy that prioritizes favorable energy management actions to happen as soon as possible and delays non-favorable actions as late as feasible, using a controller to select energy management solutions that achieve optimal results based on current and predicted conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If energy management actions are delayed to achieve lower operational costs, then cost efficiency improves, but responsiveness to load changes and energy availability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by prioritizing favorable energy management actions to happen earlier when conditions are uncertain. The controller identifies favorable actions (such as charging from renewable sources or storing energy) and schedules them to occur as soon as possible, rather than delaying them for potential future cost savings. This preliminary execution ensures that energy opportunities are captured while availability is confirmed, improving reliability without significantly increasing operational costs.
2Productivity
If favorable energy management actions are prioritized to occur earlier, then energy opportunity capture improves, but operational cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of action timing by prioritizing favorable energy management actions to occur earlier in the schedule. The controller evaluates multiple possible action sequences and selects those that capture energy opportunities (such as renewable energy charging or energy storage) at the earliest feasible time. This parameter change optimizes productivity by ensuring energy opportunities are not missed, while the overall cost impact is managed through intelligent selection of which actions to prioritize.
3Speed
If energy management decisions are made based on current conditions only, then decision speed improves, but adaptability to future conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scheduling of energy management actions based on current conditions and available information. The controller determines favorable actions and schedules them to occur as soon as possible, making decisions based on current known conditions rather than waiting for future information. This approach maintains fast decision speed while the prioritization strategy inherently adapts to future conditions by capturing energy opportunities before they are lost, without requiring complex predictive modeling.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This strategy reduces operational costs and enhances the facility's resilience to unexpected load shifts and renewable energy fluctuations by optimizing energy usage, ensuring sufficient energy storage for peak demands and minimizing higher-cost electricity purchases.
Implementation Method 1
The energy facility may include a renewable energy source such as a solar panel assembly
Implementation Method 2
The energy facility may include a stationary energy storage device for storing electrical energy
Data Source
AI summary
An energy facility, such as a charge station operable for charging electrified vehicles, includes a controller. The controller selects from a group of energy management solutions which achieve favorable energy management activities with a same price of operation of the energy facility, an energy management solution resulting in favorable energy management results soonest. The controller controls the energy facility according to the selected energy management solution.