Demand Response Aggregator for Grid Load Balancing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing demand response systems are reactive and manage individual capacities separately, making it difficult to aggregate and integrate data from disparate sources, leading to inefficient power grid management and lack of comprehensive load balancing during peak demand periods.

Innovation Solution

A system that aggregates, monitors, and manages distributed demand response capacities by collecting data from various sources, using a software platform to create a demand response portfolio, and communicating with utilities and energy management systems to optimize power usage and trading strategies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If demand response systems manage individual capacities separately, then each capacity can be controlled independently, but it becomes difficult to aggregate and integrate data from disparate sources

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIndividual capacity controlVSAvoidData integration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple individual demand response capacities into a unified virtual power plant system. The aggregation server consolidates data from diverse sources including SCADA systems, EMS, and third-party applications, merging previously separate control operations into a coordinated whole that manages distributed energy resources collectively

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The virtual power plant system performs multiple functions through a single integrated platform: it aggregates data from various sources, forecasts energy production and demand, generates trading strategies, executes market transactions, and provides reporting. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate systems for each function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a large number of siloed IT applications are introduced to meet industry needs, then specific power generation operations can be tailored, but collection and integration of data from these applications become extremely difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveOperational tailoringVSAvoidData integration difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The aggregation server acts as an intermediary layer between siloed IT applications and the virtual power plant management system. It interfaces with diverse data sources including SCADA, EMS, and third-party applications, translating and consolidating their outputs into a unified format that enables effective data collection and integration without requiring changes to the underlying specialized applications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If demand response is implemented on a reactive basis, then load balancing can be achieved during peak demand, but the system responds only after peak demand is detected

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveLoad balancing capabilityVSAvoidResponse time delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by forecasting energy production from distributed resources and predicting demand patterns in advance of peak demand periods. The optimization engine pre-calculates trading strategies and the system proactively adjusts energy procurement and distribution before peak demand occurs, rather than reacting after detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback loops that monitor actual energy production, consumption patterns, and market conditions. This real-time feedback enables the optimization engine to adjust trading strategies dynamically and the aggregation server to refine forecasts, creating a closed-loop system that continuously improves its predictive and balancing capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Ease of operation

If distributed demand response capacities are viewed as individual capacities, then each can be managed separately, but they cannot be aggregated into a total energy capacity

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIndividual capacity managementVSAvoidTotal energy capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges individual distributed demand response capacities into an aggregated total energy capacity through the virtual power plant framework. The aggregation server consolidates data from multiple sources and the optimization engine treats the combined capacity as a unified resource that can be traded and managed as a single entity in energy markets

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9805325B2Aggregator, monitor, and manager of distributed demand response

Publication Date: 2017.10.31 MCG VERSIFY ACQUISITION LLC

AI summary

A system includes a database storing demand response data, the demand response data including demand response agreement parameters, demand response load and energy demand characteristics of one or more demand response customers, the demand response load characteristics including power consumption capacity of each of one or more demand response loads, an aggregator to aggregate the demand response loads based on the demand response data and forecast data into a demand response portfolio, a monitor to monitor power demand of one or more demand response customers and one or more power grids, and a dispatcher to notify the one or more demand response customers of the demand response portfolio and to notify a utility of a response from the one or more demand response customers whether to control the demand response load to return the power consumption capacity of the demand response load back to the one or more power grids.