Facility Reconfiguration Plan for Energy System Financial Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tools and advisory capabilities for reconfiguring energy systems in facilities fail to optimize economic performance due to neglect of multiple reconfiguration types, improper fuel price analysis, and ignoring operator preferences and financing options, leading to suboptimal energy system reconfigurations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for generating a Facility Reconfiguration Plan (FRP) that considers various economic factors, including fuel costs, operating costs, and financing, to optimize energy system reconfiguration by evaluating potential modifications and prioritizing those that provide the greatest financial benefit, while accounting for tiered pricing structures and operator preferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If comprehensive computational analysis of multiple reconfiguration options is conducted, then financial optimization is improved, but computational complexity and analysis time increase prohibitively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the energy system reconfiguration analysis into distinct modules: (1) identifying reconfiguration opportunities, (2) evaluating technical feasibility, (3) analyzing financial metrics, and (4) generating prioritized recommendations. This segmentation allows each module to handle specific computational tasks independently, reducing overall complexity while maintaining comprehensive financial optimization through systematic evaluation of multiple factors including fuel costs, operating costs, and financing options.
2Measurement precision
If multiple reconfiguration types are simultaneously considered, then economic optimization is improved, but analysis complexity increases prohibitively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal evaluation framework that simultaneously assesses multiple reconfiguration types (efficiency improvements, fuel switching, equipment replacement, behavioral changes) using a common set of financial metrics and feasibility criteria. This multi-functional approach allows the system to evaluate diverse reconfiguration options through a unified analytical process, improving economic optimization without proportionally increasing analysis complexity through standardized assessment protocols.
3Measurement precision
If detailed fuel pricing structures and financing options are analyzed, then financial performance maximization is improved, but computational burden increases prohibitively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary analysis by pre-calculating and storing key financial parameters including fuel pricing structures, financing options, and baseline system performance metrics before conducting the main reconfiguration evaluation. This preliminary action allows the system to quickly reference pre-processed data during the optimization process, reducing computation time while maintaining detailed financial performance maximization through accurate cost-benefit analysis of various reconfiguration scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are systems, methods and computer programs for generating a facility reconfiguration plan (FRP) useful to reconfigure a facility's energy system to achieve a financial objective. The facility's energy system and associated economics are characterized prior to any modifications. Additionally, there's a determination of which of a plurality of potential modifications, if any, is to be added to the FRP by determining which of the potential modifications provides a financial benefit useful to achieve the financial objective, and has a greatest financial attractiveness. The FRP is generated by repeating the aforementioned determination multiple times, wherein during iterations following an initial iteration, potential modification(s) already identified as providing a greatest financial attractiveness during previous iteration(s) is/are removed from consideration. This process can be repeated for different fuel price schemes, resulting in a separate FRP being generated for each fuel price scheme, with each FRP having a corresponding total financial value.