Two-Level Scheduler for Residential Load Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in residential renewable energy systems is to balance fluctuating renewable energy supply with demand among multiple users while ensuring fairness and minimizing additional costs, particularly when the demand exceeds the available renewable energy, and current methods fail to effectively manage this balance, especially considering time-sensitive and delay-tolerant loads.
Innovation Solution
A two-level scheduling and time-shifting method that maximizes local renewable energy consumption and ensures cost-fairness among users by assigning start times for tasks and subtasks based on power profiles, using a scheduler to optimize the use of renewable energy and back-up energy from utility sources, with genetic algorithms for efficient and fair allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If local consumption of renewable energy is maximized, then energy efficiency and independence from grid are improved, but the complexity of matching fluctuating supply with demand from multiple users increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the load balancing problem into two hierarchical levels: (1) scheduling level that determines start times for tasks/subtasks to maximize renewable energy consumption, and (2) assignment level that allocates specific renewable energy resources to users based on their scheduled tasks. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by managing complexity through structured decomposition while maintaining high local renewable energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension to the load balancing problem by implementing time-based scheduling and time-shifting of delay-tolerant loads. By operating in the time domain and allowing tasks to be rescheduled within flexible time windows, the system manages multi-user renewable energy consumption dynamically without requiring complex real-time control, thus resolving the contradiction between efficiency and complexity.
2Quantity of substance
If renewable energy availability is limited, then local consumption must be restricted, but users require energy to operate their loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary scheduling of tasks and subtasks based on predicted renewable energy availability. The scheduler proactively assigns start times to delay-tolerant loads before the actual energy consumption occurs, allowing the system to prepare and optimize energy usage in advance. This preliminary action ensures that loads can operate when renewable energy is available while maintaining user productivity requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a two-level scheduling and assignment system as an intermediary between limited renewable energy resources and user load requirements. The scheduler mediates by optimizing task timing, while the assigner mediates by allocating specific energy resources to users. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction by efficiently matching limited supply with diverse user demands without direct conflict.
3Productivity
If delay-tolerant loads are scheduled flexibly, then renewable energy consumption is maximized, but user convenience and deadline requirements may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic scheduling where task start times are flexible and can be adjusted based on renewable energy availability. The system dynamically reschedules delay-tolerant tasks within their time windows to maximize renewable energy consumption. This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction by allowing flexibility only where needed (delay-tolerant loads) while maintaining user convenience through guaranteed completion within acceptable time frames.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temporal parameters of load operation by introducing flexible time windows and adjustable start times for delay-tolerant tasks. Instead of fixed schedules, the system optimizes task timing parameters based on renewable energy availability. This parameter change enables maximum renewable energy consumption while preserving user convenience through maintained deadline guarantees and flexible scheduling options.
Data Source
AI summary
A method controls load balancing within an energy system that includes a renewable energy source for sharing local renewable energy consumption between a predetermined number of users who operate time delay-tolerant loads and a back-up energy source for providing back-up energy. Use cases of appliances of the users are defined by power profiles that are in each case based on a duration and energy consumption of a task or an array of subtasks. One or more use cases has a user specified deadline. A scheduler, in a first level, performs a control of load balancing by scheduling or time-shifting use of the loads so as to provide a start time assignment for each of the tasks or sub tasks based on a maximization of the local renewable energy consumption among the users. The scheduler, in a second level, assigns the renewable energy to the appliances using the start time assignments.