Station Power Allocation Across Networked Renewable Plants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Renewable energy power plants face inefficiencies and costs when they cannot generate sufficient station power, often requiring power from the grid, which can lead to operational disruptions and increased energy consumption, especially at night or during unfavorable weather conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for efficiently allocating power between multiple power plants via a grid, using burden and need scores to determine the most efficient transfer of station power from provider plants to requesting plants, while considering grid constraints and operational disruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If renewable energy power plants draw station power from the grid when unable to generate sufficient power, then operational continuity is maintained, but energy costs increase and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a coordinating entity that acts as an intermediary to manage power transactions between renewable energy power plants. This coordinator optimizes the allocation of station power by identifying which plants can supply excess power and which plants need power, thereby reducing reliance on expensive grid power while maintaining operational continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables renewable energy power plants to serve each other's power needs through a coordinated peer-to-peer exchange mechanism. Plants that generate excess power during favorable conditions can directly supply station power to plants experiencing deficits, creating a self-sufficient network that reduces external grid dependency and associated costs.
2Reliability
If multiple power plants require station power simultaneously, then individual plant operational needs are addressed, but overall system efficiency decreases due to redundant grid draws
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the power supply and demand needs of multiple power plants into a unified coordination system. By aggregating the requirements and capabilities of all connected plants, the system can optimize power allocation across the entire network, ensuring that plants needing power receive it from nearby suppliers rather than all drawing from the grid simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The coordinating entity serves as a central mediator that receives power availability and demand information from all connected plants, processes this information to determine optimal power flow paths, and directs power transactions accordingly. This intermediary function enables efficient satisfaction of individual plant needs while maintaining high overall system efficiency.
3Reliability
If power is transmitted from one power plant to another via the grid, then station power needs are met, but transmission losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements local power exchange by matching power suppliers and consumers based on their geographic proximity and grid connection points. The coordinating entity analyzes transmission paths and prioritizes local transactions to minimize transmission distance and associated losses, while still meeting the station power needs of all participating plants.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium in an energy control system includes instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a processor, cause the processor to receive a request for station power from a requesting power plant of a plurality of power plants, determine a burden score associated with supplying the station power to the requesting power plant from two or more supplier power plants of the plurality of power plants, allocate available power from the supplier power plant having the lowest burden score to the requesting power plant, and provide a notification to an operator of the supplier power plant having the lowest burden score. The notification indicating the amount of power expected to be supplied to the requesting power plant.