Utility-Controlled On-Site Energy Storage Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing on-site energy storage systems for renewable energy systems face issues such as waste, high demand spikes, expensive electricity, lack of coordinated control, and uncertainty for utility providers due to consumer ownership and control, leading to challenges in optimizing energy use and accessing energy during demand response periods.
Innovation Solution
Installing on-site energy storage systems on the utility company's side of the billing meter, allowing utility providers to control the use of stored energy, reducing costs for consumers, and enabling coordinated remote control of multiple systems to meet grid demands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If consumers own and control on-site energy storage systems, then consumers can have power during outages and store surplus energy, but utility providers face uncertainty regarding energy availability making it difficult to plan for demand response events
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary control system that mediates between consumer-owned energy storage systems and utility providers. This intermediary enables utility providers to access and control energy storage systems remotely, obtaining real-time information about energy availability and the ability to dispatch stored energy during demand response events, while consumers retain ownership and continue to have power during outages.
2Loss of energy
If on-site energy storage systems are installed to store surplus renewable energy, then waste of unused energy is reduced, but coordinated control of multiple systems is lacking preventing optimization of stored energy use and grid congestion prevention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple distributed energy storage systems into a coordinated network under unified utility provider control. By aggregating these systems and implementing centralized coordination, the patent enables optimized energy dispatch across the entire network, preventing grid congestion and maximizing the utilization of stored energy resources while maintaining individual system autonomy.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If consumers install on-site storage systems to avoid grid congestion by storing surplus energy, then grid congestion is reduced, but electricity becomes more expensive for all including the electric company
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by enabling utility providers to proactively manage energy storage systems before demand response events or peak demand periods occur. The system pre-coordinates energy storage and discharge schedules, allowing utilities to optimize energy procurement and reduce the need for expensive peak-generation resources, thereby reducing overall electricity costs while preventing grid congestion.
4Ease of operation
If on-site energy storage systems are installed on the consumer side of the billing meter, then consumers control stored energy use, but utility providers cannot access energy from these systems during demand response periods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by creating a flexible, adaptive control architecture that dynamically shifts operational control between consumers and utility providers based on system needs. Consumers maintain default control for routine operations and outage protection, while the system automatically transitions to utility-controlled mode during demand response events, enabling seamless adaptation to different operational scenarios without compromising either consumer autonomy or utility access.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to systems and methods for dynamic control of distributed energy resource systems. The disclosed systems and methods provide the ability for coordinated, real-time, and pre-planned control of a network of distributed energy resource systems where each distributed energy resource system is located at a different consumer site. Each distributed energy resource system is operable to provide stored and/or generated energy to meet on-site consumer needs and/or provide energy to the grid. An off-site control system obtains energy usage information from a plurality of the distributed energy resource systems and processes the information in order to coordinate control of each distributed energy resource system such as coordinating if and when each distributed energy resource system provides energy to the grid in order to at least partially meet energy demands associated with a demand response timeframe.