Systems and methods for integrating distributed energy resources

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10158234-B2
Application number	US-201515112252-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2015
Priority date	Jan 17, 2014
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

The present invention is an apparatus and method for using aggregated loads from a plurality of distributed energy resources to perform a function at a power distribution feeder. The invention includes a plurality of distributed energy resources, wherein at least one distributed energy resource includes a renewable energy resource, a communication network, a control device, a power distribution feeder coupled to the control device, and an energy storage system coupled to the power distribution feeder. The control device sends a signal to the plurality of distributed energy resources via the communication network. The signal is a request to switch a status of one or more of the distributed energy resources if one or more distributed energy resources is within a predetermined condition. Loads from the one or more of the distributed energy resources that switched status are aggregated to perform a function at the power distribution feeder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control device at a power distribution feeder, comprising:
a control device at a power distribution feeder, wherein the control device is coupled via a communication network to a plurality of thermostatically controlled loads that draw electrical power from said power distribution feeder;
wherein the control device is configured to send a probability signal to the plurality of thermostatically controlled loads via the communication network;
wherein the probability signal includes a status switch probability to be applied independently by multiple of the plurality of thermostatically controlled loads so that each of the multiple thermostatically controlled loads has a probability of switching status which is controlled by the probability signal, and so that the aggregated multiple thermostatically controlled loads thereby present an aggregate load at the power distribution feeder which is controlled by the probability signal.

2. The control device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of thermostatically controlled loads include thermal storage units.

3. The control device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of thermostatically controlled loads include smart thermostats, and wherein switching status by a smart thermostat comprises activating or deactivating a heating or cooling system.

4. The control device of claim 1 wherein the power distribution feeder is coupled with an energy storage system to store a portion of the aggregate load at the power distribution feeder.

5. The control device of claim 1 wherein the control device adjusts the probability signal to accommodate intermittent renewable energy generation.

6. The control device of claim 1 wherein the control device operates without input from an advanced meter infrastructure.

7. The control device of claim 1 wherein the probability signal is sent to the plurality of thermostatically controlled loads about once per second.

8. The control device of claim 1 wherein thermostatically controlled loads among said plurality of thermostatically controlled loads apply the status switch probability of the probability signal when a predetermined condition is met, and wherein the predetermined condition is a temperature at a thermostatically controlled load which is measured to be within a predetermined temperature range.

9. A method of controlling an aggregated load at a power distribution feeder, comprising:
sending, by a control device at the power distribution feeder, a probability signal to a plurality of thermostatically controlled loads over a communication network, the probability signal including a status switch probability to be applied independently by multiple of the plurality of thermostatically controlled loads;
independently applying, by each of the multiple thermostatically controlled loads, the probability signal so that each of the multiple thermostatically controlled loads has a probability of switching status which is controlled by the probability signal, and so that the aggregated multiple thermostatically controlled loads thereby present an aggregate load at the power distribution feeder which is controlled by the probability signal.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the probability signal in order to reduce peak load at the power distribution feeder.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the probability signal in order to shift power distribution feeder loads to off-peak periods.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the probability signal in order to control a ramp rate of power at the power distribution feeder.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the probability signal in response to intermittent renewable energy generation.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of thermostatically controlled loads include thermal storage units.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of thermostatically controlled loads include smart thermostats.

16. The method of claim 9 further comprising storing at least a portion of the aggregated load in an energy storage system.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein thermostatically controlled loads among said plurality of thermostatically controlled loads apply the status switch probability of the probability signal when a predetermined condition is met, and wherein the predetermined condition is a temperature at a thermostatically controlled load which is measured to be within a predetermined temperature range.

Assignees

• Stc Unm
• Mammoli Andrea A
• Yasaei Yasser
• Stc Unm

Inventors

• Mammoli Andrea A
• Yasaei Yasser

Classifications

• H02J7/865

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J3/386

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J3/382 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J3/387

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J7/0068

  Electricity · mapped topic