Stabilizing consumer energy demand

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018323643-A1
Application number	US-201715586145-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 3, 2017
Priority date	May 3, 2017
Publication date	Nov 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: setting a target power demand corresponding to a consumer, and performing a process. The process includes: determining an actual power demand presented to the utility by the consumer based on a reward table, determining a current error, determining whether the actual power demand is adjustable in a direction that reduces the current error, reducing the current error by adjusting the actual power demand in response to determining that the actual power demand is adjustable in the direction that reduces the current error, and modifying the target power demand in response to determining that the actual power demand is not adjustable in the direction that reduces the current error. Determining the actual power demand includes measuring the power demand over a period of time in accordance with a process for measuring stability of power demand received from the utility.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
setting a target power demand corresponding to a consumer, wherein setting the target power demand is based on a reward table for rewarding stability of power demand, wherein the reward table is received from a utility; performing a process, the process including:
determining an actual power demand presented to the utility by the consumer, wherein determining the actual power demand includes measuring the power demand over a period of time in accordance with a process for measuring stability of power demand received from the utility;
determining a current error, wherein the current error is a difference between the actual power demand and the target power demand;
determining whether the actual power demand is adjustable in a direction that reduces the current error;
reducing the current error by adjusting the actual power demand in response to determining that the actual power demand is adjustable in the direction that reduces the current error; and
modifying the target power demand in response to determining that the actual power demand is not adjustable in the direction that reduces the current error.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein reducing the current error by adjusting the actual power demand includes:
setting an operating target based on the reward table and the process for measuring stability of power demand, wherein the operating target is a value between the actual power demand and the target power demand; performing a second process, the second process including:
selecting an electrical device corresponding to the consumer;
increasing a rate of electrical energy consumption corresponding to the selected device in response to determining that the current error has a negative value;
decreasing the rate of electrical energy consumption corresponding to the selected device in response to determining that the current error has a positive value;
determining whether an updated actual power demand has reached the operating target; and
repeating the second process in response to determining that the updated actual power demand has not reached the operating target; and ending the second process in response to determining that the updated actual power demand has reached the operating target.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the rate of electrical energy consumption corresponding to the selected device is changed by adjusting a frequency at which the electrical device is turned on and off.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the rate of electrical energy consumption corresponding to the selected device is changed by adjusting a frequency of alternation for an alternating current supplied to the electrical device.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein an energy storage device is coupled to the selected device, wherein the energy storage device has a low power input and is configured to output energy at a higher power than the low power input.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein increasing and/or decreasing the rate of electrical energy consumption corresponding to the selected device includes adjusting an amount of electrical energy supplied to the selected device by the energy storage device.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein reducing the current error by adjusting the actual power demand includes adjusting a rate of electrical energy supplied to charge the energy storage device.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the energy storage device includes a battery.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the energy storage device is coupled to the utility and an independent energy source located locally, wherein the energy storage device is configured to accept electrical energy from the independent energy source and the utility concurrently.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , comprising receiving a reward based on a correlation of a size of the current error over a period of time to a reward table.

11 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions readable and/or executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
setting, by the processor, a target power demand corresponding to a consumer, wherein setting the target power demand is based on a reward table for rewarding stability of power demand, wherein the reward table is received from a utility; performing, by the processor, a process, the process including:
determining an actual power demand presented to the utility by the consumer, wherein determining the actual power demand includes measuring the power demand over a period of time in accordance with a process for measuring stability of power demand received from the utility;
determining a current error, wherein the current error is a difference between the actual power demand and the target power demand;
determining whether the actual power demand is adjustable in a direction that reduces the current error;
reducing the current error by adjusting the actual power demand in response to determining that the actual power demand is adjustable in the direction that reduces the current error; and
modifying the target power demand in response to determining that the actual power demand is not adjustable in the direction that reduces the current error.

12 . The computer program product of claim 11 , the program instructions readable and/or executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform the method comprising:
setting, by the processor, an operating target based on the reward table and the process for measuring stability of power demand, wherein the operating target is a value between the actual power demand and the target power demand; performing, by the processor, a second process, the second process including:
selecting an electrical device corresponding to the consumer;
increasing a rate of electrical energy consumption corresponding to the selected device in response to determining that the current error has a negative value;
decreasing the rate of electrical energy consumption corresponding to the selected device in response to determining that the current error has a positive value;
determining whether an updated actual power demand has reached the operating target; and
repeating, by the processor, the second process in response to determining that the updated actual power demand has not reached the operating target; and ending, by the processor, the second process in response to determining that the updated actual power demand has reached the operating target.

13 . The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the rate of electrical energy consumption corresponding to the selected device is changed by adjusting a frequency at which the electrical device is turned on and off, and/or by adjusting a frequency of alteration for an alternating current supplied to the electrical device.

14 . The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein an energy storage device is coupled to the selected device, wherein the energy storage device has a low power input and is configured to output energy at a higher power than the low power input.

15 . The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein increasing and/or decreasing the rate of electrical energy consumption corresponding to the selecte

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Arar Raphael I
• Gopisetty Sandeep
• Strong Jr Hovey R

Classifications

• H02J2105/42

  Home appliances · CPC title

• H02J7/35

  with light sensitive cells · CPC title

• H02J13/0006 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• H02J3/32 Primary

  using batteries or super capacitors with converting means · CPC title