Method and apparatus for actively managing electric power over an electric power grid
AssigneeCausam Exchange, Inc.
InventorJoseph W. Forbes, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for managing power supplied over an electric power grid by an electric utility and/or other market participants to multiple power consuming devices, each of which having a Power Supply Value (PSV) associated with its energy consumption and/or reduction in consumption. Power flow to the power consuming devices is selectively enabled and disabled, or power-reduced thereto, by one or more controllable devices controlled by the client device. Power control messages from a controlling server indicate amounts of electric power to be reduced and an identification of at least one controllable device to be instructed to disable or reduce a flow of electric power to one or more associated power consuming devices.
Claims20
A system for managing an electric power grid, comprising:
- a server, including a processor and a memory, wherein the server receives a power control command, and wherein the power control command requires a reduction of an amount of power consumed by at least one power consuming device;
- wherein the server determines an amount of power available for the at least one power consuming device based on a baseline historical load for the at least one power consuming device, an estimation based on a load profile of the at least one power consuming device, and/or real-time or near real-time measurement of the power consumption of the at least one power consuming device;
- wherein the server issues a power control message in response to the power control command to an active load client associated with the at least one power consuming device;
- wherein the power control message causes a reduction of a flow of power to the at least one power consuming device based on the amount of power available for the at least one power consuming device;
- wherein the amount of the flow of power reduced to the at least one power consuming device is confirmed by the active load client;
- wherein the confirmation is transmitted to the server by the active load client;
- and
- wherein the active load client is a smart thermostat.
A system for managing an electric power grid, comprising:
- a server, including a processor and a memory, wherein the server receives a power control command requiring a reduction of an amount of power consumed by a plurality of power consuming devices, each associated with one of a plurality of individual consumer profiles;
- wherein the server aggregates the plurality of individual consumer profiles to generate at least one aggregate load curve;
- wherein the server determines an amount of power available for each of the plurality of power consuming devices;
- wherein the server issues a power control message in response to the power control command to an active load client;
- wherein the power control message causes a reduction of a flow of power to at least one of the plurality of power consuming devices based on the amount of power available for each of the plurality of power consuming devices;
- wherein the reduction of the flow of power to the at least one of the plurality of power consuming devices is confirmed by the active load client;
- and
- wherein the confirmation of the reduction of the flow of power to the at least one of the plurality of power consuming devices is transmitted to the server in real time or near real time.
A system for managing an electric power grid, comprising:
- a server, including a processor and a memory, wherein the server receives a power control command requiring a reduction of an amount of power consumed by at least one power consuming device;
- wherein the server determines an amount of power available for the at least one power consuming device based on a baseline historical load for the at least one power consuming device and/or an estimation based on a load profile of the at least one power consuming device;
- wherein the server issues an Internet Protocol (IP)-based power control message in response to the power control command;
- wherein the IP-based power control message is received by an active load client, and wherein the active load client transmits at least one initiation message to the at least one power consuming device to initiate a reduction of a flow of power to the at least one power consuming device;
- wherein the at least one initiation message causes the reduction of the flow of power to the at least one power consuming device based on the amount of power available for the at least one power consuming device;
- wherein the amount of the flow of power reduced to the at least one power consuming device is confirmed by the active load client;
- and
- wherein the confirmation is transmitted to the server by the active load client.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.