# US 12,001,181 B2 · Power generation planning apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,001,181 B2 - Document ID: US12001181B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/299,393 - Filed: 2019-10-18 - Published: 2022-02-24 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-06 - Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd. - Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd. - Inventors: Yoshihito Kinoshita; Masahiro Watanabe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12001181B2 ## CPC - G05B 19/042: using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) - G06Q 10/063: Operations research, analysis or management - G06Q 10/04: Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" (market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202) - G06Q 50/06: Energy or water supply - H02J 3/004: {Generation forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future energy generation} - H02J 3/466: Scheduling or selectively controlling the operation of the generators or sources, e.g. connecting or disconnecting generators to meet a demand - G05B 2219/2639: Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low - H02J 13/10: characterised by displaying of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition [SCADA] systems - H02J 2103/30: Simulating, planning, modelling, reliability check or computer assisted design [CAD] of electric power networks - Y02E 60/00: Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation - Y04S 10/40: Display of information, e.g. of data or controls - Y04S 10/50: Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications - Y04S 40/20: Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS ## Abstract A power generation planning apparatus that calculates a generation plan which is a plan of starting and stopping and output power of electric generators. The apparatus includes an information calculation unit that calculates demand and supply of electric power, a plan calculation unit that calculates the generation plan of the starting and stopping and the output power of the electric generators by using, as an input, the generation information calculated by the information calculation unit, and an adjustment unit that calculates a generation plan with a time interval shorter than the generation plan by adjusting a starting initiation time and/or a stopping initiation time of the electric generator in the generation plan such that total power generation cost is reduced by using, as inputs, the generation plan calculated by the plan calculation unit and generation information with a time interval shorter than the generation plan. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for controlling power output of a plurality of electric generators, the apparatus comprising: a communication interface that is communicatively coupled to the electric generator; a memory; and a processor that is communicatively coupled to the memory and the communication interface, where in the processor is configured to: receive, using the communication interface, measurement data from the power system, calculate generation information regarding a demand of electric power and a supply of the electric power in the power system based on the measurement data, calculate a first prediction distribution of supply power from electric power information, calculate first plurality of scenarios based on the first prediction distribution, calculate a second prediction distribution of the supply power and second plurality of scenarios based on the second prediction distribution in a cycle shorter than the first prediction distribution based on electric power information sequentially updated, calculate a first generation plan for one or more of the plurality of the electric generators based on the first plurality of scenarios, calculate a second generation plan with a time interval shorter than the first generation plan by adjusting a start initiation time and/or a stop initiation time of the one or more of the plurality of electric generators in the first generation plan such that total power generation cost is reduced by using, as inputs, the first generation plan and the second plurality of scenarios, and control, using the communication interface, the one or more of the plurality of electric generators according to the second generation plan. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, adjust the start initiation time to be a late time and the stop initiation time to be an early time in order from an electric generator among the plurality of electric generators with high power generation cost. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: compare the first prediction distribution of the supply power with the second prediction distribution, and calculate the second generation plan when a change in variance of the first prediction distribution is equal to or greater than a threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: compare the first prediction distribution with the second prediction distribution and output, as an alarm, a change in a generation status of the power system to an operator when a change in variance of the first prediction distribution is equal to or greater than a threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: calculate the first generation plan and the second generation plan such that balancing power is secured by a first electric generator among the plurality of the electrical generators with low power generation cost when a variance of the first prediction distribution is large and the balancing power is secured by a second electric generator among the plurality of electrical generators with high power generation cost when the variance is small. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: calculate at least one of a plurality of scenarios of supply power that reflects a probability distribution of a demand-supply change amount due to a fault of the power system and a plurality of scenarios of supply power that reflects a distribution of an output error of a facility in which a plurality of devices is aggregated.