Method & apparatus for orchestrating utility power supply & demand in real time using a continuous pricing signal sent via a network to home networks & smart appliances

A method for coordinating over a network a supply of power from power generator resources and demand for that power, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) for a number of power generators that produce power, determining a presently unused output capability of the power generators and estimating a plurality of load/output efficiency characteristics for the power generators;
• (b) issuing over the network a pricing signal in real-time indicating a price for power generated for power offered by one or more of the power generators;
• (c) for a number of different types of appliances that consume power, estimating near and long-term expected demand for power for the particular type of appliance based on a duty cycle schedule typical for the particular type of appliance,
• wherein the duty cycle schedule indicates the power consumed/stored over a period of time including a firing timing, that is those times when the particular type of appliance typically fires/remains dormant;
• wherein, the period of time is predetermined to encompass a duty cycle schedule that forms a basis of prediction for future cycles of the respective appliance;
• (d) determining at a present time which of the power generators can be put to immediate use to most efficiently meet power demand needs of the appliances based on the presently unused output capability of the power generator;
• (e) calculating for the present time an aggregate of demand for a number of appliances based on a firing timing of the duty cycle schedule for those appliances;
• (f) determining at the present time whether usage should be encouraged/discouraged based on a comparison of the aggregate of demand and the presently unused output capabilities of the power generator(s);
• (g) changing in real-time the pricing signal issued over the network to indicate an appropriate price for power with respect to a present pricing scheme sufficient to encourage/discourage use when it is determined in step (f) that usage should be encouraged/discouraged;
• wherein changing the price to discourage use delays the spinning-up and bringing online of power generators;
• and
• (h) changing the pricing signal issued over the network to aggregate demand use of power amongst the users to discourage demand until such a time when the aggregate demand matches substantially an efficiency of use based on the load/output efficiency characteristics;
• wherein changing the price delays the spinning-up and bringing online of additional power generators until the such time when it is determined that an aggregate demand matches substantially the efficiency of use.