# US 2014/0191575 A1 · Hierarchic macroscopic incentivization for electric utility load balancing

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- Number: US 2014/0191575 A1
- Document ID: US20140191575A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/738,487
- Filed: 2013-01-10
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-10
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Brian P. Gaucher; Jonathan Lenchner; Maharaj Mukherjee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191575A1

## CPC

- H02J 3/17: Demand-responsive operation of AC power transmission or distribution networks
- H02J 13/1321: {using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus}
- H02J 13/1323: {using optical fibres}
- H02J 13/1337: {involving the use of Internet protocols}
- H02J 2105/52: for limitation of the power consumption in the networks or in one section of the networks, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
- H02J 2105/55: according to an economic condition, e.g. tariff-based load management
- Y02B 70/3225: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
- Y04S 20/222: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
- Y04S 50/10: Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- 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 method of balancing a demand for electricity is disclosed. Consumers of the electricity are organized into a hierarchical set of nodes. A demand for a node at a first level of the hierarchy is defined. A rate structure is defined at nodes of a second level of the hierarchy so that a sum of the electricity demands at the second level obtained in response to the defined rate structure is substantially the same as the defined demand at the first level

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of balancing a demand for electricity, comprising:
organizing, using a processing device, consumers of the electricity into a hierarchical set of nodes;
defining a demand for a node at a first level of the hierarchy; and
defining a rate structure at nodes of a second level of the hierarchy, wherein a sum of the electricity demands at the second level obtained in response to the defined rate structure is substantially the same as the defined demand at the first level of the hierarchy.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the sum of the rate structures at the nodes of the second level is substantially the same as the rate structure at the first level.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining an observed demand at a selected node of the second level and altering the rate structure for the selected node based on the observed demand.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a node represents at least one of: a municipality, a zoning district; a city; a county; a neighborhood; a street; a living establishment; and a consumer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling at least one of the plurality of consumers to view a current rate structure.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the rate structure is one of continuous and discontinuous.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising defining a balanced demand at the node of the first level of the hierarchy.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a rate structure at one node of the second level is substantially the same as a rate structure at another node of the second level offset in time.

### Claim 9

An electrical utility system for balancing an electricity demand, comprising:
a grid configured to provide electricity to a plurality of consumers;
a processor configured to:
organize the plurality of consumers into a hierarchical set of nodes,
define a demand at a node at a first level of the hierarchy, and
define a rate structure at nodes of a second level of the hierarchy,
wherein a sum of electricity demands for the nodes of the second level obtained in response to the defined rate structure is substantially the same as the defined demand at the first level of the hierarchy.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the sum of the rate structures at the nodes of the second level is substantially the same as a rate structure at the first level.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to obtain an observed demand at a selected node of the second level and alter a rate structure for the selected node based on the observed demand.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein a node represents at least one of: a municipality, a zoning district; a city; a county; a neighborhood; a street; a living establishment; and a consumer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, further comprising an electricity meter configured to display a current rate structure to a consumer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the electricity meter communicates an electricity demand of the consumer to the processor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the rate structure is one of continuous and discontinuous.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to define a balanced demand at the node of the first level of the hierarchy.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein a rate structure at one node of the second level is substantially the same as a rate structure at another node of the second level offset in time.

### Claim 18

A computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising instructions, that when executed by a computer, implement a method of balancing a demand for electricity, wherein the method comprises:
organizing consumers of the electricity into a hierarchical set of nodes;
defining a demand for a node at a first level of the hierarchy; and
defining a rate structure at nodes of a second level of the hierarchy,
wherein a sum of the electricity demands at the second level obtained in response to the defined rate structure is substantially the same as the defined demand at the first level of the hierarchy.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the sum of the rate structures at the nodes of the second level is substantially the same as a rate structure at the first level.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises obtaining an observed demand at a selected node of the second level and altering the rate structure for the selected node based on the observed demand.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The computer program product of claim 18, wherein a node represents at least one of: a municipality, a zoning district; a city; a county; a neighborhood; a street; a living establishment; and a consumer.

### Claim 22 (depends on 18)

The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises enabling at least one of the plurality of consumers to view a current rate structure.

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises defining a balanced demand at the node of the first level of the hierarchy.

### Claim 24 (depends on 18)

The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the rate structure is one of continuous and discontinuous.

### Claim 25 (depends on 18)

The computer program product of claim 18, wherein a rate structure at one node of the second level is substantially the same as a rate structure at another node of the second level offset in time.