# US 2014/0365025 A1 · System and method for estimating and providing dispatchable operating reserve energy capacity through use of active load management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0365025 A1 - Document ID: US20140365025A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/341,982 - Filed: 2014-07-28 - Published: 2014-12-11 - Earliest claimed: 2011-02-02 - Assignees: Consert Inc. - Applicants: Consert Inc. - Inventors: Joseph W. Forbes, JR. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140365025A1 ## CPC - G06Q 10/00: Administration; Management - G05B 15/02: electric - G05F 1/66: Regulating electric power - H02J 3/003: {Load forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future load demand} - H02J 3/004: {Generation forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future energy generation} - H02J 3/14: by switching loads on to, or off from, the networks, e.g. progressively balanced loading - H02J 2105/12: supplying households or buildings - Y02B 70/3225: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving - Y02B 90/20: Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector (smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00) - Y04S 20/00: Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof - Y04S 20/222: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving - 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 - 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) - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - 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 An active load management system (ALMS) is utilized to supply operating reserve to a utility. According to one embodiment, the ALMS determines amounts of power stored in power storage devices located at service points within the utility's service area, and stores the stored power data in a repository. The ALMS also determines an amount of available operating reserve based on at least the stored power data. When the utility needs operating reserve, the ALMS receives a request for operating reserve from the utility. The ALMS then manages a flow of power from the power storage devices to a power grid accessible by the utility responsive to the utility's request, taking into account the amount of available operating reserve. Determination of stored power data may be aided by reports received from control devices located at the service points, where the reports indicate amounts of power stored by the power storage devices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for supplying operating reserve to a utility servicing one or more service points, the method comprising: determining amounts of electric power stored by devices located at the one or more service points to produce stored power data; storing the stored power data in a repository; determining an amount of available operating reserve based on at least the stored power data; receiving a request for operating reserve from the utility; and responsive to the request for operating reserve, managing a flow of electric power from the devices to a power grid accessible by the utility. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request for operating reserve comprises: receiving a command from an Automatic Generation Control (AGC) subsystem or a market signal from an independent system operator (ISO). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the devices include at least one of electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing in the repository device identifiers for the devices so as to associate each device identifier with a corresponding device; associating in the repository each device identifier with a corresponding base service point of the one or more service points; receiving, from a control device located at a service point of the one or more service points, a device identifier for a device located at the service point and information regarding power stored and dispatched by the device while located at the service point, wherein the service point is not a base service point for the device identifier; determining net carbon credits earned based on the information regarding power stored and dispatched by the device while located at the service point; and associating the net carbon credits earned to the base service point for the device identifier. ### Claim 5 A method for supplying operating reserve to a utility, the method comprising: determining, by a control device located at a service point, an amount of electric power stored by at least one device at the service point; reporting, by the control device, the amount of stored power to a central controller; and controlling, by the control device, a flow of electric power from the at least one device to a power grid accessible by the utility responsive to a request from the central controller, the request responding to a need for operating reserve by the utility. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one device includes an electric vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the control device is integrated into a charging station for the electric vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: determining, by the control device, that at least one other device is in process of being charged from the utility; receiving, by the control device, a message from the central controller to commence a control event at the service point; and ceasing charging of the at least one other device responsive to the message. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: determining, by the control device, whether the control event at the service point has ended; and re-commencing charging of the at least one other device responsive to determining that the control event at the service point has ended. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: communicating, by the control device, a notification to the central controller when the at least one device is used to supply power to the power grid, wherein the notification includes a device identifier for each device of the least one device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the service point is not a home or base service point for the at least one device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the request is a power dispatch instruction indicating a predetermined amount or percentage of power stored in the at least one device to be dispatched to the power grid. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined amount or percentage is specified in a customer profile for the service point. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: prior to determining the amount of electric power stored by at least one device, detecting, by the control device, a presence of the at least one device at the service point. ### Claim 15 A method for supplying operating reserve to a utility servicing a plurality of service points, the method comprising: determining, by a central controller, amounts of electric power stored by a plurality of devices located at the plurality of service points to produce stored power data; storing, by the central controller, the stored power data in a repository; determining, by the central controller, an amount of available operating reserve based on at least the stored power data; receiving, by the central controller, a request for operating reserve from the utility; and responsive to the request for operating reserve, managing, by the central controller, a dispatch of electric power from the plurality of devices to a power grid accessible by the utility. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein receiving a request for operating reserve comprises: receiving a command from an Automatic Generation Control (AGC) subsystem or a market signal from an independent system operator (ISO). ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein managing a dispatch of electric power from the plurality of devices to a power grid accessible by the utility comprises: receiving, by the central controller, notifications from control devices at the plurality of service points, the notifications including information regarding amounts of power dispatched to the power grid by the plurality of devices. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: determining, by the central controller, carbon credits associated with the dispatch of electric power from the plurality of devices to the power grid. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: determining, by the central controller, net carbon credits earned as a result of storing power in a device of the plurality of devices and, at a later time, dispatching power from the device to the power grid; and associating the net carbon credits earned to at least one of (a) a home or base service point for the device and (b) an owner of the device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: storing in the repository, by the central controller, device identifiers for the plurality of devices so as to associate each device identifier with a corresponding device of the plurality of devices; associating in the repository, by the central controller, each device identifier with a corresponding base service point of the plurality of service points; receiving, by the central controller from a control device located at a service point of the plurality of service points, a device identifier of a device of the plurality of devices located at the service point and information regarding power stored and dispatched by the device while located at the service point, wherein the service point is not the base service point for the device identifier; determining, by the central controller, net carbon credits earned based on the information regarding power stored and dispatched by the device while located at the service point; and associating, by the central controller, the net carbon credits earned to the base service point for the device identifier.