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US 6,882,904 B1Granted
Communication and control network for distributed power resource units
AssigneeABB Technology AG
InventorsEdward M. Petrie, Hans Levander, H. Lee Willis, Harold M. Stillman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are disclosed for managing a plurality of power resource assets from a central control center, operating the plurality of power resource assets in an automated fashion as a single power plant.
Claims14
A method for providing electrical power to a plurality of end-users of electricity, comprising:
- receiving data in a central control center from each of the plurality of end-users, the data representing a demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users;
- determining a power output from each of a plurality of electric-power devices each capable of providing a maximum of approximately 10 megawatts of electrical power necessary to meet an aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users based on the data from each of the plurality of end-users and operating characteristics of each of the plurality of electric-power devices, using only the central control center, to optimize the operation of at least one of the electric-power devices by at least one of:
- minimizing an operating expense of the at least one of the electric-power devices;
- maximizing a reliability of the at least one of the electric-power devices;
- minimizing a cost to produce electric power using the at least one of the electric-power devices;
- and maximizing an efficiency of the at least one of the electric-power devices;
- and
- sending commands from the central control center to each of the plurality of electric-power devices to cause the plurality of electric-power devices to generate a combined power output equal to at least the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users.
5 more elements
A system for providing electrical power to a plurality of end-users of electricity, comprising:
- a communications network;
- a plurality of electric-power devices each capable of providing a maximum of approximately 10 megawatts of electrical power;
- a central control center in communication with the plurality of electric-power devices, wherein the central control center:
- receives data from each of the plurality of end-users by way of the communications system, the data representing a demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users;
- exclusively determines a power output from each of the plurality of electric-power devices necessary to meet an aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users based on the data from each of the plurality of end-users and operating characteristics of each of the plurality of electric-power devices, to optimize the operation of at least one of the electric-power devices by at least one of:
- minimizing an operating expense of the at least one of the electric-power devices;
- maximizing a reliability of the at least one of the electric-power devices;
- minimizing a cost to produce electric power using the at least one of the electric-power devices;
- and maximizing an efficiency of the at least one of the electric-power devices;
- and
- sends commands to the plurality of electric-power devices by way of the communications network, the commands causing the plurality of electric-power devices to generate a combined power output equal to at least the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users.
8 more elements
A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for:
- receiving data from each of a plurality of end-users of electrical power, the data representing a demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users;
- exclusively determining a power output from each of a plurality of electric-power devices having a maximum power-generating capacity of approximately 10 megawatts necessary to meet an aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users based on the data from each of the plurality of end-users and operating characteristics of each of the plurality of electric-power devices, to optimize the operation of at least one of the electric-power devices by at least one of:
- minimizing an operating expense of the at least one of the electric-power devices;
- maximizing a reliability of the at least one of the electric-power devices;
- minimizing a cost to produce electric power using the at least one of the electric-power devices;
- and maximizing an efficiency of the at least one of the electric-power devices;
- and
- sending commands to the plurality of electric-power devices for causing the plurality of electric-power devices to generate a combined power output equal to at least the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.