System and method for estimating and providing dispatchable operating reserve energy capacity through use of active load management

A system that provides electrical service to one or more remotely located service points, each service point including at least one device that consumes power during operation thereof, the system comprising:

• a repository;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the repository, the at least one processor operable to:
• determine amounts of electric power consumed by at least a first set of devices during multiple periods of time to produce power consumption data;
• store the power consumption data in the repository;
• determine that a control event is to occur during which a supply of electric power is to be reduced to at least the first set of devices;
• after storage of the power consumption data in the repository and prior to commencement of the control event, estimate, under an assumption that the control event is not to occur, power consumption behavior expected of at least the first set of devices during a future period of time based at least on the stored power consumption data, wherein the control event is expected to occur during the future period of time;
• determine, prior to commencement of the control event, energy savings expected to result from the control event based at least on the estimated power consumption behavior of at least the first set of devices to produce projected energy savings;
• determine, prior to commencement of the control event, amounts of electric power stored by at least a second set of devices located at the one or more service points to produce stored power data;
• and
• determine, prior to commencement of the control event, an amount of available operating reserve based on the projected energy savings and the stored power data.

A virtual utility system operable to at least offer energy to one or more requesting utilities for use as operating reserve for the one or more requesting utilities, the virtual utility system comprising:

• a repository;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the repository, the at least one processor operable to:
• determine amounts of electric power consumed by a first set of devices during multiple periods of time to produce power consumption data, the first set of devices being located remotely from the processor;
• store the power consumption data in the repository;
• determine that a control event is to occur during which a supply of electric power is to be reduced to the first set of devices;
• after storage of the power consumption data in the repository and prior to commencement of the control event, estimate, under an assumption that the control event is not to occur, power consumption behavior expected of the first set of devices during a future period of time based at least on the stored power consumption data, wherein the control event is expected to occur during the future period of time;
• determine, prior to commencement of the control event, energy savings expected to result from the control event based at least on the estimated power consumption behavior of the first set of devices to produce projected energy savings;
• determine, prior to commencement of the control event, amounts of electric power stored by a second set of devices located remotely from the processor to produce stored power data;
• determine, prior to commencement of the control event, an amount of operating reserve based on the projected energy savings and the stored power data;
• and
• manage distribution of the amount of operating reserve to at least one of the requesting utilities subsequent to commencement of the control event.