Adaptive load management: a system for incorporating customer electrical demand information for demand and supply side energy management

Abstract

A method for determining an amount of electricity to purchase includes determining electrical power consumption characteristics of an electrical load at an end user of the electricity. A preference of the end user for an output of the electrical load is ascertained. The output varies with a rate of electrical power consumption by the load. A mathematical model is created of an amount of electrical power to be consumed by the load as a function of time and of monetary cost of the electricity. The model is dependent upon the electrical power consumption characteristics of the electrical load and the preference of the end user for an output of the electrical load. An amount of electricity is purchased based on the mathematical model of an amount of electrical power to be consumed by the load, and based on the monetary cost of the electricity.

1 . A method for determining an amount of electricity to purchase, the method comprising:
 determining electrical power consumption characteristics of an electrical load, the electrical load being used by an end user of the electricity;   ascertaining a preference of the end user for an output of the electrical load, the output varying with a rate of electrical power consumption by the load;   creating a mathematical model of an amount of electrical power to be consumed by the load as a function of time and of monetary cost of the electricity, the model being dependent upon the electrical power consumption characteristics of the electrical load and the preference of the end user for an output of the electrical load; and   purchasing an amount of electricity based on:
 the mathematical model of an amount of electrical power to be consumed by the load; and 
 the monetary cost of the electricity. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the further step of sensing a condition of an environment associated with the electrical load, the determining of the electrical power consumption characteristics of the electrical load being dependent upon the sensed condition. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the sensed condition comprises temperature, humidity, wind speed, motion and/or lighting. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the electrical power consumption characteristics of the electrical load are determined as a function of a level of output of the load. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the preference of the end user for an output of the electrical load is received via manual and/or oral inputs from the end user. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the preference of the end user for an output of the electrical load is deduced from prior settings entered into the load by the end user, the output being dependent upon the settings. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the load comprises an HVAC system, and the preference of the end user for an output of the electrical load comprises an environmental temperature produced by the HVAC system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the load comprises an HVAC system, and the electricity consumption is determined based on thermal models of the building or of a thermal storage device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the load comprises electric vehicle charging infrastructure, the electric power consumption characteristics being provided by a battery management system or being determined by models. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the preference of the end user for an output of the electrical load is determined from inputs concerning comfort, costs and environmental impact. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the further step of determining an amount of electricity that can be produced by a distributed generator and that is available for consumption by the load, wherein the amount of electricity purchased is dependent upon the amount of electricity that can be produced by the distributed generator and that is available for consumption by the load. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the mathematical model is dependent upon a forecasted amount of excess heat produced by the distributed generator. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  comprising the further step of determining an amount of electricity that is to be produced by the distributed generator for consumption by the load, the amount of electricity that is to be produced by the distributed generator being determined dependent upon the monetary cost of the purchased electricity. 
     
     
         14 . A method for distributing electricity among a plurality of end users, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
 determining electrical energy consumption characteristics of each of a plurality of electrical loads, each of the electrical loads being used by a corresponding one of the end users of the electricity;   for each of the electrical loads, ascertaining a preference of the corresponding end user for an output of the electrical loads, the output varying with an amount of electrical energy consumed by the load;   creating a mathematical model of an amount of electrical energy to be consumed by each of the electrical loads as a function of time and of monetary cost of the electrical energy, each of the models being dependent upon the electrical energy consumption characteristics of the electrical load and the preference of the end user for an output of the electrical load;   aggregating together the mathematical models of electrical energy consumption;   preparing a bid for an amount of electrical energy to be delivered during a specified period of time, the bid being prepared based on:
 the aggregation of the mathematical models of electrical energy consumption; and
 a known current market price and/or a future expected market price of the electrical energy; and 
 
   submitting the bid to a supplier of electrical energy or electricity market.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the aggregation of the mathematical models of electrical energy consumption is a function of time and of monetary cost of the electrical energy. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the bid specifies an amount of electrical energy to be delivered during a specified period of time as a function of monetary cost of the electrical energy. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  comprising the further step of sensing a condition of an environment associated with at least one of the electrical loads, the determining of the electrical power consumption characteristics of the at least one electrical load being dependent upon the sensed condition, the sensed condition comprising temperature, humidity, wind speed, motion and/or lighting. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the electrical power consumption characteristics of the electrical loads are determined as a function of a level of output of the loads. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the preferences of the end user for outputs of the electrical loads are received via manual and/or oral inputs from the end user. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the preferences of the end user for outputs of the electrical loads are deduced from prior settings entered into the loads by the end user, the outputs being dependent upon the settings. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the load comprises an HVAC system, and the electricity consumption is determined based on thermal models of the building or of a thermal storage device. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the load comprises electric vehicle charging infrastructure, the electric power consumption characteristics being provided by a battery management system or being determined by models. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the preference of the end user for an output of the electrical load is determined from inputs concerning comfort, costs and/or environmental impact. 
     
     
         24 . An adaptive load management system, comprising:
 a plurality of local modules, each of the local modules being disposed in a respective building and configured to:
 determine electrical energy consumption characteristics of each of a plurality of electrical loads associated with the respective building; 
 for each of the corresponding electrical loads, ascertain a preference of a corresponding end user of the load for an output of the electrical load, the output varying with an amount of electrical energy consumed by the load; and 
 create a mathematical model of an amount of electrical energy to be consumed by each of the corresponding electrical loads as a function of time and of monetary cost of the electrical energy, each of the models being dependent upon the electrical energy consumption characteristics of the electrical load and the preference of the corresponding end user for an output of the electrical load; and 
   an aggregator module communicatively coupled to each of the local modules and configured to:
 receive price data regarding a market for electricity; 
 receive the mathematical models from each of the local modules; and 
 purchase an amount of electrical energy to be delivered to the electrical loads during a specified period of time, the amount of energy being purchased being based on:
 the mathematical models of electrical energy consumption; and 
 a known current market price and/or a future expected market price of the electrical energy. 
 
   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the aggregator module is configured to prepare and submit a bid to a supplier of electrical energy for the purchased amount of electrical energy, a monetary value of the bid being dependent upon:
 the mathematical models of electrical energy consumption; and 
 a known current market price and/or a future expected market price of the electrical energy. 
 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the aggregator module is configured to aggregate together the mathematical models of electrical energy consumption, the aggregation of the mathematical models of electrical energy consumption being a function of time and of monetary cost of the electrical energy. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 24  further comprising a sensor communicatively coupled to at least one of the local modules and configured to:
 sense a condition of an environment associated with at least one of the electrical loads, the sensed condition comprising temperature, humidity, wind speed, motion and/or lighting; and 
 transmit sensor data to the at least one local module, the at least one local module being configured to determine the electrical power consumption characteristics of the at least one electrical load dependent upon the sensor data. 
 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the electrical power consumption characteristics of at least one of the electrical loads are determined by at least one of the local modules as a function of a level of output of the load. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the preference of the end user for an output of at least one of the electrical loads is:
 received by at least one of the local modules via manual and/or oral inputs from the end user; and/or 
 deduced by at least one of the local modules from prior settings entered into the at least one load by the end user, the output being dependent upon the settings. 
 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the load comprises an HVAC system, and the electricity consumption is determined based on thermal models of the building or of a thermal storage device. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the load comprises electric vehicle charging infrastructure, the electric power consumption characteristics being provided by a battery management system or being determined by models. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the preference of the end user for an output of the electrical load is determined from inputs concerning comfort, costs and/or environmental impact. 
     
     
         33 . A method for determining an amount of electricity to purchase, the method comprising:
 determining electrical power consumption characteristics of an electrical load, the electrical load being used by an end user of the electricity;   ascertaining a preference of the end user for an output of the electrical load, the output varying with a rate of electrical power consumption by the load;   creating a mathematical model of an amount of electrical power to be consumed by the load as a function of time and of monetary cost of the electricity, the model being dependent upon the electrical power consumption characteristics of the electrical load and the preference of the end user for an output of the electrical load;   reserving an amount of electricity to be delivered by an electricity provider at a future point in time, the amount of electricity that is reserved being based on:
 the mathematical model of an amount of electrical power to be consumed by the load; and 
 the monetary cost of the electricity; 
   repeating the determining, ascertaining, creating and reserving steps a plurality of times before the future point in time; and   receiving delivery of the most recently reserved amount of electricity at the future point in time.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the load comprises an HVAC system, and the electricity consumption is determined based on thermal models of the building or of a thermal storage device. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the load comprises electric vehicle charging infrastructure, the electric power consumption characteristics being provided by a battery management system or being determined by models. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the preference of the end user for an output of the electrical load is determined from inputs concerning comfort, costs and environmental impact.