System and method for managing and monitoring renewable energy power generation

Abstract

The invention broadly encompasses a system including a communications network, a plurality of remotely located data sources to provide power data, the power data including quantitative and qualitative data of one or more renewable energy power generation units, and a performance monitor in communication with the plurality of remotely located data sources through the communications network, the performance monitor including a data store to store the power data, and a power manager to manage generation of power from the one or more renewable energy power generation units.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A system, comprising a processor and a non-transitory data storage device that contains instructions when executed by the processor comprising:
 a performance monitor, the performance monitor in communication with a plurality of remotely located data sources through a communications network,   wherein the plurality of remotely located data sources provide power data of one or more renewable energy power generation units;   the performance monitor including
 a power manager to manage generation of power from the one or more renewable energy power generation units. 
   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the power data includes quantitative and qualitative data. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the quantitative data includes supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data from a renewable energy power plant and/or market data. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the quantitative data includes operational cost data of the one or more renewable energy power generation units. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the qualitative data includes event log data of the one or more renewable energy power generation units. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the qualitative data includes a meteorological condition in a geographical region in which one or more of the renewable energy power generation units are located. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the meteorological condition is current condition or forecasted condition. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the power manager forecasts power capability of the one or more renewable power generation units based on a meteorological condition. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the power manager includes energy scheduling. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the power manager includes energy dispatch monitoring. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the energy dispatch monitoring includes a map interface overlaid with forecasting, performance and meteorological indicators of geographical regions in which one or more renewable energy power generation units are located. 
     
     
         37 . A method, performed by a processor and a non-transitory data storage device that contains instructions executed by the processor, said method comprising:
 extracting power data from a plurality of remotely located data sources, the power data including quantitative and qualitative data of one or more renewable energy power generation units;   storing the power data in a data store; and   monitoring and managing power generated by the one or more renewable energy power generation units based on the power data.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the quantitative data includes supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data from a renewable energy power plant and/or market data. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the quantitative data includes operational cost data of the one or more renewable energy power generation units. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the qualitative data includes event log data of the one or more renewable energy power generation units. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the qualitative data includes a meteorological condition in a geographical region in which one or more of the renewable energy power generation units are located. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 37 , further including the step of scheduling energy. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the scheduling of energy includes a balancing energy source and wherein the balancing energy source is an automatic generation control (AGC) source. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 37  further includes monitoring energy dispatch. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the monitoring energy dispatch includes a map interface overlaid with forecasting, performance and meteorological indicators of geographical regions in which one or more of the renewable energy power generation units are located.