Distributed hierarchical control architecture for integrating smart grid assets during normal and disrupted operations

Abstract

Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for facilitating operation and control of a resource distribution system (such as a power grid). Among the disclosed embodiments is a distributed hierarchical control architecture (DHCA) that enables smart grid assets to effectively contribute to grid operations in a controllable manner, while helping to ensure system stability and equitably rewarding their contribution. Embodiments of the disclosed architecture can help unify the dispatch of these resources to provide both market-based and balancing services.

1 . A system for coordinating distribution of electricity according to a distributed hierarchical control architecture (DHCA), comprising:
 one or more transactive controllers configured to operate a wholesale market for coordinating the distribution of electricity between power generation resources and area controllers that distribute electricity to and from multiple feeder networks; and   one or more transactive controllers configured to operate a retail market for coordinating the distribution of electricity between one or more of the feeder networks and one or more electrical devices,   wherein at least one of the transactive controllers in the wholesale market is further configured to exchange transactive control signals with at least one of the transactive controllers in the retail market, and to thereby integrate the retail market with the wholesale market.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the integration of the retail market with the wholesale market allows one or more of the electrical devices to participate in the wholesale market via the exchanged transactive control signals between the at least one of the transactive controllers in the wholesale market and the at least one of the transactive controllers in the retail market. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the transactive controllers in the retail market is a transactive controller associated with a respective one of the feeder networks and is configured to:
 (a) exchange transactive control signals with transactive controllers for multiple electrical devices served by the respective one of the feeder networks;   (b) aggregate bids for supply, demand, or both supply and demand from the electrical devices; and   (c) generate bids for supply, demand, or both supply and demand for the wholesale market based at least in part on the aggregated bids.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the generated bids are further based at least in part on constraints at the respective one of the feeder networks. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the transactive controllers in the wholesale market is a transactive controller associated with one of the area controllers and is configured to:
 (a) exchange transactive control signals with transactive controllers for multiple feeder networks in a respective area;   (b) aggregate bids for supply, demand, or both supply and demand from the transactive controllers for the multiple feeder networks; and   (c) generate bids for supply, demand, or both supply and demand for the wholesale market based at least in part on the aggregated bids.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the generated bids are further based at least in part on constraints in the respective area. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more transactive controllers configured to operate in the wholesale market comprises a system-level controller associated with an independent system operator or regional transmission organization. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the system-level transactive controller is configured to transmit signals indicative of a cleared price and a quantity of electricity to a respective transactive controller associated with an area controller. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the system-level transactive controller is further configured to compute and transmit a setpoint for use by one or more electrical devices in the event of a disruption to the system. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more transactive controllers configured to operate in the wholesale market and the one or more transactive controllers configured to operate in the retail market are further configured to operate in both a real-time market and a day-ahead market,
 wherein the real-time market comprises a market for settling a price for electricity in an imminent time interval, and   wherein the day-ahead market comprises a market for settling power supply commitment for the following day.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the transactive controllers configured to operate in the retail market is further configured to receive a signal indicative of an imbalance or disruption in the system, and, in response thereto, adjust electrical supply or demand of one or more electrical devices associated with the at least one of the transactive controllers. 
     
     
         12 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method for operating a controller in a market-based electrical-energy-allocation system, comprising:
 by computing hardware:
 computing one or more transactive signals for coordinating the use, supply, or both use and supply of electricity in an upcoming time interval of a transactive control energy market, the time interval being a periodic time interval; 
 receiving one or more signals indicating an imbalance in the electrical-energy-allocation system; and 
 responsive to the one or more signals indicating the imbalance, implementing a control strategy for reducing the imbalance, wherein the receiving and the implementing occur independent and autonomously of the transactive signals exchanged during the periodic time interval. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the implementing the control strategy comprises adjusting electrical use or supply of the one or more electrical devices controlled by the controller. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the receiving and the implementing occur independent and autonomously of the real-time market. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is a device-level controller for controlling one or more distributed smart grid assets. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the control strategy is based at least in part on a setpoint dispatched from a controller associated with a feeder with which the electrical device is connected. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more signals indicating the imbalance comprise one or more of a frequency of the power system, voltage of the power system, or a broadcast imbalance signal. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising detecting a disruption in the system, and automatically implementing a control strategy for a system disruption until the disruption ends. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the control strategy for the system disruption comprises one of shutting off the electrical device, reducing an electricity consumption rate of the electrical device, or increasing an electrical supply from the electrical device. 
     
     
         26 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-readable instructions for causing computer to perform the method of  claim 18 . 
     
     
         27 .- 40 . (canceled)