Method and apparatus for actively managing consumption of electric power over an electric power grid

Abstract

A client device manages consumption of power supplied by an electric utility to power consuming devices. Power flow to the power consuming devices is selectively enabled and disabled by one or more controllable devices controlled by the client device. The client device receives a power control message from a load management server. The power control message indicates at least one of an amount of electric power to be reduced and an identification of at least one controllable device to be instructed to disable a flow of electric power to one or more associated power consuming devices. Responsive to the power control message, the client device issues a power management command to one or more controllable devices under the client device's control. The power management command causes the one or more controllable devices to disable a flow of electric power to the one or more associated power consuming device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for managing an electric power flow within an electric power grid, comprising:
 at least one client device receiving a power control message from a server, the power control message indicating a setting to be changed for at least one power consuming device and an instruction to disable or reduce an electric power flow to the at least one power consuming device; and   the at least one client device issuing a power management command to the at least one power consuming device, wherein the power management command disables or reduces the electric power flow to the at least one power consuming device to provide a reduction in consumed power; and   wherein the at least one client device includes at least one smart thermostat.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising an active load director in network-based communication with the at least one client device, the active load director generating a curtailment value based on measurement and verification data corresponding to the reduction in consumed power. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising communicating a report message to the server, the report message including an indication of a change in a setting for an amount of power consumed by the at least one power consuming device corresponding to the measurement and verification data. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the measurement and verification data is associated with individual power consuming devices. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further including aggregating the measurement and verification data for a multiplicity of power consuming devices. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising communicating a status message to the server, the status message indicating a status of the at least one client device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising communicating a status message from a load control switch to the server, the status message indicating a total amount of power curtailed by the at least one power consuming device and generating a curtailment value based on a total amount of power curtailed by the at least one power consuming device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the at least one client device enabling the electric power flow to the at least one power consuming device for which the electric power flow had previously been disabled or reduced. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the at least one client device receiving a status message from the server, the status message requesting status information for the at least one client device; the at least one client device transmitting a status response message to the server; and
 storing each status response message in a memory of the server. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one client device is Internet-accessible. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the power control message includes a list of power consuming devices to which the electric power flow should be disabled or reduced. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the list of power consuming devices includes at least one Heating, Ventilation, and Air Condition (HVAC) unit. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the power management command disables or reduces the electric power flow to the list of power consuming devices. 
     
     
         14 . A system for managing electric power on an electric power grid, comprising:
 at least one client device comprising at least one client device interface facilitating communication of power control commands, the power control commands operable to selectively disable or reduce a flow of electric power to at least one power consuming device; and   a device control manager operably coupled to the at least one client device interface, the device control manager operable to issue power control commands through the at least one client device interface responsive to received power control instructions;   wherein based upon a reduction in consumed power provided by the disabled or reduced flow of electric power, the system generates an actual value corresponding to the reduction in consumed power;   wherein the at least one client device receives a power control message from a server; and   wherein the at least one client device includes at least one smart thermostat.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the device control manager is further operable to issue a notification to the at least one client device, wherein the notification corresponds to a power management event and/or the issued power control commands. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the actual value corresponding to the reduction in consumed power is generated by the at least one smart thermostat. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the power control message indicates a change in a setting for the at least one power consuming device or an identification of a client device to be instructed to disable or reduce the flow of electric power to the at least one power consuming device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the actual value corresponding to the reduction in consumed power is determined in near real-time. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the actual value corresponding to the reduction in consumed power is associated with individual power consuming devices. 
     
     
         20 . A system for managing electric power on an electric power grid, comprising:
 at least one client device comprising at least one client device interface facilitating communication of power control commands, the power control commands disabling or reducing a flow of electric power to at least one power consuming device; and   a device control manager operably coupled to the at least one client device interface, the device control manager operable to issue power control commands through the at least one client device interface responsive to received power control instructions to cause a reduction in consumed power;   wherein a curtailment value is generated based on the reduction in consumed power by the at least one power consuming device; and   wherein the at least one load control device includes at least one smart thermostat.