Managing emissions demand response event generation

Abstract

Techniques for performing an emissions demand response event are described. In an example, a power control server system receives an emissions rate forecast for a predefined future time period. Using the emissions rate forecast, an emissions rate event is identified during the predefined future time period. Based on the plurality of emissions rate event, an emissions demand response event is generated during the predefined future time period. The power control server system then causes a power controller to modify an energy consumption by an electronic device in accordance with the generated emissions demand response event.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for performing an emissions demand response event, the method comprising:
 obtaining, by a power control server system, a first emissions rate forecast comprising an emissions rate event at a first time;   generating, by the power control server system, an emissions demand response (EDR) event based on the first emissions rate forecast, the EDR event comprising a start time and an end time;   transmitting, prior to the start time, by the power control server system, the generated EDR event over a data network to a power controller that modifies an energy consumption by an electronic device at the start time in accordance with the generated EDR event;   obtaining, subsequent to said start time and prior to said end time, by the power control server system, a second emissions rate forecast comprising the emissions rate event at a second time that is different from the first time;   generating, subsequent to obtaining said second emissions rate forecast and prior to said end time, by the power control server system, a modified EDR event, the modified EDR event comprising a modified end time based on a difference between the first time and the second time; and   transmitting, by the power control server system, at a time prior to an earlier of the end time and the modified end time, the modified EDR event to the power controller.   
     
     
         2 . The method for performing the emissions demand response event of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first emissions rate forecast comprises an earlier emissions rate event at a third time; and   generating the EDR event further comprises:
 determining that the power control server system will obtain the second emissions rate forecast after the third time; and 
 setting the start time of the emissions demand response event to begin before the second emissions rate forecast is received. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method for performing the emissions demand response event of  claim 1 , wherein the EDR event is generated with a duration set to a maximum allowed event duration. 
     
     
         4 . The method for performing the emissions demand response event of  claim 1 ,
 wherein generating the modified EDR event comprises:
 determining that the power control server system will obtain a third emissions rate forecast after the second time; and 
 setting the modified end time of the modified EDR event to be before the third emissions rate forecast is received. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method for performing the emissions demand response event of  claim 1 ,
 wherein generating the modified EDR event comprises:
 determining that the power control server system will obtain a third emissions rate forecast within a predefined minimum period of time before the second time; and 
 setting, before the third emissions rate forecast is obtained, the modified end time of the EDR event to coincide with the second time. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method for performing the emissions demand response event of  claim 1 , wherein:
 second time is earlier than the first time, and generating the modified EDR event comprises:
 determining that the power control server system will obtain a third emissions rate forecast after the second time; and 
 setting the modified end time of the modified EDR event to be before the third emissions rate forecast is obtained. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method for performing the emissions demand response event of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second time is later than the first time; and   generating the modified EDR event comprises setting the modified end time of the modified EDR event to be after the first time.   
     
     
         8 . The method for performing the emissions demand response event of  claim 7 , wherein setting the modified end time of the modified EDR event is limited by a maximum allowed event duration. 
     
     
         9 . The method for performing the emissions demand response event of  claim 1 , wherein generating the EDR event further comprises:
 determining, by the power control server system, using the first emissions rate forecast, an emissions differential value for each of a plurality of points in time during a future time period covered by the first emissions rate forecast, thereby creating a plurality of emissions differential values, and wherein the emissions demand response event is generated based on the determined plurality of emissions differential values.   
     
     
         10 . The method for performing the emissions demand response event of  claim 1 , wherein generating the EDR event further comprises:
 restricting the start time of the emissions demand response event to being after a predefined minimum time after an end time of a previously generated EDR event.   
     
     
         11 . The method for performing the emissions demand response event of  claim 1 , wherein generating the modified EDR event further comprises:
 restricting the modified end time of the modified EDR event to be no later than a predefined latest time of day.   
     
     
         12 . A system for performing an emissions demand response event, the system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 obtain, by a cloud-based power control server system, a first emissions rate forecast comprising an emissions rate event at a first time; 
 generate, by the cloud-based power control server system, an emissions demand response (EDR) event based on the first emissions rate forecast, the EDR event comprising a start time and an end time; 
 transmit, prior to the start time, by the cloud-based power control server system, the generated EDR event over a data network to a power controller that modifies an energy consumption by an electronic device at the start time in accordance with the generated EDR event; 
 obtain, subsequent to said start time and prior to said end time, the cloud-based power control server system, a second emissions rate forecast comprising the emissions rate event at a second time that is different from the first time; 
 generate, subsequent to obtaining said second emissions rate forecast and prior to said end time, by the cloud-based power control server system, a modified EDR event, the modified EDR event comprising a modified end time based on a difference between the first time and the second time; and 
 transmit, by the cloud-based power control server system, at a time prior to an earlier of the end time and the modified end time, the modified EDR event to the power controller. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system for performing an emissions demand response event of  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of power controllers, the plurality of power controllers comprising the power controller. 
     
     
         14 . The system for performing an emissions demand response event of  claim 12 , further comprising an application executed on a mobile device, the application configured to control the power controller via communication with the cloud-based power control server system. 
     
     
         15 . The system for performing an emissions demand response event of  claim 12 , wherein the cloud-based power control server system further comprises an interface, the interface configured to obtain the plurality of emissions rate forecasts from an emissions data system remotely accessible via a network. 
     
     
         16 . The system for performing an emissions demand response event of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first emissions rate forecast comprises an earlier emissions rate event at a third time; and   generating the EDR event further comprises:
 determining that the cloud-based power control server system will obtain the second emissions rate forecast after the third time; and 
 setting the start time of the emissions demand response event to begin before the second emissions rate forecast is received. 
   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory processor-readable medium, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:
 obtain, by a power control server system, a first emissions rate forecast comprising an emissions rate event at a first time;   generate, by the power control server system, an emissions demand response (EDR) event based on the first emissions rate forecast, the EDR event comprising a start time and an end time;   transmit, prior to the start time, by the power control server system, the generated EDR event over a data network to a power controller that modifies an energy consumption by an electronic device at the start time in accordance with the generated EDR event;   obtain, subsequent to said start time and prior to said end time, by the power control server system, a second emissions rate forecast comprising the emissions rate event at a second time that is different from the first time;   generate, subsequent to obtaining said second emissions rate forecast and prior to said end time, by the power control server system, a modified EDR event, the modified EDR event comprising a modified end time based on a difference between the first time and the second time; and   transmit, by the power control server system, at a time prior to an earlier of the end time and the modified end time, the modified EDR event to the power controller.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the EDR event is generated with a duration set to a maximum allowed event duration. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the second emissions rate forecast comprises an earlier emissions rate event at a third time; and   generating the modified EDR event comprises:
 determining that the power control server system will obtain a third emissions rate forecast after the third time; and 
 setting the modified end time of the modified EDR event to be before the third emissions rate forecast is received. 
   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory processor-readable medium of  claim 17 ,
 wherein generating the modified EDR event comprises:
 determining that the power control server system will obtain a third emissions rate forecast within a predefined minimum period of time before the second time; and 
 setting, before the third emissions rate forecast is obtained, the modified end time of the EDR event to coincide with the second time.