Field of the Invention

The invention relates to method and system to engage end users for energy services.

Background

A distributed energy resource (DER) represents a growing feature of power generation capacity. DER’s may relate to conventional diesel generators but also include renewable energy assets for power generation including photovoltaic arrays, wind farms, fuel cells etc.

DERs provide an opportunity to establish micro-grids for providing distributed power in localized clusters as compared to a macro-grid typically used for main power.

Micro-grids may be selectively coupled to mains power such that end users may have access to a proportion of mains power as well as power generated by a localized DER. A significant difference to the end user in selecting that proportion will be the relative merits of the micro and macro-grids to provide power quality and reliability (PQR).

Macro-grids aim to provide a uniform PQR to all end users within the grid which corresponds to a significant infrastructure cost. Further, there is evidence to suggest that whilst such macro-grids strive to achieve a high PQR, the majority of power outages are caused through distribution failure. It follows that the larger the grid, the greater the responsibility for uniform PQR but conversely will lead to the majority of breakdown of the supply.

A micro-grid providing heterogeneous PQR allows the system to match the PQR requirements to the end users based upon criticality, cost and location. Summary of Invention

In a first aspect, the invention provides a method for using a device to remotely control provision of an energy service, the method comprising the steps of: receiving energy price information; receiving a location signal from a communication device, the location signal indicative of the energy service location; displaying the energy price information and the location signal on the device; and using the device to send a first activation signal to activate the energy service.

In a second aspect, the invention provides a micro-grid for providing heterogeneous power quality to a plurality of end users, the micro-grid including: a micro-grid controller arranged to manage the micro-grid; a plurality of distribution boards for the distribution of power to networks within the micro-grid, each distribution board having a circuit breaker; a sensing system arranged to monitor and collect data from said distribution boards; a server arranged to receive data from said sensing system and deliver said data to the micro-grid controller; wherein the micro-grid controller is arranged to selectively open and close said circuit breakers based upon data received from the server, so as to selectively provide different levels of heterogeneous power quality to each of said end users based on each end user demand

In a third, the invention provides a method for providing heterogeneous power quality to a plurality of end users within a micro-grid, the method comprising the steps of: managing the micro-grid by a micro-grid controller; monitoring and collecting data from distribution boards; delivering said data to the micro-grid controller; selectively opening and closing circuit breakers based upon the data received, and so; providing different levels of heterogeneous power quality to each of said end users based on each end user demand. Accordingly, the invention provides a process by which an end user may apply for registration/activation at a specified heterogeneous PQR level based upon selected conditions. The system may then determine whether the micro-grid has capacity to meet that service requirement and if so provide a power quality service package corresponding to the end user’s registration/activation.

In a further embodiment, in the case of an outage of the main supply, the micro-grid may isolate itself (islanding) and selectively cut off load to all end users other than registered end users. The system may further make an assessment on whether said registered end users are exceeding the power usage corresponding to their registration/activation.

In one embodiment, the invention may provide a medium for end users to activate or deactivate available energy services based on the real-time price information provided. In particular, this invention may allow the identification of end users (based on their devices) and their location so as to identify the corresponding energy services and provide the end users with real-time price information. This embodiment may allow the end users to activate the energy services based on real-time price signals, and also promote demand response.

In a further embodiment, the usage of energy services may be attributable to each individual end user, thereby providing a medium to link energy consumption behavior to the cost of energy consumption. As a result, the end user may be able to make decisions on their energy usage based on the actual energy cost and hence, promoting better energy conservation practices.

Further, the use of a communication device for each energy service may allow the identification and differentiation of one energy service in close proximity with other energy services. Hence, each energy service may be individually identified and controlled, thereby allowing the activation of individual available energy service, when required. In a further embodiment, the invention may provide steps for deactivating the activated energy service. Accordingly, such steps may provide end users with greater visibility as to the cost of energy they consumed when the energy service is activated.

In a further embodiment, the invention may provide steps of deducting the cost incurred from a digital wallet, wherein the digital wallet is arranged to be stored locally in the device. This may allow the easy payment of the consumed energy services based upon a pre-paid top up wallet.

It will be appreciated that the total energy cost may also be paid using a credit card linked to the digital wallet.

In a further embodiment, the invention may provide steps of receiving a device location information indicative of a location of the device and identifying all available energy services proximate the location of the device. This may allow the end user to easily find out the available energy services around his vicinity.

In one embodiment, the invention may provide for using the device to send the first activation signal to activate the energy service, such as transmitting the first activation signal from the device to a portal and transmitting a second activation signal from the portal to the energy service. This may allow a user to individually manage different energy services on the same portal. Brief Description of Drawings

It will be convenient to further describe the present invention with respect to the accompanying drawings that illustrate possible arrangements of the invention. Other arrangements of the invention are possible and consequently, the particularity of the accompanying drawings is not to be understood as superseding the generality of the preceding description of the invention. Figure 1 is a flow chart showing a procedure for the application of registration according to one aspect of the present invention;

Figure 2 A is a GUI for facilitating the application for registration process according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2B and 2C are a schematic views of a building corresponding to a location within a micro-grid according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 3 is a flow chart providing procedural steps for a micro-grid to island according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

In one embodiment, the present invention comprises: i) A server, such as a Power Quality Service Registration Server (PQSRS), which may be arranged to manage registered power quality end users to a micro- grid, including both statically connected registrations as well as dynamically connected registrations. This may also involve receiving applications for registration, and assessing the viability of said applications based upon data received from a micro-grid controller. The server may also collate and record data such as market pricing, billing & transactions, electrical and thermal load prediction, preventive and/or predictive asset maintenance; ii) The micro-grid controller (MGC) may provide real-time monitoring and control to stabilize and balance the micro-grid energy supply and load demand. The MGC may be arranged to store and manage all the micro-grid electrical (and thermal) network topology and operation information including DERs and point of common contact (PCC) connecting the micro-grid to the main grid. iii) Circuit breakers located through the micro-grid and controlled by the MGC, so as to provide selective control for including or isolating various components and multiple levels of the system. To this end, the circuit breakers may also reside in the main, sub-main and final distribution boards, and this providing isolation control at the PCC, individual networks within the micro-grid, as well as individual end users, both registered and unregistered. iv) Sensor systems, such as Power Quality Edge Sensing system (PQES) for providing data, including power and energy information, to the MGC. This may include the collection of such data at the circuit breakers. The installed sensing system may also transmit the control signal, from the MGC, to open or close the circuit breakers, as required.

The method to provide dynamic heterogeneous power quality engaged with micro-grid end user and the system to implement such method are technically new. The workflow of the method is described as following:

As shown in Figure 1, a micro-grid 3 includes a server 8 retrieving 5 the latest network topology from a MGC 13. The server 8 may also combine 10 the topology with a Building Information Model (BIM) 18. Whenever there is network update, MGC 13 informs 5 the server 8 to retrieve 5 the latest network information from MGC 13. Specifically, the BIM 18 and MGC 13 may share their information in a format or platform that can be attached/linked to each other in a compatible way. For example, room location or room number from BIM can be topologically mapped to the correct electrical circuit (such as sockets, different electrical loads) from MGC - this mapping shall be firstly done in Server 8 if it has never been done in BIM or MGC. This is also assuming BIM does not do electrical circuit switching control in the same zone under MGC’s scope The micro-grid potential end user 28 uses the server 8 to apply 25 for an expected power quality level (such as power resumes within 1 minute after main grid blackout and kept on for at least 2 hours, or power resumes within 30 minutes after main grid blackout and kept on at least 1 hour, etc) together with the building/rooms of selection, load type and sizing information. Figure 2A shows a GUI for an app arranged to facilitate the application process.

Existing statically connected power quality users may also apply for a relocation to a different place that is only available via dynamic configuration and connection.

The server feeds 30 the MGC with the information from registration application. MGC does a complete scanning to verify if there any of the load zones into which the registration would fall outside of the control provided by the circuit breakers. To this end, registration may require the ability to include or isolate any registered user, or part of the load zone of said registered user.

In assessing the application, the MGC calculates the available DER capacity and lasting time capable and passes 35 the result to the server. A first option is for the server to generate 40 a power quality service package and pricing based on market pricing information, big data analytics and prediction, business model and risk assessment. The server may alternatively reject the application if no service capacity available otherwise inform the user the offer. Once the user accepts the offer and passes the finance credit verification, the server confirms to the MGC to go ahead with the new switching settings across one or multiple circuit breakers in the event of main grid black out.

The registration process for the end user permits energy conservation and realize demand response by attributing usage of one energy service to one specific registered end user, who is provided with real-time price information of such energy services and decides when to activate and deactivate such energy services.

In one embodiment, key components in the registration/activation process include:

• The provision of energy services that can be activated and deactivated remotely;

• The server, which may be a PQSRS, that can provide real-time price information and possibly location and available energy services information;

• A smart device with application that can obtain and display real-time price information from the server and activate and deactivate energy services (as shown in Figure 2A);

• A short range communication device that can provide location identification to the smart device.

With reference to Figures 2A to 2C, the process for registration/activation, according to one embodiment may include:

1. The end user 70 reaches the proximity of a location 55, 65 where one or more energy services are available. The location 55, 65 may have one or more short range communication devices 60, based on which the end user may acquire the identification of the location with his/her smart device 45. Examples of such short range communication devices include QR code, NFC tag and BLE beacon. The smart device further incorporates a means to obtain real-time price for energy usage from a server. Such price can be in forms of $/kWh, $/h, etc. 2. The smart device 45 has the information of available energy services at each location or has the ability to retrieve such information from the server. Examples of such smart device include smart phone and tablets, which are commonly equipped by individuals nowadays. There can be multiple end users in which the main end user owns the action to activate and deactivate the energy services. 3. Based on the location identification acquired from the short-range communication device 60, the application 50 residing in the end user’s smart device 45 retrieves information of available energy services at the location and displays them to the end user. Real-time energy price information is displayed to the end user as well. Such real-time energy price information may include current energy price and future energy price forecasted at current point in time.

4. The end user 70 decides the energy services to activate based on the given information and activate accordingly from the smart device.

5. The end user 70 deactivates the energy services when he/she no longer needs the services. The application computes and displays the total energy cost incurred during the period the services are activated and deduct the cost from the balance of the energy end user’s account. Such balance and cost data may be stored locally in the application residing in the smart device or in a server.

6. The adoption of short range communication devices 60 enables localized availability of location identification, which may further allow implementation of such method in multiple locations in close proximity. In the example shown, each meeting room has its own short-range communication device that provides a unique location identification. The energy services available in different meeting rooms can be different, as can be individually defined and retrieved.

This embodiment of the invention allows identification of user location and corresponding energy services as well as identification of end users, who may activate or deactivate the energy services based on the real-time price information provided. Such a system allows the usage of energy services to be attributable to individual energy end user, provides a mechanism to link energy consumption behaviour to economic benefits and hence efficiently promote energy conservation practices. The enablement for the end users to activate and deactivate the energy services based on real-time price signal also allows realization of demand response.

Figure 3 shows a schematic in the event of the main grid black out.

Following a mains supply outage the MGC may isolate the micro-grid 80 through entering islanding mode. In islanding mode, circuit breakers 95 at the PCC were set to OPEN, cutting off normal main 75 grid power quality user loads. In one embodiment, circuit breakers for registered power quality user loads 85 will remain CLOSED, with circuit breakers 100 for un-registered power quality user loads 90 set to OPEN. Alternatively, circuit breakers for registered power quality user loads may switch to OPEN and then CLOSED after a predefined time based on the control instruction/setting from MGC that coordinating the ramping up of DER 105 such as Energy Storage and Diesel Generators etc with registered power quality loads. This is particularly important for dual supply end users, to switch to DER supply 105, whilst managing the rapidly increased load applied to the DER’s

During islanding, the PQES continuously compare the registered user’s actual load and predefined load. MGC will instruct to cut off the load if it exceeds its contracted maximum by communicating with all circuit breakers that control the same user load via relevant PQES.

After exiting islanding operation, MGC instructs all circuit breakers to switch to CLOSED for all user loads and thus the micro-grid goes back to normal.