Method and apparatus for actively managing consumption of electric power supplied by one or more electric utilities
View Patent ↗A system manages consumption of power supplied by at least one electric utility to multiple power consuming devices. Power flow to the power consuming devices is enabled and disabled by controllable devices controlled by one or more client devices. According to one embodiment, a group of one or more client devices to which to communicate a power control message is determined. The power control message indicates at least one of an amount of electric power to be reduced and an identification of one or more controllable devices to be instructed to disable a flow of electric power to one or more associated power consuming devices. The power control message is communicated to the determined group of client devices to initiate a power reduction event. Subsequent to initiation of the power reduction event, a determination is made that at least one controllable device has prematurely exited the power reduction event.
1. A method for managing a flow of power supplied by an electric utility to a plurality of power consuming devices, the plurality of power consuming devices being located at one or more service points to which electrical power is supplied by the electric utility, the method comprising:
determining a group of one or more client devices to which to communicate a power control message, each client device of the group of client devices controlling at least one controllable device, each controllable device controlling a flow of electric power to at least one power consuming device of the plurality of power consuming devices, the power control message indicating at least one of an amount of electric power to be reduced and an identification of one or more controllable devices to be instructed to disable a flow of electric power to one or more associated power consuming devices;
communicating the power control message to the group of client devices to initiate a power reduction event; and
subsequent to initiation of the power reduction event, determining that at least one controllable device has prematurely exited the power reduction event.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that at least one controllable device has prematurely exited the power reduction event comprises receiving a status message from a client device of the group of client devices, wherein the status message indicates that a controllable device has exited the power reduction event.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the status message was sent responsive to user adjustment of the controllable device that exited the power reduction event.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the controllable device is a thermostat of an HVAC system and wherein the status message was sent responsive to user adjustment of the thermostat.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the controllable device is a smart breaker, wherein the smart breaker was opened responsive to initiation of the power reduction event, and wherein the status message was sent responsive to closing of the smart breaker by a user.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that at least one controllable device has prematurely exited the power reduction event comprises:
receiving, via an Internet-based interface, an override request input on behalf of a utility customer, the override request causing the power reduction event to terminate with respect to the at least one controllable device.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
responsive to the override request, communicating a second power control message to one or more client devices controlling the at least one controllable device that has prematurely exited the power reduction event, the second power control message instructing the one or more client devices to enable a flow of electric power to one or more power consuming devices under control of the at least one controllable device that has prematurely exited the power reduction event.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a power control command from the electric utility, the power control command requiring a reduction in an amount of electric power consumed by at least some of the power consuming devices;
wherein the group of client devices to which to communicate the power control message is determined responsive to the power control command.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining an amount of power saved by the electric utility as a result of the power control message; and
storing an indication of the amount of power saved by the electric utility.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
correlating the amount of power saved to an amount of gaseous emissions-based credits; and
storing an indication of the amount of gaseous emissions-based credits.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the gaseous emissions-based credits are carbon credits.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a first amount of electric power that would have been saved due to continued participation in the power reduction event by the at least one controllable device that has prematurely exited the power reduction event;
determining a second group of one or more client devices to which to communicate a second power control message, the second group of client devices controlling one or more controllable devices that are operable to control a flow of a second amount of electric power to one or more power consuming devices of the plurality of power consuming devices, wherein the second amount of electric power is at least a portion of the first amount of electric power; and
communicating the second power control message to the second group of client devices.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second amount of electric power is substantially the same as the first amount of electric power.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more controllable devices controlled by the second group of client devices are not disabling a flow of electric power to any power consuming devices at a time at which the second group of client devices is determined.
15. A method for managing a flow of power supplied by an electric utility to a plurality of power consuming devices, the plurality of power consuming devices being located at one or more service points to which electrical power is supplied by the electric utility, the method comprising:
receiving a power control message from a system controller, the power control message initiating a power reduction event and indicating 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, issuing a power management command to one or more controllable devices, the power management command causing the one or more controllable devices to disable a flow of electric power to at least one associated power consuming device;
subsequent to issuing the power management command, determining that a controllable device has prematurely exited the power reduction event and enabled a flow of electric power to an associated power consuming device; and
sending a status message to the system controller informing the system controller that the controllable device has exited the power reduction event.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining that a controllable device has prematurely exited the power reduction event comprises determining that a controllable device has been adjusted by a user so as to enable a flow of electric power to an associated power consuming device.
17. The method of clam 16 , wherein the controllable device is a thermostat of an HVAC system and wherein determining that the controllable device has prematurely exited the power reduction event comprises determining that the thermostat has been adjusted by a user.
18. The method of clam 16 , wherein the controllable device is a smart breaker and wherein determining that the controllable device has prematurely exited the power reduction event comprises determining that the smart breaker has been closed by a user.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining that a controllable device has prematurely exited the power reduction event comprises receiving a second control message from the system controller, the second control message including an instruction to remove the controllable device from the power reduction event.
20. A system for managing consumption of power supplied by at least one electric utility to a plurality of power consuming devices, wherein power flow to the plurality of power consuming devices is enabled and disabled by a plurality of controllable devices and wherein the plurality of controllable devices operate under the control of one or more client devices, the system comprising:
an event manager operable to maintain at least one power management status relating to each client device and generate power control event instructions to initiate and terminate power control events;
a database operable to store, on at least one of a per client device basis and a per electric utility basis, information relating to power consumed by the plurality of power consuming devices; and
a client device manager operably coupled to the event manager and the database, the client device manager being operable to:
select from the database, based on the information stored in the database, at least one client device to which to communicate a power control message indicating at least one of an amount of electric power to be reduced and 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 receipt of a power control event instruction requiring a reduction in a specified amount of electric power, the power control event instruction initiating a power reduction event; and
determine that at least one controllable device has prematurely exited the power reduction event subsequent to initiation of the power reduction event.
21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the client device manager is operable to determine that at least one controllable device has prematurely exited the power reduction event by receiving a status message from a client device of the at least one client device, wherein the status message indicates that a controllable device has exited the power reduction event.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the status message was sent responsive to user adjustment of the controllable device that exited the power reduction event.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the controllable device is a thermostat of an HVAC system and wherein the status message was sent responsive to user adjustment of the thermostat.
24. The system of claim 22 , wherein the controllable device is a smart breaker, wherein the smart breaker was opened responsive to initiation of the power reduction event, and wherein the status message was sent responsive to closing of the smart breaker by a user.
25. The system of claim 20 , wherein the event manager is further operable to issue a second power control event instruction to the client device manager identifying one or more client devices to which to communicate a second power control message instructing the one or more client devices to enable a flow of electric power to at least one power consuming device that has a flow of electric power disabled, the second power control event instruction terminating the power reduction event with respect to the at least one power consuming device, and wherein the client device manager is further operable to:
determine, from the database, at least one replacement client device to which to communicate a third power control message indicating at least one replacement power consuming device to which to disable a flow of electric power, wherein an amount of electric power consumed by the at least one replacement power consuming device is at least a portion of an amount of power to be consumed by the at least one power consuming device after a flow of power is enabled to the at least one power consuming device;
send the second power control message to the one or more client devices to thereby enable a flow of power to the at least one power consuming device; and
send the third power control message to the at least one replacement client device to initiate a power reduction event with respect to the at least one replacement client device and thereby disable a flow of electric power to the at least one replacement power consuming device.
26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the amount of electric power consumed by the at least one replacement power consuming device prior to communication of the third power control message is substantially the same as the amount of power to be consumed by the at least one power consuming device after a flow of power is enabled to the at least one power consuming device.
27. The system of claim 25 , wherein the at least one replacement client device does not control, prior to communication of the third power control message, any power consuming devices which have a flow of electric power disabled.
28. The system of claim 20 , further comprising
a command processor operable to receive power control commands from the at least one electric utility and generate power control event messages responsive thereto, at least one of the power control commands requiring a reduction in an amount of electric power consumed by the plurality of power consuming devices.
29. The system of claim 20 , further comprising:
the at least one client device to which the power control message is communicated.
30. A system for managing consumption of power supplied by at least one electric utility to a plurality of power consuming devices, wherein power flow to the plurality of power consuming devices is enabled and disabled by a plurality of controllable devices and wherein the plurality of controllable devices operate under the control of one or more client devices, the system comprising:
an event manager operable to maintain at least one power management status relating to each client device and generate power control event instructions to initiate and terminate power reduction events;
a database operable to store, on at least one of a per client device basis and a per electric utility basis, information relating to power consumed by the plurality of power consuming devices; and
a client device manager operably coupled to the event manager and the database, the client device manager being operable to select from the database, based on the information stored in the database, at least one client device to which to communicate a power control message indicating at least one of an amount of electric power to be reduced and 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 receipt of a power control event instruction requiring a reduction in a specified amount of electric power, the power control event instruction initiating a power reduction event; and
means, operably coupled to the event manager, for determining that at least one controllable device has prematurely exited the power reduction event subsequent to initiation of the power reduction event.
31. The system of claim 30 , wherein the means for determining that at least one controllable device has prematurely exited the power reduction event comprises the client device manager and wherein the client device manager is further operable to receive a status message from a client device of the at least one client device, wherein the status message indicates that a controllable device has exited the power reduction event.
32. The system of claim 30 , wherein the means for determining that at least one controllable device has prematurely exited the power reduction event comprises an Internet-based interface operable to receive an override request from a utility customer, the override request causing the power reduction event to terminate with respect to the at least one controllable device.
33. The system of claim 32 , wherein the client device manager is further operable, responsive to the override request, to communicate a second power control message to one or more client devices controlling the at least one controllable device that has prematurely exited the power reduction event, the second control message instructing the one or more client devices to enable a flow of electric power to the at least one controllable device that has prematurely exited the power reduction event.
34. The system of claim 30 , further comprising
a command processor operable to receive power control commands from the at least one electric utility and generate power control event messages responsive thereto, at least one of the power control commands requiring a reduction in an amount of electric power consumed by the plurality of power consuming devices.