Islanded operation of distributed power sources

1. A method for controlling a system having local loads, different from a utility grid, and local power sources connected to the utility grid through a point of common connection, the method comprising:

detecting an islanding condition wherein the local power sources are islanded from the utility grid;

evaluating, responsive to detecting the islanding condition, a power available from each of the local power sources;

adaptively controlling, while the islanding condition is occurring, a power supplied to each of the local loads based on the power available from the local power sources wherein adaptively controlling the power supplied comprises implementing an algorithm in response to operator determined inputs and externally determined inputs, wherein implementing the algorithm comprises:

determining the current energy flow between the system elements;

determining the cost of energy transfer between the system elements; and

determining the optimum states of the local loads;

and

operating the local loads and one or more local power sources as an islanded system while the utility grid is disconnected from the point of common connection.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the local power sources comprises a reversible power converter to enable the power source to operate as a local load.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the reversible power converter is coupled to an energy storage device to store energy while the power converter is operating as a local load.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the operator determined inputs comprise at least one of:

local load priorities;

desired up-times of the local loads; and

optimization objectives.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the optimization objectives comprise at least one of:

maximizing local use of power from the local power sources;

minimizing overall cost of energy;

maximizing locally stored energy; and

optimizing use of locally stored energy when sufficient energy is not available from the utility grid and the local power sources.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the externally determined inputs comprise at least one of:

effect of meteorology on local loads;

energy currently available from local power sources;

predicted future energy available from local power sources;

energy available in local storage;

remaining local energy storage capacity;

load shedding profile from the utility grid;

load tariff rates; and

feed-in tariff rates.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising energizing or de-energizing the local loads in response to the algorithm.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the current energy flow between the system elements includes at least one of energy flow:

from the local power sources to the utility grid;

from the local power sources to local storage;

from the local power sources to local loads;

from the utility grid to the local loads;

from the utility grid to local storage;

from local storage to the local loads; and

from local storage to the utility grid.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the cost of energy transfer between the system elements includes at least one of energy flow:

from the local power sources to the utility grid;

from the local power sources to local storage;

from the local power sources to local loads;

from the utility grid to the local loads;

from the utility grid to local storage;

from local storage to the local loads; and

from local storage to the utility grid.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the optimum states of the local loads are determined based on at least one of the new target optimum energy flow:

from the local power sources to the utility grid;

from the local power sources to local storage;

from the local power sources to local loads;

from the utility grid to the local loads;

from the utility grid to local storage;

from local storage to the local loads; and

from local storage to the utility grid.

11. A smart communications gateway for controlling a system having local loads different from a utility grid and local power sources connected to the utility grid through a point of common connection, wherein the smart communications gateway is configured to:

detect an islanding condition wherein the local power sources are islanded from the utility grid;

evaluate, responsive to detecting the islanding condition, a power available from each of the local power sources;

adaptively control, while the islanding condition is occurring, a power supplied to each of the local loads based on the power available from the local power sources, wherein to adaptively control the power supplied comprises to implement an algorithm in response to operator determined inputs and externally determined inputs, wherein to implement the algorithm comprises to:

determine the current energy flow between the system elements;

determine the cost of energy transfer between the system elements; and

determine the optimum states of the local loads;

and

operate the local loads and one or more local power sources as an islanded system while the utility grid is disconnected from the point of common connection.

12. The smart communications gateway of claim 11 , wherein the operator determined inputs comprise at least one of:

local load priorities;

desired up-times of the local loads; and

optimization objectives.