SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING AND MONITORING RENEWABLE ENERGY POWER GENERATION
The invention broadly encompasses a system including a communications network, a plurality of remotely located data sources to provide power data, the power data including quantitative and qualitative data of one or more renewable energy power generation units, and a performance monitor in communication with the plurality of remotely located data sources through the communications network, the performance monitor including a data store to store the power data, and a power manager to manage generation of power from the one or more renewable energy power generation units.
1 - 25 . (canceled)
26 . A system, comprising a processor and a non-transitory data storage device that contains instructions when executed by the processor comprising:
a performance monitor, the performance monitor in communication with a plurality of remotely located data sources through a communications network,
wherein the plurality of remotely located data sources provide power data of one or more renewable energy power generation units;
the performance monitor including
a power manager to manage generation of power from the one or more renewable energy power generation units.
27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the power data includes quantitative and qualitative data.
28 . The system of claim 27 , wherein the quantitative data includes supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data from a renewable energy power plant and/or market data.
29 . The system of claim 27 , wherein the quantitative data includes operational cost data of the one or more renewable energy power generation units.
30 . The system of claim 27 , wherein the qualitative data includes event log data of the one or more renewable energy power generation units.
31 . The system of claim 27 , wherein the qualitative data includes a meteorological condition in a geographical region in which one or more of the renewable energy power generation units are located.
32 . The system of claim 31 , wherein the meteorological condition is current condition or forecasted condition.
33 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the power manager forecasts power capability of the one or more renewable power generation units based on a meteorological condition.
34 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the power manager includes energy scheduling.
35 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the power manager includes energy dispatch monitoring.
36 . The system of claim 35 , wherein the energy dispatch monitoring includes a map interface overlaid with forecasting, performance and meteorological indicators of geographical regions in which one or more renewable energy power generation units are located.
37 . A method, performed by a processor and a non-transitory data storage device that contains instructions executed by the processor, said method comprising:
extracting power data from a plurality of remotely located data sources, the power data including quantitative and qualitative data of one or more renewable energy power generation units;
storing the power data in a data store; and
monitoring and managing power generated by the one or more renewable energy power generation units based on the power data.
38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the quantitative data includes supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data from a renewable energy power plant and/or market data.
39 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the quantitative data includes operational cost data of the one or more renewable energy power generation units.
40 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the qualitative data includes event log data of the one or more renewable energy power generation units.
41 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the qualitative data includes a meteorological condition in a geographical region in which one or more of the renewable energy power generation units are located.
42 . The method of claim 37 , further including the step of scheduling energy.
43 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the scheduling of energy includes a balancing energy source and wherein the balancing energy source is an automatic generation control (AGC) source.
44 . The method of claim 37 further includes monitoring energy dispatch.
45 . The method of claim 44 , wherein the monitoring energy dispatch includes a map interface overlaid with forecasting, performance and meteorological indicators of geographical regions in which one or more of the renewable energy power generation units are located.