Extracting maximal frequency response potential in controllable loads

1. A method comprising:

with a computer:

assigning a first fitness metric to a first electrical device coupled to a power grid, the first fitness metric indicating a likelihood that the first electrical device will perform a requested service over a time window, the first fitness metric being determined by combining an availability component and a quality component associated with the first electrical device;

assigning a first frequency threshold based on the first fitness metric to cause the first electrical device to activate autonomously based on a frequency of the power grid;

transmitting the assigned first frequency threshold to the first electrical device to cause the first electrical device to activate autonomously based on the assigned first frequency threshold and a frequency of the power grid;

assigning a second fitness metric to a second electrical device coupled to the power grid, the second fitness metric being based at least in part on a second availability component and a second quality component associated with the second electrical device, the first fitness metric having a higher value than the second fitness metric;

assigning a priority to the first and second electrical devices based on the first and second fitness metrics;

assigning the first frequency threshold to the first electrical device and a second frequency threshold to the second electrical device based on the assigned priority of the devices, the first frequency threshold being closer to a target grid frequency than the second frequency threshold; and

transmitting the assigned second frequency threshold to the second electrical device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the availability component is a value between 0 and 1 that indicates a probability that the first electrical device will be available to perform a requested service.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the requested service is a request for the first electrical device to deactivate, and wherein the availability component is based on a probability that the electrical device will be active when the service is requested.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the requested service is a request for the first electrical device to activate, and wherein the availability component is based on a probability that the first electrical device will not be active when the service is requested.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quality component is based on the quality of performance of the first electrical device when it performs a requested service, and wherein the quality metric is estimated by monitoring performance of the first electrical device in response to at least one previous request for the service.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quality component is a value between 0 and 1 that indicates based on a probability that the first electrical device will be able to successfully perform a requested service when requested.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting uses at least one of an Internet connection, an intranet connection, a powerline transceiver, or a wireless connection, and wherein the quality metric depends at least in part on performance degradation of the first electrical device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical device is a heater, an HVAC system, or a water heater.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a use profile associated with the first electrical device; and

calculating the first fitness metric based on the received use profile.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the use profile includes an operational state of the first electrical device at a particular time, and wherein the first fitness metric depends at least in part on rate of failure of the first electrical device to respond to a requested service and/or a type of the requested service.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the use profile includes data from at least one sensor associated with the first electrical device.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a first amount of power required to operate the first electrical device during a certain time period;

transmitting the first amount of power to a grid operator; and

receiving from the grid operator a second amount of power that can be allocated to the first electrical device during the time period.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising activating the first electrical device when the grid frequency of the power grid is above the assigned first frequency threshold.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deactivating the first electrical device when the grid frequency of the power grid is below the assigned first frequency threshold.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first fitness metric is derived based on a use profile associated with the first electrical device, the method further comprising receiving data from at least one sensor coupled to the first electrical device, wherein the use profile is based at least in part on the data received from the at least one sensor.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the data received from the at least one sensor comprises temperature data.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first fitness metric is derived based on a use profile associated with the first electrical device, the method further comprising receiving data indicating an operational state of the first electrical device, wherein the use profile is based at least in part on this received data.

18. A resource controller comprising:

a receiver configured to receive sensor data and load state data provided by an electrical device coupled to a power grid; and

a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to execute computer-readable instructions to perform the method of claim 1 .

19. A load aggregator comprising:

a processor;

a communication interface coupled to a power grid; and

memory storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method, the instructions comprising:

instructions that cause the processor to assign respective fitness metrics to a plurality of electrical devices coupled to the power grid including at least a first electrical device and a second electrical device, the fitness metric assigned to a respective one of the electrical devices being a probability that is calculated as a combination of an availability component and a quality component associated with the respective one of the electrical devices, wherein a first fitness metric assigned to the first electrical device has a higher value than a second fitness metric assigned to the second electrical device;

instructions that cause the processor to assign respective frequency thresholds to the electrical devices based on their fitness metrics to cause the electrical devices to activate autonomously based on a frequency of the power grid, including instructions that cause the processor to assign a first frequency threshold to the first electrical device and a second frequency threshold to the second electrical device, the first frequency threshold being closer to a target grid frequency than the second frequency threshold; and

instructions that cause the processor to transmit the respective assigned frequency thresholds to the plurality of electrical devices to cause the plurality of electrical devices to activate autonomously based on the respective assigned frequency thresholds and a frequency event of the power grid.

20. The load aggregator of claim 19 , wherein the availability component associated with a respective one of the electrical devices is based on a probability that the respective electrical device will be available to perform a requested service.

21. The load aggregator of claim 19 , wherein the quality component associated with a respective one of the electrical devices is based on the quality of performance of the respective electrical device when it performs a requested service.

22. The load aggregator of claim 19 , wherein the instructions further comprise:

instructions that cause the processor to receive respective use profiles associated with the electrical devices; and

instructions that cause the processor to calculate the respective fitness metrics based on the received use profiles.

23. The load aggregator of claim 19 , wherein the instructions further comprise:

instructions that cause the processor to determine a first amount of power required to operate the first electrical device during a certain time period;

instructions that cause the processor to transmit the determined first amount of power to a grid operator; and

instructions that cause the processor to receive from the grid operator a second amount of power that can be allocated to the first electrical device during the time period.

24. A system comprising:

the load aggregator of claim 19 ; and

a resource controller comprising:

a receiver configured to receive sensor data and load state data provided by an electrical device coupled to a power grid; and

a first processor coupled to the receiver and configured to perform a method by executing computer-readable instructions, the instructions comprising:

instructions that cause the first processor to send a use profile associated with the electrical device to the load aggregator, the use profile being based on the sensor data and the load state data;

instructions that cause the first processor to detect a grid frequency of the power grid; and

instructions that cause the processor to activate or deactivate the electrical device based on the assigned frequency threshold and the detected grid frequency.

25. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

assigning a first fitness metric to a first electrical device coupled to a power grid, the first fitness metric indicating a likelihood that the first electrical device will perform a requested service over a time window, the first fitness metric being determined by combining an availability component and a quality component associated with the first electrical device;

assigning a first frequency threshold based on the first fitness metric to cause the first electrical device to activate autonomously based on a frequency of the power grid;

transmitting the assigned first frequency threshold to the first electrical device to cause the first electrical device to activate autonomously based on the assigned first frequency threshold and a frequency of the power grid;

assigning a second fitness metric to a second electrical device coupled to the power grid, the second fitness metric being based at least in part on a second availability component and a second quality component associated with the second electrical device, the first fitness metric having a higher value than the second fitness metric;

assigning a priority to the first and second electrical devices based on the first and second fitness metrics;

assigning the first frequency threshold to the first electrical device and a second frequency threshold to the second electrical device based on the assigned priority of the devices, the first frequency threshold being closer to a target grid frequency than the second frequency threshold; and

transmitting the assigned second frequency threshold to the second electrical device.

26. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 25 , wherein the availability component is based on a probability that the first electrical device will be available to perform a requested service.

27. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 26 , wherein the requested service is a request for the first electrical device to deactivate, and wherein the availability component is based on a probability that the first electrical device will be active when the service is requested.

28. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 26 , wherein the requested service is a request for the first electrical device to activate, and wherein the availability component is based on a probability that the first electrical device will not be active when the service is requested.

29. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 25 , wherein the quality component is based on the quality of performance of the first electrical device when it performs a requested service.

30. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 25 , wherein the quality component is based on a probability that the first electrical device will be able to successfully perform a requested service when requested.

31. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 25 , wherein the quality metric depends at least in part on performance degradation of the first electrical device.

32. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 25 , wherein the method further comprises receiving a use profile associated with the first electrical device, and calculating the first fitness metric based on the received use profile, and wherein the use profile includes an operational state of the first electrical device at a particular time.

33. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 25 , wherein the first fitness metric depends at least in part on rate of failure of the first electrical device to respond to a requested service and/or a type of the requested service.

34. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 25 , wherein the method further comprises:

determining a first amount of power required to operate the first electrical device during a certain time period;

transmitting the first amount of power to a grid operator; and

receiving from the grid operator a second amount of power that can be allocated to the first electrical device during the time period.