HIERARCHICAL DISTRIBUTED CONTROL OF DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES (DERS)
Techniques for allocating a load capacity to on-site smart sensors coupled to distributed energy resources (DERs) are described herein. For example, a primary smart sensor may receive, from a utility supplier (e.g., which may include a substation), a maximum load constraint associated with a network of smart utility sensors in an autonomous routing area. The maximum load constraint may be a maximum load and/or maximum capacity that the network of smart utility sensors may collectively operate with by a transformer carrying the load. In some examples, the primary smart sensor may receive utility data from the smart sensors and may determine a total transformer load associated with the transformer that is providing power to the network of smart utility sensors based at least in part on the utility data.
1 . A method comprising:
receiving, from a substation, a maximum load constraint associated with a network of smart utility meters;
receiving utility data from a plurality of smart utility meters within the network of smart utility meters;
determining a total transformer load associated with a transformer based at least in part on the utility data;
determining a remaining transformer capacity associated with the transformer based at least in part on the maximum load constraint and the total transformer load;
determining an allocated capacity for individual ones of the plurality of smart utility meters based at least in part on the remaining transformer capacity; and
sending the allocated capacity to the individual ones of the plurality of smart utility meters.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the allocated capacity causes the individual ones of the plurality of smart utility meters to:
reduce a charging load of an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE); or
increase the charging load of the EVSE.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the utility data includes receiving data associated with at least one of:
electricity metering devices associated with the network of smart utility meters,
a distributed generation system,
electric vehicle (EV) telematics of an EV connected to an electrical grid, or
an EV supply equipment (EVSE) associated with the electrical grid.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving utility data that includes at least one of:
present electricity consumption data associated with the network of smart utility meters,
historical electricity consumption data associated with the network of smart utility meters,
present electricity generation data associated with a distributed generation system, or
historical electricity generation data associated with the network of smart utility meters.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the maximum load constraint is based at least in part on at least one of a temperature associated with the transformer, cooling methods associated with the transformer, voltage regulation associated with the transformer, core saturation associated with the transformer, a load type, a short-circuit current associated with the transformer, or safety standards.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the remaining transformer capacity associated with the transformer includes determining a delta value between the total transformer load and the maximum load constraint and determining if the delta value is above or below a threshold value.
7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
in response to the transformer capacity being above the threshold value, increasing a charging load of an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE); or
in response to the transformer capacity being below the threshold value, reducing a charging load of the EVSE.
8 . A smart utility meter comprising:
at least one processor; and
memory storing instructions that cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from a substation, a maximum load constraint associated with a network of smart utility meters;
receiving utility data from a plurality of additional smart utility meters within the network of smart utility meters;
determining a total transformer load associated with a transformer based at least in part on the utility data;
determining a remaining transformer capacity associated with the transformer based at least in part on the maximum load constraint and the total transformer load;
determining an allocated capacity for individual ones of the plurality of smart utility meters based at least in part on the remaining transformer capacity; and
sending the allocated capacity to the individual ones of the plurality of additional smart utility meters.
9 . The smart utility meter of claim 8 , wherein the allocated capacity causes the individual ones of the plurality of smart utility meters to:
reduce a charging load of an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE); or
increase the charging load of the EVSE.
10 . The smart utility meter of claim 8 , wherein receiving the utility data includes receiving data associated with at least one of:
electricity metering devices associated with the network of smart utility meters,
a distributed generation system,
electric vehicle (EV) telematics of an EV connected to an electrical grid, or
an EV supply equipment (EVSE) associated with the electrical grid.
11 . The smart utility meter of claim 8 , the operations further comprising receiving utility data that includes at least one of:
present electricity consumption data associated with the network of smart utility meters,
historical electricity consumption data associated with the network of smart utility meters,
present electricity generation data associated with a distributed generation system, or
historical electricity generation data associated with the network of smart utility meters.
12 . The smart utility meter of claim 8 , wherein the maximum load constraint is based at least in part on at least one of: a temperature associated with the transformer, cooling methods associated with the transformer, voltage regulation associated with the transformer, core saturation associated with the transformer, a load type, a short-circuit current associated with the transformer, or safety standards.
13 . The smart utility meter of claim 8 , wherein determining the remaining transformer capacity associated with the transformer includes determining a delta value between the total transformer load and the maximum load constraint and determining if the delta value is above or below a threshold value.
14 . The smart utility meter of claim 13 , the operations further comprising:
in response to the transformer capacity being above the threshold value, increasing a charging load of an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE); or
in response to the transformer capacity being below the threshold value, reducing a charging load of the EVSE.
15 . A utility network system comprising:
a substation configured to determine a maximum load constraint associated with a network of smart utility meters;
a primary smart utility meter configured to:
receive, from the substation, the maximum load constraint;
receive utility data from a plurality of smart utility meters within the network of smart utility meters;
determine a total transformer load associated with a transformer based at least in part on the utility data;
determine a remaining transformer capacity associated with the transformer based at least in part on the maximum load constraint and the total transformer load;
determine an allocated capacity for individual ones of the plurality of smart utility meters based at least in part on the remaining transformer capacity; and
send the allocated capacity to the individual ones of the plurality of smart utility meters; and
at least one smart utility meter of the plurality of smart utility meters configured to:
receive the allocated capacity; and
perform an action based on the allocated capacity.
16 . The utility network system of claim 15 , wherein the action comprises adjusting a load capacity of a distributed energy resource (DER).
17 . The utility network system of claim 15 , wherein the action comprises:
reducing a charging load of an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE); or
increasing the charging load of the EVSE.
18 . The utility network system of claim 15 , wherein receiving the utility data includes receiving data associated with at least one of:
electricity metering devices associated with the network of smart utility meters,
a distributed generation system,
electric vehicle (EV) telematics of an EV connected to an electrical grid, or
an EV supply equipment (EVSE) associated with the electrical grid.
19 . The utility network system of claim 15 , further comprising receiving utility data that includes at least one of:
present electricity consumption data associated with the network of smart utility meters,
historical electricity consumption data associated with the network of smart utility meters,
present electricity generation data associated with a distributed generation system, or
historical electricity generation data associated with the network of smart utility meters.
20 . The utility network system of claim 15 , wherein the maximum load constraint is based at least in part on at least one of a temperature associated with the transformer, cooling methods associated with the transformer, voltage regulation associated with the transformer, core saturation associated with the transformer, a load type, a short-circuit current associated with the transformer, or safety standards.
21 . The utility network system of claim 15 , wherein determining the remaining transformer capacity associated with the transformer includes determining a delta value between the total transformer load and the maximum load constraint and determining if the delta value is above or below a threshold value.
22 . The utility network system of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
in response to the transformer capacity being above the threshold value, increasing a charging load of an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE); or
in response to the transformer capacity being below the threshold value, reducing a charging load of the EVSE.