System, method and computer program product for enhancing commercial value of electrical power produced from a renewable energy power production facility

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product enhance the commercial value of electrical power produced from a wind turbine production facility. Features include the use of a premier power conversion device that provides an alternative source of power for supplementing an output power of the wind turbine generation facility when lull periods for wind speed appear. The invention includes a communications infrastructure and coordination mechanism for establishing a relationship with another power production facility such that when excess electrical power is produced by the wind turbine facility, the excess may be provided to the power grid while the other energy production facility cuts back on its output production by a corresponding amount. A tracking mechanism keeps track of the amount of potential energy that was not expended at the other facility and places this amount in a virtual energy storage account, for the benefit of the wind turbine facility. When, the wind turbine power production facility experiences a shortfall in its power production output it may make a request to the other source of electric power, and request that an increase its power output on behalf of the wind turbine facility. This substitution of one power production facility for another is referred to herein as a virtual energy storage mechanism. Furthermore, another feature of the present invention is the use of a renewal power exchange mechanism that creates a market for trading renewable units of power, which have been converted into “premier power” and/or “guaranteed” by secondary sources of power source to provide a reliable source of power to the power grid as required by contract.

1 . A control processor for facilitating application of AC power from a renewable energy power production facility to a power grid, comprising: 
 an I/O device configured to receive data from the renewable energy power production facility regarding an amount of power to be delivered by said renewable energy power production facility to said power grid, said I/O device including 
 a communication port configured to transfer to a remote facility an indication regarding said amount of power;  
   a memory configured to hold computer readable instructions therein;    a processor configured to execute said computer readable instructions so as to implement, 
 a power monitoring mechanism configured to monitor said amount of power,  
 a message forming mechanism configured to include said indication in a coordination message that is sent through said I/O device to said remote facility regarding the amount of AC power applied by said renewable energy power production facility to said power grid.  
   
     
     
         2 . The control processor of  claim 1 , wherein the renewable energy power production facility is a wind turbine power generation facility and said I/O device is configured to receive said data from the wind turbine power generation facility.  
     
     
         3 . The control processor of  claim 2 , wherein said remote facility is another AC power generation facility and said another AC power generation facility is configured to adjust a power output thereof at a time that coincides with when said amount of power is delivered by said wind turbine power generation facility.  
     
     
         4 . The control processor of  claim 3 , wherein said indication in said coordination message corresponds with AC power that is delivered contemporaneously to said power grid.  
     
     
         5 . The control processor of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 said indication in said coordination message corresponds with AC power that is to be delivered at a predetermined future time; and    said message forming mechanism is configured to include in said coordination message said predetermined future time so that said another AC power generation facility is informed as to when to adjust the power output thereof so as to offset at least one of a surplus and a shortfall from said renewable energy power production facility relative to a predetermined amount.    
     
     
         6 . The control processor of  claim 3 , wherein said I/O device is configured to receive a reply message from said another AC power generation facility confirming that the another AC power generation facility will adjust a power output thereof so as to offset at least one of a surplus and a shortfall of power applied to said power grid by said wind turbine power generation facility relative to a predetermined amount.  
     
     
         7 . The control processor of  claim 3 , wherein said another AC power generation facility is a hydroelectric AC power generation facility.  
     
     
         8 . The control processor of  claim 2 , wherein said remote facility is a renewable exchange, in which units of power from renewable power generation facilities are exchanged as fungible power units.  
     
     
         9 . The control processor of  claim 1 , wherein said renewable exchange is a computer-based facility that is configured to receive said coordination message as a digital message.  
     
     
         10 . The control processor of  claim 9 , wherein said message forming mechanism is configured to prepare said digital message as at least one of an e-mail message, a dedicated control signal, a TCP/IP formatted message, an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) message, and a simple network management protocol (SNMP) message.  
     
     
         11 . The control processor of  claim 9 , wherein said message forming mechanism is configured to prepare said digital message as a portion of an Internet web page.  
     
     
         12 . The control processor of  claim 11 , wherein said message is downloaded in response to at least one of a Java and an ActiveX program-initiated process implemented on at least one of said processor and another processor at said remote facility.  
     
     
         13 . The control processor of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said I/O device is configured to receive meteorological data from a remote source;    said computer readable instructions when executed by the processor implement a wind forecasting mechanism, said wind forecasting mechanism configured to provide a statistical indication of an amount of wind expected at a predetermined future time when said power is to be delivered from the wind turbine facility to the power grid; and    said processor is configured to determine an expected amount of power from said wind turbine power generation facility at said predetermined future time.    
     
     
         14 . The control processor of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said predetermined future time is less than  2  minutes, and said message formatting message is configured to include at least one of said statistical indication and said expected amount of power in said coordination message.    
     
     
         15 . The processor of  claim 14 , wherein said remote facility is a power exchange and said amount of power is made available for sale on a Spot market.  
     
     
         16 . The processor of  claim 14 , wherein: 
 said remote facility is at least one of a compressed gas-based storage facility, a fossil fuel plant and a hydroelectric power generation facility; and    said coordination message is sent to said remote facility in preparation for adjusting an output therefrom.    
     
     
         17 . The control processor of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said predetermined future time is less than  5  days and greater than  2  minutes, and said message formatting mechanism is configured to include at least one of said statistical indication and said expected amount of power in said coordination message; and    said remote facility is a power exchange and said amount of power is made available for sale on a competitively bid market.    
     
     
         18 . The control processor of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said predetermined future time is greater than  5  days, and said message formatting mechanism is configured to include at least one of said statistical indication and said expected amount of power in said coordination message; and    said remote facility is a power exchange and said amount of power is made available for sale on a competitively bid market.    
     
     
         19 . The control processor of  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said predetermined future time is greater than  5  days, and said message formatting mechanism is configured to include at least one of said statistical indication and said expected amount of power in said coordination message; and    said processor being configured to coordinate with a virtual energy storage facility to place the amount of power on an account of the wind turbine wind production facility and prevent a sale of said amount of power in said competitively bid market if a price for said amount of power is below a predetermined threshold.    
     
     
         20 . The control processor of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said I/O device is configured to receive meteorological data from a remote source;    said computer readable instructions when executed by the processor implement a wind forecasting mechanism, said wind forecasting mechanism being configured to provide a statistical indication of an amount of wind expected at a predetermined future time when said power is to be delivered from the wind turbine facility to the power grid; and    said remote facility includes a processor configured to determine an expected amount of power from said wind turbine power generation facility at said predetermined future time.    
     
     
         21 . The control processor of  claim 20 , wherein: 
 said predetermined future time is less than 2 minutes, and said message formatting message is configured to include said statistical indication in said coordination message.    
     
     
         22 . The processor of  claim 21 , wherein said remote facility is a power exchange and said amount of power is made available for sale on a Spot market.  
     
     
         23 . The processor of  claim 21 , wherein said remote facility is a hydroelectric power generation facility and said coordination message is sent to said hydroelectric power generation facility in preparation for adjusting an output therefrom.  
     
     
         24 . The control processor of  claim 20 , wherein: 
 said predetermined future time is less than 5 days and greater than 2 minutes, and said message formatting mechanism is configured to include said statistical indication in said coordination message; and    said remote facility is a power exchange and said amount of power is made available for sale on a competitively bid market.    
     
     
         25 . The control processor of  claim 20 , wherein: 
 said predetermined future time is greater than 5 days, and said message formatting mechanism is configured to include said statistical indication in said coordination message; and    said remote facility is a power exchange and said amount of power is made available for sale on a competitively bid market.    
     
     
         26 . The control processor of  claim 25 , wherein: 
 said predetermined future time is greater than 5 days, and said message formatting mechanism is configured to include said statistical indication in said coordination message; and    said processor being configured to coordinate with a virtual energy storage facility to place the amount of power on an account of the wind turbine power production facility and prevent a sale of said amount of power in said competitively bid market if a price for said amount of power is below a predetermined threshold.    
     
     
         27 . The control processor of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the remote facility has an agreement with the renewable energy power production facility to adjust a power output from the remote facility by a predetermined amount in response to the coordination message indicating that the power amount from the renewable energy power production facility is above or below a predetermined threshold by the predetermined amount; and    at least one of the processor and the remote facility being configured to keep a virtual energy storage account of energy held on account of the renewable energy power production facility, and credit or debit the account by the predetermined amount.    
     
     
         28 . The control processor of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the renewable energy power production facility is a wind turbine power generation facility; and    the another AC power generation facility includes at least one of a hydroelectric power plant and a fossil fuel plant.    
     
     
         29 . The control processor of  claim 28 , wherein: 
 the another AC power generation plant is one of a predetermined group of power production facilities that includes an energy-limited power production facility and a power-limited power production facility.    
     
     
         30 . The control processor of  claim 28 , wherein after the another AC power production facility is determined, said processor is configured to determine whether transmission rights exist for delivering power over a transmission grid that interconnects said renewable energy power production facility and said another AC power generation facility when providing the amount of power to the power grid on behalf of the another AC power production facility.  
     
     
         31 . The control processor of  claim 28 , wherein the processor is configured to prepare a reporting message to a system operator, informing the system operator of the wind turbine power generation facility having either produced another amount of power on behalf of the another AC power production facility or had the another AC power production facility provide the another amount of power to the power grid on behalf of an obligation of the wind turbine power generation facility.  
     
     
         32 . The control proocessor of  claim 31 , wherein said processor is configured to report to said system operator that the another AC power production facility is entitled to a predetermined amount of credit for having produced green power, when the wind turbine power generation facility produces power in excess of the obligation and the another AC power production facility thus limits a power output therefrom by a corresponding amount.  
     
     
         33 . The processor of  claim 28 , wherein said processor is configured to implement an accounting mechanism that is configured to keep track of deposits and withdrawals from the virtual energy storage account.  
     
     
         34 . The processor of  claim 33 , wherein said accounting mechanism is configured to reflect a credit assigned to said wind turbine power production facility for making a monetary purchase of energy stored by the another AC power production facility.  
     
     
         35 . The processor of  claim 33 , wherein said accounting mechanism is configured to reflect a debit to said wind turbine power production facility for accepting a monetary payment for an amount of energy held by the another AC power production facility on behalf of the wind turbine power production facility.  
     
     
         36 . The processor of  claim 33 , wherein said accounting mechanism is configured to keep track of virtual energy storage accounts for a plurality of renewable energy power providers.  
     
     
         37 . A computer program product containing computer readable instructions that when executed on a processor facilitate application of AC power from a renewable energy power production facility to a power grid, comprising: 
 a power monitoring mechanism configured to monitor an amount of premier power produced by the renewable power production facility,    a message forming mechanism configured to include an indication in a coordination message sent to a remote facility regarding an amount of AC power applied by said renewable energy power production facility to said power grid; and    a message communications mechanism configured to send said coordination mechanism to said remote facility.    
     
     
         38 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein the renewable energy power production facility is a wind turbine power generation facility  
     
     
         39 . The computer program product of  claim 38 , wherein said remote facility is another AC power generation facility and said another AC power generation facility is configured to adjust a power output thereof at a time that coincides with when said amount of power is delivered by said wind turbine power generation facility.  
     
     
         40 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein said indication in said coordination message corresponds with AC power that is delivered contemporaneously to said power grid.  
     
     
         41 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein: 
 said indication in said coordination message corresponds with AC power that is to be delivered at a predetermined future time; and    said message forming mechanism is configured to include in said coordination message said predetermined future time so said another AC power generation facility is informed as to when to adjust the power output thereof so as to compensate for either a surplus or shortfall from said renewable energy power production facility relative to a predetermined amount.    
     
     
         42 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein said message communications mechanism is configured to receive a reply message from said another AC power generation facility confirming that the another AC power generation facility will adjust a power output therefrom so as to offset at least one of a surplus and shortfall of power applied to said power grid by said wind turbine power generation facility relative to a predetermined amount.  
     
     
         43 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein said remote facility includes a computer that is configured to receive said coordination message as a digital message.  
     
     
         44 . The computer program product of  claim 43 , wherein said message forming mechanism is configured to prepare said digital message as at least one of an e-mail message, a dedicated control signal, a TCP/IP formatted message, an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) message, and a simple network management protocol (SNMP) message.  
     
     
         45 . The computer program product of  claim 43 , wherein said message forming mechanism is configured to prepare said digital message as a portion of an Internet web page.  
     
     
         46 . The computer program product of  claim 45 , wherein said message is downloaded in response to at least one of a Java and ActiveX program initiated process implemented on at least one of said processor and a processor at said remote facility.  
     
     
         47 . The computer program product of  claim 38 , further comprising: 
 a wind forecasting mechanism configured to provide a statistical indication of an amount of wind expected at a predetermined future time when said power is to be delivered from the wind turbine facility to the power grid; and    a mechanism for determining an expected amount of power from said wind turbine power generation facility at said predetermined future time.    
     
     
         48 . The computer program product of  claim 38 , wherein said wind forecasting mechanism receives meteorological forecast data from a remote source.  
     
     
         49 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 a mechanism for keeping a virtual energy storage account of energy held on account of the renewable energy power production facility, and credit or debit the account by a predetermined amount, wherein    the remote facility has an agreement with the renewable energy power production facility to adjust a power output from the remote facility by the predetermined amount in response to the coordination message indicating that the power amount from the renewable energy power production facility is above or below a predetermined threshold by the predetermined amount.    
     
     
         50 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein: 
 the renewable energy power production facility is a wind turbine power generation facility; and    the another AC power generation facility includes at least one of a hydroelectric power plant and a fossil fuel plant.    
     
     
         51 . The computer program product of  claim 50 , wherein: 
 the another AC power generation plant is one of a predetermined group of power production facilities that includes an energy-limited power production facility and a power-limited power production facility.    
     
     
         52 . The computer program product of  claim 50 , wherein after the another AC power production facility is determined, said computer program product is configured to determine whether transmission rights exist between said renewable power production facility and said another AC power generation facility over a transmission grid when providing the amount of power to the power grid on behalf of the another AC power production facility.  
     
     
         53 . The computer program product of  claim 50 , further comprising a mechanism for sending a reporting message to a system operator, informing the system operator of the wind turbine power generation facility having either produced another amount of power on behalf of the another AC power production facility or having the another AC power production facility provide the another amount of power to the power grid on behalf of an obligation made by the wind turbine power generation facility.  
     
     
         54 . The computer program product of  claim 53 , wherein said processor is configured to report to said system operator that the another AC power production facility is entitled to a predetermined amount of credit for having produced green power, when the wind turbine power generation facility produces power in excess of the obligation made and the another AC power production facility thus limits a power output therefrom by a corresponding amount.  
     
     
         55 . The computer program product of  claim 50 , further comprising an accounting mechanism that is configured to keep track of deposits and withdrawals from the virtual energy storage account.  
     
     
         56 . The computer program product of  claim 55 , wherein said accounting mechanism is configured to reflect a credit assigned to said wind turbine power generation facility for making a monetary purchase of energy stored by the another AC power production facility.  
     
     
         57 . The computer program product of  claim 55 , wherein said accounting mechanism is configured to reflect a debit to said wind turbine power generation facility for accepting a monetary payment for an amount of energy held by the another AC power production facility on behalf of the wind turbine power production facility.  
     
     
         58 . The computer program product of  claim 55 , wherein said accounting mechanism is configured to keep track of virtual energy storage accounts for a plurality of renewable energy power providers.  
     
     
         59 . A system for facilitating application of AC power from a renewable energy power production facility to a power grid, comprising: 
 the renewable energy power production facility configured to produce an amount of electrical power at a time variable frequency that is not compatible with a power grid;    a converter connected between said renewable energy power production facility and the power grid and configured to convert said amount of electrical power from the renewable energy power production facility to premier power that is compatible with a frequency and operational requirement of the power grid such that an output from said converter may be applied directly to the power grid;    a control processor including, 
 a communication port configured to transfer to a remote facility an indication regarding an amount of premier power produced by said converter,  
 a memory configured to hold computer readable instructions,  
 a processor configured to execute said computer readable instructions so as to implement, 
 a power monitoring mechanism configured to monitor said amount of premier power,  
 
 a message forming mechanism configured to include said indication in a coordination message that is sent through a communication link to said remote facility regarding the amount of premier power available to apply to said power grid.  
   
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein said converter being a co-active converter that includes a DC-to-AC converter configured to receive the amount of electrical power from the renewable energy power production facility, where said amount of electrical power is at a direct current, and convert the amount of electrical power to AC; 
 a rotating converter; and    a power transformer connected between the rotating converter and the power grid.    
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein said rotating converter includes at least one of 
 a static converter and a rotating converter configured to convert from DC to a frequency standard,    a frequency converter configured to convert from a variable low-frequency AC to a frequency standard,    a frequency converter configured to convert from a constant low-frequency AC to a frequency standard,    a rotating converter configured to supply at least one of reactive power and active power to a frequency standard, and    a power transformer configured to provide a voltage adaptation for adjusting a short circuit output capacity of the renewable energy power production facility.    
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 61 , wherein said rotating converter is configured to provide at least one of 
 a start-up operation of the power grid after a major fault,    a source of active power so as to provide a priming operation for the amount of electrical power from the renewable energy power production facility,    a source of reactive power to the power grid at a predetermined quantity,    a suppressor of low order harmonics from the DC-to-AC converter,    a source of active AC voltage support for the DC-to-AC converter,    a separation of active power control and reactive power control, and    a supply of short-circuit power during faults operations of the power grid.    
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein said rotating converter is a two-winding machine having two sets of AC three-phase windings arranged in a stator of the rotating converter and being exposed to AC and DC fields when in operation.  
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein said rotating converter is a constant speed synchronous machine with a winding arranged in a rotor.  
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein said winding of said rotating converter is a DC winding.  
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein said rotating converter being an adjustable speed asynchronous machine having at least one of brush-less drives and brush-based drives.  
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 66 , wherein said brush-based drives being a Static Scherbius drive.  
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein said rotating converter is configured to withstand a large voltage sag in voltage provided by said renewable energy power production facility without tripping a breaker connected to the power grid.  
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein said rotating converter being configured to provide a moment of inertia that is available as a short term storage facility for wind energy used to produce said renewable energy power production facility during a period of wind lull.  
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein said co-active converter further comprises a prime mover configured to provide an alternative power source to said rotating converter.  
     
     
         71 . The system of  claim 70 , wherein said prime mover being fed from fossil fuel.  
     
     
         72 . The system of  claim 70 , wherein said prime mover being fed by at least one of vegetable oil and a compressed gas-based storage facility.  
     
     
         73 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein said power transformer being a three-winding, three-phase transformer.  
     
     
         74 . The system of  claim 59 , further comprising said communication link configured to convey said coordination message to said remote facility, wherein 
 said remote facility being another AC power generation facility configured to adjust a power output thereof at a time that coincides with when said premier power is delivered to said power grid by said converter.    
     
     
         75 . The system of  claim 74 , wherein: 
 said remote facility has an agreement with the renewable energy power production facility to adjust a power output from the remote facility by a predetermined amount in response to the coordination message indicating that the premier power from the converter has an energy measured over an effective time period being above or below a predetermined threshold by the predetermined amount; and    at least one of the processor and the remote facility being configured to keep a virtual energy storage account of energy held on account of the renewable energy power production facility and credit or debit the account by the predetermined amount, said converter being a co-active converter.    
     
     
         76 . The system of  claim 75 , wherein said processor is configured to implement an accounting mechanism that is configured to keep track of deposits and withdrawals from said virtual energy storage account made by said renewable energy power production facility.  
     
     
         77 . The system of  claim 76 , wherein said accounting mechanism is configured to reflect a credit assigned to said renewable energy power production facility for making a monetary purchase of energy stored by the remote facility.  
     
     
         78 . The system of  claim 76 , wherein said accounting mechanism is configured to reflect a debit to said renewable energy power production facility for accepting a monetary payment for an amount of energy held by the remote facility on behalf of the renewable energy power production facility.  
     
     
         79 . The system of  claim 76 , wherein: 
 said accounting mechanism is configured to keep track of virtual energy storage accounts for a plurality of renewable energy power production facilities; and    said system further comprising a collection and transmission grid interconnecting the renewable energy power production facility, and a plurality of other renewable energy power production facilities to the co-active converter such that energy provided by the renewable energy power production facility in the plurality of renewable energy power production facilities provides a cumulative power to said co-active converter.    
     
     
         80 . The system of  claim 79 , wherein an output of said collection and transmission grid being provided to a high voltage DC link.