Energy conservation using active demand stabilization

Abstract

Some embodiments include electric power demand stabilization methods and systems that may include measuring the power draw of a plurality of controllable devices; determining a rolling average power draw for the plurality of controllable devices over a period of time; measuring an instantaneous power draw of the plurality of controllable devices; and calculating a power budget comprising the difference between the instantaneous power draw and the rolling average power draw. In the event the power budget is positive, increasing power to at least a first subset of the plurality of controllable devices. In the event the power budget is negative, decreasing power to at least a second subset of the plurality of controllable devices.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system with electric power demand stabilization comprising:
 a plurality of controllable devices disposed within a facility;   a plurality of sensors configured to measure aspects of the facility; and   a facility coordinator in communication with the plurality of controllable devices and the plurality of environmental sensors, the facility coordinator:
 receives an instruction to turn on a first controllable device of the plurality of controllable devices within the facility; 
 determines that a second controllable device of the plurality of controllable devices is currently turned on; 
 pauses for a first period of time; 
 turns off the second controllable device; and 
 turns on the first controllable device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first controllable device is a first compressor in a cold storage facility and the second controllable device is a second compressor in a cold storage facility. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first controllable device is a first compressor in a cold storage facility and the second controllable device is third second compressor. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of the first period of time is determined based on the plurality of states of the other controllable devices. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of the first period of time is determined based on a reading from one or more environmental sensors. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the instruction to turn on a first controllable device is received from a cloud-based scheduler. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors comprises a current sensor; and   wherein the determining that a second controllable device of the plurality of controllable devices is currently turned on is based on a current measurement from the current sensor.   
     
     
         8 . An electric power demand stabilization method comprising:
 receiving an instruction to turn on a first controllable device within a facility having a plurality of controllable devices;   determining that a second controllable device of the plurality of controllable devices is currently turned on;   pausing for a first period of time;   turning off the second controllable device; and   turning on the first controllable device.   
     
     
         9 . The electric power demand stabilization method according to  claim 8 , wherein the first controllable device is a first compressor in a cold storage facility and the second controllable device is a second compressor in the cold storage facility. 
     
     
         10 . The electric power demand stabilization method according to  claim 8 , wherein the first controllable device is a first compressor in a cold storage facility and the second controllable device is a second compressor. 
     
     
         11 . The electric power demand stabilization method according to  claim 8 , wherein the length of the first period of time is determined based on the plurality of states of the other controllable devices. 
     
     
         12 . The electric power demand stabilization method according to  claim 8 , wherein the length of the first period of time is determined based on a reading from one or more environmental sensors. 
     
     
         13 . The electric power demand stabilization method according to  claim 8 , wherein the instruction to turn on a first controllable device is received from a cloud-based scheduler. 
     
     
         14 . The electric power demand stabilization method according to  claim 8 , wherein the determining that a second controllable device of the plurality of controllable devices is currently turned on is based on the instantaneous power draw of the second controllable device. 
     
     
         15 . A system with electric power demand stabilization comprising:
 a first controllable device disposed within a facility;   a second controllable device disposed within the facility;   a third controllable device disposed within the facility;   a plurality of sensors configured to measure aspects of the facility; and   a facility coordinator in communication with the plurality of controllable devices and the plurality of environmental sensors, the facility coordinator:
 receives an instruction to turn on the first controllable device; 
 determines that the first controllable device does not have priority over the second controllable device; 
 determines that the second controllable device is turned on; 
 pauses for a first period of time; 
 turns off the second controllable device; and 
 turns on the first controllable device. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system with electric power demand stabilization according to  claim 15 , wherein the facility coordinator:
 determines that the first controllable device has priority over the third controllable device;   determines that the third controllable device is turned on;   turns off the second controllable device without pausing for a period of time substantially equal to the first period of time; and   turns on the first controllable device.   
     
     
         17 . The electric power demand stabilization method according to  claim 15 , wherein the first controllable device is a first compressor in a cold storage facility, the second controllable device is a second compressor in the cold storage facility; and the third controllable device is a third compressor in the cold storage facility. 
     
     
         18 . The electric power demand stabilization method according to  claim 15 , wherein the length of the first period of time is determined based on the plurality of states of the second controllable device and the third controllable device. 
     
     
         19 . The electric power demand stabilization method according to  claim 15 , wherein the length of the first period of time is determined based on a reading from one or more environmental sensors. 
     
     
         20 . The electric power demand stabilization method according to  claim 15 , wherein the instruction to turn on a first controllable device is received from a cloud-based scheduler.