Systems and methods for power cogeneration

Abstract

The invention includes systems and methods for power cogeneration. In certain embodiments the cogeneration systems include one or more units that are modularized; in some of these embodiments, the modules contain components that are integrated and ready for use with a control system that optimizes a result for the cogeneration plant. In some cases, the cogeneration system is part of a network of cogeneration systems.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for meeting a spike in energy demand from at least one facility comprising:
 (i) a control system configured to predict the spike in energy demand, or to rapidly sense the spike in energy demand, of the at least one facility, and to send one or more signals to an energy storage system to match an initial power demand of the spike in energy demand by releasing stored energy during the initial power demand; and   (ii) the energy storage system that is configured to match the initial power demand of the spike by releasing the stored energy during the initial power demand.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 (iii) a power generation system that is configured to match a power demand of a later part of the spike in energy demand, including a peak of the spike, wherein the control system is operably connected to the power generation system and sends one or more signals to the power generation system to match the later part of the spike in energy demand. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the power generation system is sized to match predicted peak power demands for the at least one facility, rather than being sized to match average power demands for the at least one facility. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the system is configured so that no power input from an external power source is necessary to match the predicted or actual energy spike. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the power generation system comprises an internal combustion engine or a gas turbine. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the power generation system comprises a solar power generation system, a wind power generation system, or a combination of both. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the energy storage system comprises one or more batteries. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to predict an energy spike for the at least one facility. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the control system is configured to send a signal to the energy storage system to release energy in anticipation of the predicted spike. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to learn from the past energy demands of the one or more facilities and to predict a spike in energy demand for the one or more facilities based at least in part on said learning. 
     
     
         11 . A method for meeting a spike in energy demand from at least one facility comprising:
 providing a system comprising:
 (a) a control system configured to predict the spike in energy demand, or to rapidly sense the spike in energy demand, of the at least one facility, and to send one or more signals to an energy storage system to match an initial power demand of the spike in energy demand by releasing stored energy during the initial power demand; and 
 (b) the energy storage system that is configured to match the initial power demand of the spike by releasing the stored energy during the initial power demand; 
   predicting or rapidly sensing the spike in energy demand of the at least one facility using the control system; and   sending a signal to the energy storage system to match the initial power demand of the spike.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the energy storage system comprises one or more batteries and the method further comprises:
 releasing energy from the one or more batteries of the energy storage system in response to the signal from the control system.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:
 providing in the system:
 (c) a power generation system that is configured to match a power demand of a later part of the spike in energy demand, including a peak of the spike, wherein the control system is operably connected to the power generation system and sends one or more signals to the power generation system to match the later part of the spike in energy demand; and 
   sending a signal from the control system to the power generation system to match the later of the spike in energy demand.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 matching, using the system, the spike in energy demand of the at least one facility without having to pull power from an external energy utility.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the power generation system comprises an internal combustion engine or a gas turbine. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the power generation system comprises a solar power generation system, a wind power generation system, or a combination of both. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the energy storage system is recharged, without having to pull energy from an external energy utility, by energy supplied by the power generation system during one or more troughs in energy demand from the at least one facility. 
     
     
         18 . A system for meeting a spike in energy demand from at least one facility comprising:
 (i) a control system configured to predict the spike in energy demand, or to rapidly sense the spike in energy demand, of the at least one facility, and to send one or more signals to power generation system to match a peak power demand of the spike in energy demand; and   (ii) the power generation system, wherein the power generation system is sized to match predicted peak power demands for the at least one facility, rather than being sized to match average power demands for the at least one facility.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the power system comprises an internal combustion engine or a turbine. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the power generation system comprises a solar power generation system, a wind power generation system, or a combination of both.