HK1242849A1

HK1242849A1 - Variable feed-out energy management

Info

Publication number: HK1242849A1
Application number: HK18101764.2A
Authority: HK
Inventors: P．丁娜功西素帕普; R．A．A．阿塔尔; S.陈
Original assignee: 高通股份有限公司
Priority date: 2015-02-24
Filing date: 2016-01-25
Publication date: 2018-06-29

Description

Variable feed-out energy management

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application No.62/120,239, filed on day 24, month 2, 2015, and U.S. application No.14/925,592, filed on day 28, month 10, 2015.

Technical Field

Embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter relate generally to the field of distributed energy source management, and more particularly, to systems and methods for managing energy transfer between variable output distribution and local energy loads.

Background

The power grid forms an interconnected network that delivers electrical power from suppliers to consumers. Traditionally, grid power supplies transfer energy from a centralized, large-scale generator to a large number of final electrical loads at a user site. Grid power management is designed to support and conform to this large unidirectional flow of electrical energy.

The continued development of energy sources has led to changes in the way electrical grids and energy entities distribute electrical energy. That is, technological advances have facilitated the creation of on-site consumer energy control systems. These consumer energy control systems enable local energy generation systems (such as domestic photovoltaic power generation systems) to provide electrical energy to an external, centralized grid network. The local energy generation system may include an energy generator that generates electrical energy from a relatively inexhaustible source. These energy generators may include photovoltaic power generation systems and wind turbine systems.

The increasing popularity of decentralized electrical energy generators poses challenges with respect to grid supply stability. To maintain power, energy suppliers have employed user incentives to reduce the energy drawn from distributed sources and increase the energy drawn from local sources. These user incentives are commonly referred to as an internet power price subsidy policy.

Disclosure of Invention

Various embodiments for managing energy consumption in an energy management system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the energy management system includes a management controller configured to control activation of a plurality of load devices. The management controller processes the feed-out limit message. The feed-out limit message indicates a power limit associated with a feed-out limit period. In one embodiment, the management controller determines a predicted average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period and modifies an activation schedule of at least one of the plurality of load devices based at least in part on the predicted average surplus power level.

In some embodiments, a method for managing loads in an energy management system comprising a management controller configured to control activation of a plurality of load devices, the method comprising: the management controller determining a power limit associated with a feed-out limit period based at least in part on a feed-out limit message; determining an average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period; and modifying an activation schedule for at least one of the plurality of load devices based at least in part on the average surplus power level and the feed-out limit message.

In some embodiments, determining the average surplus power level includes estimating a first energy to be produced by a generator during the feed-out limit period; and estimating a second energy to be consumed by the plurality of load devices over the feed-out limit period.

In some embodiments, determining the average surplus power level includes comparing the first energy to be generated with the second energy to be consumed; and determining the average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period based at least in part on the comparison.

In some embodiments, estimating the second energy to be consumed includes identifying one or more of the plurality of load devices scheduled to be activated during the feed-out limit period.

In some embodiments, estimating the second energy to be consumed comprises determining a power consumption parameter associated with the one or more load devices of the plurality of load devices; and estimating an unscheduled energy consumption value over the feed-out limit period.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: the management controller determining a feed-out power level based at least in part on real-time power production by the generator and real-time power consumption by the plurality of load devices; determining whether the feed-out power level exceeds the power limit; and adjusting an output power level of the generator based at least in part on determining whether the feed-out power level exceeds the power limit.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: the management controller transferring power to an external grid, the power being generated by a generator; and adjusting the power transferred to the external power grid based at least in part on the feed-out limit message and the modified activation schedule.

In some embodiments, modifying the activation schedule further comprises: the management controller determining whether the average surplus power level exceeds the power limit specified margin; and determining to modify a device activation schedule based at least in part on determining that the average surplus power level exceeds the power limit by the specified margin.

In some embodiments, the plurality of load devices comprises a variable power level device and a constant power level device, and modifying the activation schedule comprises: determining whether the average surplus power level exceeds an adjustable load threshold; in response to determining that the average surplus power level exceeds the adjustable load threshold, selecting the constant power level device to activate during the feed-out limit period; determining a second average surplus power level based at least in part on selecting the constant power level device to activate during the feed-out limit period; and determining whether to schedule the variable power level device or another constant power level device based at least in part on the second average surplus power level.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: after modifying the activation schedule, the management controller determining an energy consumption of at least one non-scheduled load device; and adjusting the activation schedule based at least in part on the energy consumption of the at least one unscheduled load device.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: determining a price for the average surplus power level, wherein modifying the activation schedule is further based at least in part on the price for the average surplus power level.

In some embodiments, a management controller for controlling activation of a plurality of load devices in an energy management system, the management controller comprising a processor and a memory for storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to: determining a power limit associated with a feed-out limit period based at least in part on the feed-out limit message; determining an average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period; and modifying an activation schedule for at least one of the plurality of load devices based at least in part on the average surplus power level and the feed-out limit message.

In some embodiments, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to estimate a first energy to be produced by a generator during the feed-out limit period; and estimating a second energy to be consumed by the plurality of load devices over the feed-out limit period.

In some embodiments, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to compare the first energy to be generated with the second energy to be consumed; and determining the average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period based at least in part on the comparison.

In some embodiments, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to determine a feed-out power level based at least in part on real-time power production by the generator and real-time power consumption by the plurality of load devices; determining whether the feed-out power level exceeds the power limit; and adjusting an output power level of the generator based at least in part on determining whether the feed-out power level exceeds the power limit.

In some embodiments, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to transfer power to an external power grid, the power being generated by a generator; and adjusting the power transferred to the external power grid based at least in part on the feed-out limit message and the modified activation schedule.

In some embodiments, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to determine whether the average surplus power level exceeds the power limit by a specified margin; and modifying a device activation schedule based at least in part on determining that the average surplus power level exceeds the power limit by the specified margin.

In some embodiments, the plurality of load devices comprises a variable power level device and a constant power level device, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to determine whether the average surplus power level exceeds an adjustable load threshold; in response to determining that the average surplus power level exceeds the adjustable load threshold, selecting the constant power level device to activate during the feed-out limit period; determining a second average surplus power level based at least in part on selecting the constant power level device to activate during the feed-out limit period; and determining whether to schedule the variable power level device or another constant power level device based at least in part on the second average surplus power level.

In some embodiments, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to determine an energy consumption of at least one non-scheduled load device after modifying the activation schedule; and adjusting the activation schedule based at least in part on the energy consumption of the at least one unscheduled load device.

In some embodiments, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to determine a price for the average surplus power level, wherein modifying the activation schedule is further based at least in part on the price for the average surplus power level.

In some embodiments, a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored therein machine-executable instructions, the machine-executable instructions comprising instructions to: determining a power limit associated with a feed-out limit period, the power limit based at least in part on the feed-out limit message; determining an average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period; and modifying an activation schedule for at least one of a plurality of load devices based at least in part on the average surplus power level and the feed-out limit message.

In some embodiments, the instructions for determining the average surplus power level include instructions for: estimating a first energy to be produced by a generator during the feed-out limit period; and estimating a second energy to be consumed by the plurality of load devices over the feed-out limit period.

In some embodiments, the instructions for estimating the average surplus power level include instructions for: comparing the first energy to be generated with the second energy to be consumed; and determining the average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period based at least in part on comparing the first energy to be generated with the second energy to be consumed.

In some embodiments, the instructions for estimating the second energy to be consumed comprise instructions for identifying one or more of the plurality of load devices scheduled to be activated during the feed-out limit period.

In some embodiments, the instructions for estimating the second energy to be consumed comprise instructions for: determining a power consumption parameter associated with the one or more of the plurality of load devices; and estimating an unscheduled energy consumption value over the feed-out limit period.

In some embodiments, the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium further comprises instructions for: determining a feed-out power level based at least in part on real-time power production by the generator and real-time power consumption by the plurality of load devices; determining whether the feed-out power level exceeds the power limit; and adjusting an output power level of the generator based at least in part on determining whether the feed-out power level exceeds the power limit.

In some embodiments, the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium further comprises instructions to: transferring power to an external grid, the power being generated by a generator; and adjusting the power transferred to the external power grid based at least in part on the feed-out limit message and the modified activation schedule.

In some embodiments, the instructions to modify the activation schedule further comprise instructions to: determining whether the average surplus power level exceeds the power limit specified margin; and determining to modify a device activation schedule based at least in part on determining that the average surplus power level exceeds the power limit by the specified margin.

In some embodiments, the plurality of load devices comprises a variable power level device and a constant power level device, and wherein the instructions to modify the activation schedule comprise instructions to: determining whether the average surplus power level exceeds an adjustable load threshold; in response to determining that the average surplus power level exceeds the adjustable load threshold, selecting the constant power level device to activate during the feed-out limit period; determining a second average surplus power level based at least in part on selecting the constant power level device to activate during the feed-out limit period; and determining whether to schedule the variable power level device or another constant power level device based at least in part on the second average surplus power level.

In some embodiments, the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium further comprises instructions to: determining an energy consumption of at least one non-scheduled load device after modifying the activation schedule; and adjusting the activation schedule based at least in part on the energy consumption of the at least one unscheduled load device.

In some embodiments, the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium further comprises instructions to: determining a price for the average surplus power level, wherein modifying the activation schedule is further based at least in part on the price for the average surplus power level.

In some embodiments, a management controller for controlling activation of a plurality of load devices in an energy management system, the management controller comprising: means for determining a power limit associated with a feed-out limit period, the power limit based at least in part on the feed-out limit message; means for determining an average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period; and means for modifying an activation schedule for at least one of the plurality of load devices based at least in part on the average surplus power level and the feed-out limit message.

In some embodiments, the management controller further comprises: means for estimating a first energy to be generated by a generator during the feed-out limit period; and means for estimating a second energy to be consumed by the plurality of load devices over the feed-out limit period.

In some embodiments, the management controller further comprises: means for comparing the first energy to be generated with the second energy to be consumed; and means for determining the average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period based at least in part on a comparison of the first energy to be generated and the second energy to be consumed.

In some embodiments, the management controller further comprises: means for identifying one or more of the plurality of load devices that are scheduled to be activated during the feed-out limit period.

In some embodiments, the management controller further comprises: means for determining a power consumption parameter associated with the one or more of the plurality of load devices; and means for estimating an unscheduled energy consumption value over the feed-out limit period.

In some embodiments, the management controller further comprises: means for determining a feed-out power level based at least in part on real-time power production by the generator and real-time power consumption by the plurality of load devices; means for determining whether the feed-out power level exceeds the power limit; and means for adjusting an output power level of the generator based at least in part on determining whether the feed-out power level exceeds the power limit.

In some embodiments, the management controller further comprises: means for transferring power to an external grid, the power being generated by a generator; and means for adjusting the power transferred to the external power grid based at least in part on the feed-out limit message and the modified activation schedule.

In some embodiments, the management controller further comprises: means for determining whether the average surplus power level exceeds the power limit specified margin; and means for determining to modify a device activation schedule based at least in part on determining that the average surplus power level exceeds the power limit by the specified margin.

In some embodiments, the management controller further comprises: means for determining whether the average surplus power level exceeds an adjustable load threshold; means for selecting a constant power level device to activate during the feed-out limit period in response to determining that the average surplus power level exceeds the adjustable load threshold; means for determining a second average surplus power level based at least in part on selecting the constant power level device to activate during the feed-out limit period; and means for determining whether to schedule a variable power level device or another constant power level device based at least in part on the second average surplus power level.

In some embodiments, the management controller further comprises: means for determining an energy consumption of at least one unscheduled load device; and means for adjusting the activation schedule based at least in part on the energy consumption of the at least one unscheduled load device.

In some embodiments, the management controller further comprises: means for determining a price for the average surplus power level; and means for modifying the activation schedule based further at least in part on the price for the average surplus power level.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention may be better understood by referring to the following drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an architectural overview of a networked power transfer environment, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating features of a controller device according to some embodiments;

FIG. 3 is a diagram depicting a load management messaging protocol, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4A is a flow diagram illustrating processing and communications performed during load management, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4B depicts a flowchart that shows the processing and communications performed during load management, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4C depicts a flowchart that shows the processing and communication performed during load management, according to one embodiment; and

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary computer system for implementing embodiments of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

The following description discloses exemplary techniques and structures that embody the subject matter herein. However, it is understood that the described embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known instruction instances, protocols, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail in order to avoid obscuring the description.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an architectural overview of a networked power transfer environment, according to one embodiment. Fig. 1 illustrates an Energy Management System (EMS)100 and an external power grid 136. The EMS 100 includes a plurality of interconnected generator and load devices. The EMS 100 may be implemented in a home, business, or other environment. The EMS 100 can enhance the energy efficiency of its load devices and subsystems and reduce energy costs.

As shown in fig. 1, the EMS 100 is connected to an external power grid 136, and the external power grid 136 may be connected to one or more energy sources, such as a power generation plant (not depicted). The EMS 100 can both receive power from the external power grid 136 and send power to the external power grid 136, where the exchange is monitored by the meter 134. The EMS 100 includes a management controller 102 that acts as a centralized energy controller for the various energy-related devices associated with the EMS 100.

The solid, dotted, and broken dashed lines in fig. 1 represent communication and power transfer connections between the various devices in the depicted energy transfer environment. The solid line represents Direct Current (DC) power transfer. The broken dotted line represents Alternating Current (AC) power transfer. The dotted lines represent the communication channels between the devices. These power connections and communication channels may be unidirectional or bidirectional. For example, devices in the EMS 100 may transmit their respective operating state information to the management controller 102 via the communication channel. The devices may determine whether to update their operating states based at least in part on the received data and/or control instructions.

The load devices include a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit 106 that provides temperature control in an enclosed structure, such as a home. Activation of the HVAC unit 106 is controlled by the thermostat 105. The thermostat 105 is configured to monitor an operating state of the HVAC unit 106 with respect to air temperature. The thermostat 105 may receive scheduling instructions from the management controller 102. The scheduling instructions implement scheduling of the HVAC unit 106 to coordinate scheduling with other load devices in the EMS 100, as will be discussed further below. The load device also includes a recirculation water pump 108 and a battery management unit 110.

The EMS 100 may supplement the energy received from the external power grid 136 with power from the local energy generator. In the described embodiment, the EMS 100 is connected to two local energy generators: a Photovoltaic (PV) panel 120 and a micro Cogeneration (CHP) unit 118. The PV panel 120 is controlled in part by an inverter 130, the inverter 130 also being used to convert Direct Current (DC) power generated by the PV panel 120 to Alternating Current (AC) power. The inverter 130 may implement maximum power point tracking and/or other techniques to improve the utilization of the PV panels 120. The inverter 130 may report instantaneous and/or recorded energy generation rates (e.g., power measured in kW) and other power generation parameters associated with the PV panel 120 to the management controller 102. In some embodiments, inverter 130 receives control instructions from management controller 102.

The micro-CHP unit 118 may use fuel from a fuel source (not shown) to generate power while generating recoverable heat for the local enclosure. The generation of power and recoverable heat may be referred to as cogeneration. The micro-CHP unit 118 may similarly report instantaneous and/or recorded energy generation rates and other parameters (such as stored heat levels and/or water temperature levels) to the management controller 102. The management controller 102 may change the operating state of the micro-CHP unit 118 based on power consumption requirements and power output limitations of the EMS 100.

The EMS 100 also includes one or more local energy reserves, such as a battery 122 for locally storing energy. The battery 122 is connected to the battery management unit 110, and the battery management unit 110 can monitor, charge, and discharge the battery 122. The battery management unit 110 may report the stored charge, instantaneous charge or discharge rate, and recorded charge and charge levels and rates of the battery 122 to the management controller 102.

Local energy reserves, such as those stored by battery 122, allow EMS 100 to store large amounts of energy, which may be received from external power grid 136 or generated by a local energy generator (e.g., PV panel 120). The local energy reserve provided by the battery 122 can provide an increased degree of flexibility in coordinating energy consumption over a period of time. Furthermore, the local energy reserve can also attenuate spikes in net energy drawn from the external power grid 136 when a large number of load devices are active simultaneously.

Meters 134 monitor and facilitate energy transfer between external power grid 136 and EMS 100. Load center 132 may receive AC power from external grid 136 through meter 134 and may distribute the power to various load devices. The load center 132 may also receive AC power from local energy sources, such as the micro CHP unit 118 and the inverter 130. Additionally, the load center 132 may provide access to manually activate and deactivate loads and subsystems.

As further depicted in fig. 1, the management controller 102 is connected to a connection hub 104. In some embodiments, the connection hub 104 may be implemented as a Wi-Fi capable router. The connection hub 104 may be used to enable the management controller 102 to communicate with various load devices (e.g., HVAC units 106), energy reserves (e.g., batteries 122), and generators (PV panels 120). The connection hub 104 may also enable the management controller 102 to communicate with external network servers, such as an external grid server 138.

For equipment connections, the load, generator, and energy reserve may include control modules capable of communicating with supervisory controller 102. In the depicted embodiment, each generator (such as the micro-CHP unit 118 and PV panel 120) has such a control module (124 and 126 as shown, respectively) for receiving instructions and sending data to the management controller 102 via the connection hub 104. Similarly, each of the load devices, such as the thermostat 105, the recirculation water pump 108, and the battery management unit 110, has a respective control module 112, 114, and 116. The inverter 130 has a control module 131 and the meter 134 has a control module 133. The battery 122 has a control module 128. The communication may require the use of protocols established for compatibility. These protocols may include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Power line communication, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Ethernet, and/or other communication protocols. The control modules may be external to or incorporated within their respective devices.

To simplify the explanation of EMS 100, management controller 102 may support ad-hoc discovery of generator and load devices. For example, the management controller 102 may periodically (or upon user direction) issue requests to discover unconfigured devices that include system compatible control modules.

In some embodiments, the management controller 102 may communicate with devices in the EMS 100 using the smart energy specification 2.0(SEP 2.0) standard, also known as the institute of electrical and electronics engineers P2030.5 standard. The communication standard provides an application layer specifically designed to support communication between the various smart energy devices in the local area network. The SEP 2.0 standard operates independently of the Media Access Control (MAC) and physical layers of end devices (e.g., devices in the EMS 100), thereby facilitating improved compatibility.

Embodiments of the management controller 102 include a memory storing machine-executable instructions that cause the management controller 102 to perform the tasks and functions described herein. The management controller 102 may also include and/or communicate with a resource management application (not shown in FIG. 1). The resource management application may include program instructions and data associated with load device power and energy consumption parameters, configuration, and activation schedules. The resource management application will be described in more detail in the discussion of FIG. 2.

EMS 100 also includes a generator controller 135, which generator controller 135 may be incorporated into or otherwise co-exist with inverter 130. Generator controller 135 is used to control and adjust the output power level of PV panel 120. Generator controller 135 is communicatively coupled with management controller 102, meters 134, external grid 136, and load devices via control module 131 or its own communication interface.

In some other embodiments, the management controller 102 is embedded in one of the load devices, such as the thermostat 105. In some embodiments, management controller 102 and/or generator controller 135 are embedded in connection hub 104. In other embodiments, management controller 102 and/or generator controller 135 and their associated functionality are distributed across multiple devices. Additionally, management controller 102 and/or generator controller 135 may have distributed capabilities, such as those facilitated by cloud computing devices.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating features of a controller device according to some embodiments. Controller device 200 may represent management controller 102 and/or generator controller 135 described in fig. 1. In fig. 2, the controller device 200 is a "smart" controller, having features that extend beyond those associated with other interface-specific computer controllers. Although not shown, the controller device 200 may include a user input/output system, a display, and/or other suitable components. The controller device 200 includes a network interface 202, and the network interface 202 may be a wireless or wired interface for communicating with an external grid server across a network, such as the internet. The controller device 200 also includes a processor 204 and a memory 210. The memory 210 and processor 204 cooperate to manage programs and data that enable the controller device 200 to perform various energy management tasks associated with local generators and load devices. The controller device 200 also includes a communication interface 205. The communication interface 205 may support one or more of Wi-Fi, Zigbee, bluetooth, and the like. The communication interface 205 includes an interface controller 207 for communicating with the various power generation and load devices, either directly or via a hub (e.g., the connection hub 104 in fig. 1). The communication interface 205 also includes an antenna 206 for generating and maintaining wireless connections with other EMS devices that support the interface.

The memory 210 includes a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium that stores programs and supporting data that control the operation of the controller device 200. In the depicted embodiment, memory 210 stores an Operating System (OS)230 and includes an application space 212 in which resource management applications 215 are maintained. OS 230 may be a flexible, multipurpose OS, such as found in a smartphone, or may be an embedded OS with more limited and more specialized functionality. The OS 230 generally includes code for managing and providing services to hardware and software components in the controller device 200. The OS 230 may include, among other code and instructions, process management code that includes instructions for interacting application code with system hardware and software. OS 230 may also include memory management code to allocate and manage memory used by applications and system level programs. OS 230 may also include I/O system management code including device drivers that enable the controller's hardware to communicate with external systems, such as a user's smart phone.

The resource management application 215 contains management code 225 (machine executable instructions) and associated data, including load device power consumption parameters and energy consumption parameters, configuration, and activation schedules. For example, the resource management application 215 may be a user application for coordinating (such as in the manner described with reference to fig. 4 and 5) activation and deactivation of load devices.

The resource management application 215 also includes load device entries 216, 218, and 220, each associated with a respective load device. Each load device entry described includes a load class field (LDTYPE _1 for load device entry 216, LDTYPE _2 for load device entry 218, and LDTYPE _3 for load device entry 220) that is serially or otherwise logically associated with a nominal power field (RTG _1 for load device entry 216, RTG _2 for load device entry 218, and RTG _3 for load device entry 220). Each load class field includes data specifying an electrical load class that the controller device 200 may apply during load device scheduling. In one embodiment, the load class includes type 1 loads for constant power level devices. A constant power level device is a device that operates at a relatively constant power level independent of the scheduling of the controller device 200. For example, the recirculation water pump 108 may be at a type 1 load. The load class may also include type 2 loads for devices that operate based on duty cycles that are independent of the management controller schedule (e.g., the HVAC unit 106 described in fig. 1). The load class may also include type 3 loads for variable power devices (such as battery management unit 110 depicted in fig. 1) operating at adjustable or otherwise variable power levels.

The asset management application 215 also includes (or is logically associated with) a generator output record 223 and an unscheduled energy consumption record 219. These records may be stored in any suitable data store, such as a relational database. The generator output record 223 may store energy and/or power output parameters associated with one or more generators (such as the PV panel 120 and the micro-CHP unit 118 depicted in fig. 1). These parameters may be manufacturer metrics and/or may include historical power/energy output metrics measured and recorded over time in the EMS. Unscheduled energy consumption records 219 may include historical power consumption/energy consumption metrics associated with the EMS. These metrics may indicate the cumulative power and/or energy consumption in the EMS and/or the consumption pattern of all non-scheduled electrical loads (e.g., manually activated lights).

The resource management application 215 may also include (or otherwise be logically associated with) a device activation schedule 227, which includes scheduling information. The schedule information may include recorded activation schedules for the load devices and the generators. The device activation schedule 227 may also include instructions for activating and/or deactivating load devices and generators according to the schedule information. During execution of the management code 225, the controller device 200 may process the scheduling information in conjunction with the information in the load device entries 216, 218, and 220 to determine an energy consumption pattern that may be processed in conjunction with the feed-out limit message. The controller device 200 may schedule load devices based on the feed-out limit message, the energy consumption mode, and the real-time power output and energy consumption changes, as described in further detail with reference to fig. 4. It is noted that in the present disclosure, "feed-out" refers to power or energy generated or produced locally and provided to an external grid or some other external energy or consumer. The term "feed-out" may be used interchangeably with the term "feed-in" as is commonly used in the art.

Alternatively or additionally, to maintain the resource management application 215, the application space 212 may maintain a generator management application 233. The generator management application 233 may include management code for tracking the activation status of the load devices to determine a real-time common power consumption level of the load devices. The generator management application 233 may also include code for comparing the common power consumption level to a power limit specified by the feed-out limit message. In some examples, controller device 200 is configured as a generator controller, such as generator controller 135. The generator management application 233 may provide control instructions for adjusting the output power level of the generator (e.g., PV panel) based on whether the current common power consumption level exceeds a specified power limit. This is described in further detail in the discussion of fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a load management messaging protocol, according to one embodiment. The entities operatively involved in the exemplary load management messaging protocol include a management controller 302, a meter 304, one or more load devices 306, a generator 307, and an external power grid 308. The management controller 302 may include hardware and/or software for managing load activation and load activation scheduling in an energy management system. The external power grid 308 provides external power to the energy management system managed by the management controller 302. The meter 304 is a device for measuring the transfer of electrical energy and the level of power transferred between the external grid 308 and the energy management system. The meter 304 is communicatively and electrically coupled to both the external power grid 308 and the management controller 302. The load device 306 is a device that consumes power provided by any one or combination of the generator 307 and/or the external power grid 308. The load devices 306 may include a communication interface, such as a local wireless interface for communicating with the management controller 302.

As shown, the protocol begins with managing a device discovery message 312 between the controller 302 and the load device 306. Management controller 302 exchanges device discovery request and response messages with one or more load devices 306 to obtain system information about the make and configuration of the load devices.

Management controller 302 monitors the transfer of electrical energy between the energy management system and external electrical grid 308 by exchanging power transfer status messages 314 with meters 304. In monitoring energy transfer between the energy management system and the external power grid 308, the management controller 302 receives a feed-out limit message 316 from the external power grid 308. In one embodiment, management controller 302 receives feed-out limit message 316 directly from external power grid 308. Alternatively, the management controller 302 may receive the feed-out limit message 316 via the meter 304. The feed-out limit message 316 specifies a maximum power level (e.g., in kW) that may be fed out from the energy management system to the external power grid 308. Alternatively, the feed-out limit message 316 may include a message specifying a maximum energy or power level to feed out from the energy management system to the external power grid 308 over a specified period of time.

Upon receiving the feed-out limit message 316, the management controller 302 may send an activation schedule message 319 to the one or more load devices 306. The management controller 302 sends the activation schedule message 319 to obtain the activation schedule and power consumption parameters. In response, the load device 306 may send an activation schedule message 320 containing the activation schedule and power consumption parameters. The management controller 302 processes the activation schedule message 320 to determine a power consumption parameter. Alternatively, the management controller 302 may access load device information via internal memory access 318. The information received in the activation scheduling message 320 may include an identification of load devices currently scheduled for activation during the feed-out limit period specified by the feed-out limit message 316. The activation scheduling message 320 may also specify a portion of the feed-out limit period in which the load device 306 is scheduled to be activated. The activation schedule message 320 may also include power/energy consumption parameters associated with each currently scheduled load device. Based on the power limit and the feed-out limit period specified by the feed-out limit message 316, and the load device scheduling and power consumption parameters, the management controller 302 may modify the scheduling of one or more load devices over the feed-out limit period. The scheduling modification may include modifying an activation period of the load device currently scheduled to be activated during the feed-out limit period. Scheduling modification may also or alternatively include scheduling such load devices: which is not currently scheduled to be activated during the feed-out limit period. The management controller 302 may then generate a modified device activation schedule and send it to the load devices 306 in a modified activation schedule message 321.

Based on the modified activation scheduling message 321 and the feed-out limit message 316, the management controller 302 sends a modified feed-out limit message 322 to the generators 307, the modified feed-out limit message 322 may specify a limit on the power level to be generated by one of the generators 307. Management controller 302 may also exchange net energy transfer messages 324 with meters 304 to monitor net energy transfer between the energy management system and external power grid 308. For example, management controller 302 may request the transferred net energy between the energy management system and external grid 308 from meter 304. The net energy transfer message 324 may include a response from the meter 304 specifying the net energy transferred between the energy management system and the external power grid 308. The net energy transferred may be energy transferred from the external grid 308 to the energy management system over a period of time. The net energy transferred may also or alternatively be energy transferred from the energy management system to the external grid 308 over a period of time.

Using the net energy transfer message 324, the management controller 302 can determine an energy transfer metric that enables the management controller 302 to track energy consumption of unscheduled load devices in the energy management system. Non-scheduled load devices may refer to load devices that are not included in the activation schedule (e.g., manually activated lights and electronic devices). As described with reference to fig. 4, the non-scheduled energy consumption may be determined by subtracting the scheduled energy consumption from the total energy consumption. The scheduled energy consumption may include the current energy consumption of the scheduled device (i.e., the device included in the activation schedule). The current energy consumption of the scheduling devices may be determined by identifying which of the scheduling devices are currently activated. The activation schedule message 320 and/or the modified activation schedule message 321 may be accessed to identify which of the scheduling devices are currently activated.

The management controller 302 may process the unscheduled energy consumption and the generator energy output to generate and send an adjusted activation schedule message 326 to the load device 306. The adjusted activation scheduling message 326 specifies a time interval during which one or more load devices are scheduled to be activated for all or a portion of the feed-out limit period. For example, the specified feed-out limit period may be an 8 hour period from 1 month 3 morning 10:30 to 6:30 evening. The adjusted activation schedule message 326 may include data and instructions specifying that one or more load devices are activated within one or more time intervals between 10:30 in the morning of 3 months and 6:30 in the evening.

Fig. 4A is a flow diagram illustrating processing and communication performed during load management, according to one embodiment. At block 404, the management controller communicates with the meter to monitor the transfer of electrical energy between the energy management system and the external power grid. The management controller may monitor the power transfer in real time, which may include monitoring a power level measured by the meter (e.g., measured in kilowatts (kW) by the meter). Alternatively, the management controller may directly monitor energy transfer by monitoring energy measured by the meter (e.g., measured by the meter in kilowatt-hours (kWh)). More specifically, the management controller may monitor the net energy transferred into or out of the energy management system. The management controller may use the net energy to modify an activation schedule for load devices in the energy management system. In some examples, the management controller may use the net energy along with the feed-out limit message to modify an activation schedule of load devices in the energy management system.

At block 406, the management controller receives or processes the feed-out limit message while monitoring the energy transfer at the meter. In one embodiment, the feed-out limit message may be received at the management controller from an external source (e.g., an external power grid). In another embodiment, the feed-out limit message may be installed into the management controller at the manufacturer of the management controller or at a distributor. In some embodiments, multiple feed-out limit messages may be received or installed by and processed by a management controller. If the feed-out limit message is sent, the feed-out limit message may be sent from the grid server system or some other external source to the meter and/or directly to the management controller.

The feed-out limit message may specify a feed-out limit (e.g., in kW) to be fed out from the energy management system to the external power grid over a feed-out limit period. The feed-out limit message may also indicate a maximum energy (e.g., in kWh) fed out from the energy management system to the external grid over a feed-out limit period. In one embodiment, the feed-out limit message may indicate that no energy is fed out during a certain time period, e.g., 1PM-3 PM. In another embodiment, the feed-out limit message or some other message may indicate a price of energy to be fed out, e.g., how much the power company will pay the user for the feed-out energy. In this case, the management controller may make a determination whether to feed out the energy or use it to power a local load based on the price of the energy. At block 406, the management controller may also process the received feed-out limit message to determine a specified feed-out limit and associated feed-out limit period, and in some cases, a price of energy to be fed back to the external power grid.

The management controller may adjust the power level fed out to the external grid based on the feed-out limit message and an activation schedule, which may be modified as described herein. Scheduling modification may begin with the management controller determining a predicted average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period. As shown at block 408, the management controller may estimate energy to be produced by one or more generators in the energy management system during the feed-out limit period. The management controller may estimate the energy output of the generator by accessing generator activation data stored in an activation schedule (see, e.g., device activation schedule 227 in fig. 2). The active schedule specifies which generators are scheduled to operate during the feed-out limit period, and within which portion of the feed-out limit period. The generator energy output data may include historical power and/or energy output data for the individual generator devices. The management controller may also estimate the energy output of the generator device by accessing recorded generator output data (e.g., generator output record 223 in fig. 2). The energy output of the generator may also be estimated based on data such as weather forecasts, historical consumption patterns, and occupancy information.

The average surplus power level may be predicted based on an energy generation estimate and based on an estimated energy to be consumed over the feed-out limit period. Estimating energy consumption begins at block 410, where the management controller may access a current load device activation schedule. At block 412, the management controller may use the current load device activation schedule to identify which load devices are scheduled for activation at some point during the feed-out limit period, and within which portion of the feed-out limit period activation is scheduled. The load device activation schedule for each load device may be centrally maintained by the management controller in memory. In some instances, the load device activation schedule may be contained in a separate record maintained by the load device. The record may be accessible to the management controller.

As shown at block 414, the management controller determines an estimate of the total scheduled and unscheduled energy consumption of the energy management system during the feed-out limit period. The total scheduled energy consumption estimate may be calculated based at least in part on the power and/or energy rate data (such as may be obtained from load device entries 216, 218, and 220 in fig. 2). The total scheduled energy consumption calculation may also be based on load device activation scheduling. The load activation schedule is processed with the power and/or energy rate data to obtain a total scheduled energy consumption over the feed-out limit period. The total scheduled energy consumption may also be based on data such as weather forecasts, historical consumption patterns, and occupancy information. The management controller generates estimated total scheduled and unscheduled energy consumptions by adding the determined scheduled and unscheduled energy consumption values. The unscheduled energy consumption value may be estimated based on historical unscheduled energy consumption data stored in the unscheduled energy consumption record 219 in FIG. 2.

As shown at block 416, the management controller may determine a net feed-out energy capacity over a feed-out limit period. To determine the net feed-out energy capacity, the management controller may compare the estimated energy to be generated (block 408) to the estimated total energy consumption (block 410-414). In one embodiment, the net feed-out energy capacity may be determined as an energy production estimate that exceeds the estimated total scheduled and unscheduled energy consumptions. The management controller may determine a predicted average surplus power level based on the determined net energy over the feed-out limit time period (block 417).

At block 432, the management controller may determine whether the average surplus power level exceeds the feed-out limit by some specified margin. The feed-out limit may be specified in a feed-out limit message received or stored at an earlier time by the management controller. If the average surplus power level does not exceed the feed-out limit by the specified margin, processing may continue at block 460 (FIG. 4C), where the management controller (or generator controller) performs real-time tracking of power production and power consumption. And at block 460, the management controller may also determine a feed-out power level based on the real-time production power level and the real-time consumption power level. If the real-time tracking indicates that the feed-out power level exceeds the feed-out limit (block 462), the management controller (or generator controller) may issue a power-down command to the at least one generator (block 464).

In one embodiment, the specified margin may be related to a price of the energy. In this case, the management controller may determine what the cost associated with the surplus power is and what the surplus power is worth the external grid. In some cases, the external grid may provide little or no financial incentive to feed this power out to the external grid. When the specified margin is related to the price of the energy, the management controller may determine the cost of energy with and without modifying the activation schedule during the feed-out limit period to determine whether modifying the activation schedule is financially justified. The management controller may determine that a modification to the activation schedule is made that results in the user having the greatest financial benefit.

Returning to block 432 (fig. 4B), if the average surplus power level exceeds the feed-out limit by the specified margin, the management controller determines whether the average surplus power level exceeds a power level threshold associated with the adjustable load type (block 434). In some instances, the adjustable load type may be a load that draws electrical energy in an adjustably variable manner (i.e., operates at an adjustable or otherwise variable power level). For example, a battery charger is a variable power level device that may be included in the load type category. If the variable load threshold is not exceeded (block 434), the management controller determines whether an adjustable load device is available for scheduling for at least a portion of the feed-out limit period (block 442). If an adjustable load device is available, the management controller selects the adjustable load device to schedule for at least a portion of the feed-out limit period (block 438). From block 438, the management controller may then return to block 408 to estimate the energy to be produced by the generator.

Returning to block 434, if the average surplus power level exceeds the adjustable load threshold, the management controller begins a scheduling sequence (blocks 436, 438, 440, 442). The scheduling sequence may use the load device class to schedule the load by load type. In some embodiments, the management controller uses a load type such as may be specified in the load device entries 216, 218, and 220 in FIG. 2. The scheduling sequence begins at block 436. At block 436, the management controller determines whether type 1 load devices are available for scheduling during at least a portion of the feed-out limit period. In one embodiment, the type 1 load device may be associated with a device that operates in a continuous mode and at a relatively constant power level. For example, the recirculation water pump may be classified as type 1. The type information may be in the load device record. If a type 1 load device is available for scheduling, the management controller schedules it for at least a portion of the feed-out limit period. If the type 1 load device is not available for scheduling during the feed-out limit period, the management controller determines whether the type 2 load device is available for scheduling during at least a portion of the feed-out limit period (block 440). In one embodiment, the type 2 load devices operate based on a duty cycle that is independent of the management controller schedule (i.e., power is turned off and on during scheduled activations). For example, thermostatically controlled HVAC systems may be classified as type 2 load devices. If a type 2 load device is available for scheduling, the management controller schedules it for at least a portion of the feed-out limit period. If a type 2 load device is not available for scheduling during the feed-out limit period, the management controller determines whether a scalable load device is available for scheduling during at least a portion of the feed-out limit period (block 442). If an adjustable load device is not available for scheduling during the feed-out limit period, processing continues to step 460. In some embodiments, there may be more or fewer than three types of loads, and the types of loads may be iteratively checked based on characteristics of each load type.

The management controller may modify the scheduling in a modular manner, i.e., schedule type 1 load devices before scheduling type 2 load devices. After each additional load device is scheduled (block 438), the predicted average surplus power level (determined at block 408-417) is progressively reduced. After scheduling the type 1 and type 2 loads, the management controller schedules the adjustable load devices (blocks 442 and 438) for the feed-out limit period to consume at least a portion of the remaining surplus power level. In this embodiment, the management controller may schedule a known type of load (e.g., type 1 and type 2) before scheduling the adjustable load.

Returning to block 460 in FIG. 4C, the management controller may begin or continue real-time tracking of power production and power consumption. If the real-time tracking indicates a feed-out power level that exceeds the feed-out limit specified by the feed-out limit message (block 462), the management controller or the generator controller may issue a power reduction instruction to the at least one generator device (block 464).

At block 466, the management controller monitors the energy consumed by unscheduled load devices (e.g., personal electronic devices and other manual activation/deactivation devices). At block 468, the management controller monitors the energy produced by the variable generator (e.g., PV panel). The management controller monitors these potentially variable energy metrics over the time interval Δ T (block 470) to determine if additional scheduling modifications are required before and/or during the start of the feed-out limit period. In one embodiment, the management controller may determine the total energy consumption over Δ T for all currently active/operational, scheduled and unscheduled load devices. The management controller may determine the currently active/operational unscheduled energy consumption by subtracting the energy consumption of all currently active/operational scheduled devices from the total energy consumption. The management controller may track the actual energy output of one or more generators in the energy management system. In one embodiment, the management controller determines the actual energy output from one or more generators based on measurement data from a meter or from a generator integrated power/energy output measurement device.

As shown at block 470, generator output and unscheduled energy consumption information may be collected over Δ T to determine actual energy production and unscheduled energy consumption values. The unscheduled energy consumption value may refer to a currently active device that is not scheduled. At block 472, the management controller compares the actual energy generation and unscheduled energy consumption values to the predictively estimated energy generation and unscheduled energy consumption values processed at blocks 408 and 414 in fig. 4A. In response to the actual energy generation and unscheduled energy consumption values deviating by a margin from the predictively estimated value (block 474), the average surplus power level is predictively estimated again (block 408-. The predictive estimation may be based at least in part on the determined actual energy generation and unscheduled energy consumption values. The activation schedule is adjusted accordingly (again modified), as shown by the process beginning again at block 432. If the deviation between the actual and predicted values does not exceed the threshold, energy generation and unscheduled energy consumption tracking continues (block 466).

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary computer system for implementing embodiments of the present disclosure. In fig. 5, a computer system 500 has a resource management unit 510. Computer system 500 includes a processor 502, but may also include multiple processors, cores, and/or nodes. Computer system 500 includes memory 504, which may be system memory (e.g., one or more of cache, SRAM, DRAM, zero capacitor RAM, twin transistor RAM, eDRAM, EDO RAM, DDR RAM, EEPROM, NRAM, RRAM, SONOS, PRAM, etc.) or any one or more of the above already described possible implementations of non-transitory machine-readable storage media. Computer system 600 also includes bus 505 (e.g., PCI, ISA, PCI-Express, PCI,NuBus, etc.), a network interface 506 (e.g., an ethernet interface, a frame relay interface, a synchronous fiber optic network interface, a wireless interface, etc.), and a storage device 508 (e.g., optical storage, magnetic storage, etc.). The resource management unit 510 embodies functionality for implementing the features described above with reference to fig. 1-4. The resource management unit 510 may perform the operations of: which facilitates energy management in an environment where energy is transferred between an energy management system and an external power grid. The resource management unit 510 may perform system management operations including modifying the device activation schedule based on the received feed-out limit message. Any of these operations may be partially (or entirely) implemented in hardware and/or on processor 502. For example, the functions may be implemented as an application specific integrated circuit, as logic implemented in the processor 502, as a coprocessor on a peripheral or card, and so forth. Moreover, particular implementations may include fewer components or additional components not shown in FIG. 5 (e.g., additional network interfaces, peripherals, etc.)Standby, etc.).

It should be understood that fig. 1-5 are examples intended to aid understanding of embodiments and should not be used to limit embodiments or to limit the scope of the claims. Embodiments may perform additional operations, fewer operations, perform operations in a different order, perform operations in parallel, and perform some operations differently. In some embodiments, the management controller may implement the operations of fig. 4 independently or in combination with other devices.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the disclosed subject matter may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, embodiments of the disclosed subject matter may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a "circuit," module "or" system. Furthermore, embodiments of the disclosed subject matter can take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer-readable media having computer-readable program code embodied in the medium.

Any combination of one or more computer-readable media may be used. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

While the embodiments have been described with reference to various implementations and developments, it should be understood that these embodiments are exemplary and that the scope of the disclosed subject matter is not limited thereto.

Claims

1. A method for managing loads in an energy management system, the energy management system including a management controller configured to control activation of a plurality of load devices, the method comprising:

the management controller is used for controlling the management of the mobile terminal,

determining a power limit associated with a feed-out limit period based at least in part on the feed-out limit message;

determining an average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period; and

modifying an activation schedule for at least one of the plurality of load devices based at least in part on the average surplus power level and the feed-out limit message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the average surplus power level comprises:

estimating a first energy to be produced by a generator during the feed-out limit period; and

estimating a second energy to be consumed by the plurality of load devices over the feed-out limit period.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the average surplus power level comprises:

comparing the first energy to be generated with the second energy to be consumed; and

determining the average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period based at least in part on the comparison.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein estimating the second energy to be consumed comprises:

identifying one or more of the plurality of load devices that are scheduled to be activated during the feed-out limit period.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein estimating the second energy to be consumed comprises:

determining a power consumption parameter associated with the one or more of the plurality of load devices; and

estimating an unscheduled energy consumption value over the feed-out limit period.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a feed-out power level based at least in part on real-time power production by the generator and real-time power consumption by the plurality of load devices;

determining whether the feed-out power level exceeds the power limit; and

adjusting an output power level of the generator based at least in part on determining whether the feed-out power level exceeds the power limit.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring power to an external grid, the power being generated by a generator; and

adjusting the power transferred to the external power grid based at least in part on the feed-out limit message and the modified activation schedule.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the activation schedule further comprises:

determining whether the average surplus power level exceeds the power limit specified margin; and

determining to modify a device activation schedule based at least in part on determining that the average surplus power level exceeds the power limit by the specified margin.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of load devices comprises a variable power level device and a constant power level device, and modifying the activation schedule comprises:

determining whether the average surplus power level exceeds an adjustable load threshold;

in response to determining that the average surplus power level exceeds the adjustable load threshold, selecting the constant power level device to activate during the feed-out limit period;

determining a second average surplus power level based at least in part on selecting the constant power level device to activate during the feed-out limit period; and

determining whether to schedule the variable power level device or another constant power level device based at least in part on the second average surplus power level.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after modifying the activation schedule, the management controller,

determining an energy consumption of at least one non-scheduled load device; and

adjusting the activation schedule based at least in part on the energy consumption of the at least one unscheduled load device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a price for the average surplus power level, wherein modifying the activation schedule is further based at least in part on the price for the average surplus power level.

12. A management controller for controlling activation of a plurality of load devices in an energy management system, the management controller comprising:

a processor; and

a memory to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to:

determining an average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period; and

13. The management controller of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to:

14. The management controller of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to:

15. The management controller of claim 13, wherein estimating the second energy to be consumed comprises:

16. The management controller of claim 15, wherein estimating the second energy to be consumed comprises:

17. The management controller of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to:

determining whether the feed-out power level exceeds the power limit; and

18. The management controller of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to:

19. The management controller of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to:

modifying a device activation schedule based at least in part on determining that the average surplus power level exceeds the power limit by the specified margin.

20. The management controller of claim 12, wherein the plurality of load devices comprises a variable power level device and a constant power level device, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to:

21. The management controller of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to:

after the modification of the activation schedule, the activation schedule is modified,

22. The management controller of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the management controller to:

23. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having machine-executable instructions stored therein, the machine-executable instructions comprising instructions to:

determining a power limit associated with a feed-out limit period, the power limit based at least in part on a feed-out limit message;

determining an average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period; and

modifying an activation schedule for at least one of a plurality of load devices based at least in part on the average surplus power level and the feed-out limit message.

24. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions to determine the average surplus power level comprise instructions to:

25. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the instructions to estimate the average surplus power level comprise instructions to:

determining the average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period based at least in part on comparing the first energy to be generated with the second energy to be consumed.

26. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the instructions to estimate the second energy to be consumed comprise:

instructions for identifying one or more of the plurality of load devices that are scheduled to be activated during the feed-out limit period.

27. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the instructions to estimate the second energy to be consumed comprise instructions to:

28. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising instructions to:

determining whether the feed-out power level exceeds the power limit; and

29. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising instructions to:

30. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions to modify the activation schedule further comprise instructions to:

31. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the plurality of load devices comprises a variable power level device and a constant power level device, and wherein the instructions to modify the activation schedule comprise instructions to:

32. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising instructions to:

33. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising instructions to:

34. A management controller for controlling activation of a plurality of load devices in an energy management system, the management controller comprising:

means for determining a power limit associated with a feed-out limit period, the power limit based at least in part on a feed-out limit message;

means for determining an average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period; and

means for modifying an activation schedule for at least one of the plurality of load devices based at least in part on the average surplus power level and the feed-out limit message.

35. The management controller of claim 34, further comprising:

means for estimating a first energy to be generated by a generator during the feed-out limit period; and

means for estimating a second energy to be consumed by the plurality of load devices over the feed-out limit period.

36. The management controller of claim 35, further comprising:

means for comparing the first energy to be generated with the second energy to be consumed; and

means for determining the average surplus power level over the feed-out limit period based at least in part on a comparison of the first energy to be generated and the second energy to be consumed.

37. The management controller of claim 35, further comprising:

means for identifying one or more of the plurality of load devices that are scheduled to be activated during the feed-out limit period.

38. The management controller of claim 37, further comprising:

means for determining a power consumption parameter associated with the one or more of the plurality of load devices; and

means for estimating an unscheduled energy consumption value over the feed-out limit period.

39. The management controller of claim 34, further comprising:

means for determining a feed-out power level based at least in part on real-time power production by the generator and real-time power consumption by the plurality of load devices;

means for determining whether the feed-out power level exceeds the power limit; and

means for adjusting an output power level of the generator based at least in part on determining whether the feed-out power level exceeds the power limit.

40. The management controller of claim 34, further comprising:

means for transferring power to an external grid, the power being generated by a generator; and

means for adjusting the power transferred to the external power grid based at least in part on the feed-out limit message and the modified activation schedule.

41. The management controller of claim 34, further comprising:

means for determining whether the average surplus power level exceeds the power limit specified margin; and

means for determining to modify a device activation schedule based at least in part on determining that the average surplus power level exceeds the power limit by the specified margin.

42. The management controller of claim 34, further comprising:

means for determining whether the average surplus power level exceeds an adjustable load threshold;

means for selecting a constant power level device to activate during the feed-out limit period in response to determining that the average surplus power level exceeds the adjustable load threshold;

means for determining a second average surplus power level based at least in part on selecting the constant power level device to activate during the feed-out limit period; and

means for determining whether to schedule a variable power level device or another constant power level device based at least in part on the second average surplus power level.

43. The management controller of claim 34, further comprising:

means for determining an energy consumption of at least one unscheduled load device; and

means for adjusting the activation schedule based at least in part on the energy consumption of the at least one unscheduled load device.

44. The management controller of claim 34, further comprising:

means for determining a price for the average surplus power level; and

means for modifying the activation schedule based further at least in part on the price for the average surplus power level.