초록

Methods and systems are disclosed for managing a plurality of power resource assets from a central control center, operating the plurality of power resource assets in an automated fashion as a single power plant.

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1. A method for providing electrical power to a plurality of end-users of electricity, comprising:receiving data in a central control center from each of the plurality of end-users, the data representing a demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users; determining a power outpu

1. A method for providing electrical power to a plurality of end-users of electricity, comprising:receiving data in a central control center from each of the plurality of end-users, the data representing a demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users; determining a power output from each of a plurality of electric-power devices each capable of providing a maximum of approximately 10 megawatts of electrical power necessary to meet an aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users based on the data from each of the plurality of end-users and operating characteristics of each of the plurality of electric-power devices, using only the central control center, to optimize the operation of at least one of the electric-power devices by at least one of: minimizing an operating expense of the at least one of the electric-power devices; maximizing a reliability of the at least one of the electric-power devices; minimizing a cost to produce electric power using the at least one of the electric-power devices; and maximizing an efficiency of the at least one of the electric-power devices; and sending commands from the central control center to each of the plurality of electric-power devices to cause the plurality of electric-power devices to generate a combined power output equal to at least the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving operating data in the central control center from each of the plurality of electric-power devices, and determining a power output from each of the plurality of electric-power devices necessary to meet an aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users based on the operating data.3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electric-power devices are located in separate geographic locations.4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electric-power devices comprise at least one of an emergency generator; a fuel cell; a photovoltaic cell; a reciprocating engine; a wind turbine; a microturbine; a battery; a super-conducting magnetic energy storage device; and a flywheel.5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electric-power devices comprise at least one of an electric power generator and an electric storage unit.6. A system for providing electrical power to a plurality of end-users of electricity, comprising:a communications network; a plurality of electric-power devices each capable of providing a maximum of approximately 10 megawatts of electrical power; a central control center in communication with the plurality of electric-power devices, wherein the central control center: receives data from each of the plurality of end-users by way of the communications system, the data representing a demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users; exclusively determines a power output from each of the plurality of electric-power devices necessary to meet an aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users based on the data from each of the plurality of end-users and operating characteristics of each of the plurality of electric-power devices, to optimize the operation of at least one of the electric-power devices by at least one of: minimizing an operating expense of the at least one of the electric-power devices; maximizing a reliability of the at least one of the electric-power devices; minimizing a cost to produce electric power using the at least one of the electric-power devices; and maximizing an efficiency of the at least one of the electric-power devices; and sends commands to the plurality of electric-power devices by way of the communications network, the commands causing the plurality of electric-power devices to generate a combined power output equal to at least the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the central control center further comprises:at least one input device for at least one of receiving the data representing a demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users and receiving operating data from the plurality of electric-power devices; and a processor for exclusively determining the power output from each of the plurality of electric-power devices necessary to meet the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users based on the data from each of the plurality of end-users and operating characteristics of each of the plurality of electric-power devices. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor includes computer-executable instructions for:receiving the data from each of the plurality of end-users; determining the power output from each of the plurality of electric-power devices necessary to meet the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users; and sending the commands causing the plurality of electric-power devices to generate a combined power output equal to at least the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users. 9. The system of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of controllers for controlling operation of the plurality of electric-power devices in response to the commands sent to the plurality of electric-power devices by way of the communications network, and a plurality of communications devices for receiving the commands from the communications network and relaying the commands to the plurality of controllers.10. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of electric-power devices are located in separate geographic locations.11. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of electric-power devices comprise at least one of an emergency generator; a fuel cell; a photovoltaic cell; a reciprocating engine; a wind turbine; a microturbine; a battery; a super-conducting magnetic energy storage device; and a flywheel.12. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of electric-power devices comprise at least one of an electric power generator and an electric storage unit.13. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for:receiving data from each of a plurality of end-users of electrical power, the data representing a demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users; exclusively determining a power output from each of a plurality of electric-power devices having a maximum power-generating capacity of approximately 10 megawatts necessary to meet an aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users based on the data from each of the plurality of end-users and operating characteristics of each of the plurality of electric-power devices, to optimize the operation of at least one of the electric-power devices by at least one of: minimizing an operating expense of the at least one of the electric-power devices; maximizing a reliability of the at least one of the electric-power devices; minimizing a cost to produce electric power using the at least one of the electric-power devices; and maximizing an efficiency of the at least one of the electric-power devices; and sending commands to the plurality of electric-power devices for causing the plurality of electric-power devices to generate a combined power output equal to at least the aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users. 14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein exclusively determining a power output from each of a plurality of electric-power devices having a maximum power-generating capacity of approximately 10 megawatts necessary to meet an aggregate of the demand for electrical power from each of the plurality of end-users comprises determining an optimum power output from at least one of the electric-power devices.