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DE-102025145315-A1 - OPTIMIZED PRODUCTION OF RENEWABLE FUELS USING AN ISLAND NETWORK CONTROL UNIT

DE102025145315A1DE 102025145315 A1DE102025145315 A1DE 102025145315A1DE-102025145315-A1

Abstract

An island grid control unit can determine, based on load and energy resource information, that a group of renewable energy resource systems (REBs) is generating excess renewable energy relative to the island grid's load demand; calculate the excess amount of renewable energy generated by the group of REBs; send a start command to a balance of plant (BOP) control unit to start the electrolyzer based on the group of REBs generating excess renewable energy; receive a ready status from the BOP control unit indicating that the electrolyzer has started successfully; send a communication signal to the BOP control unit specifying the amount of excess renewable energy to initiate the production of a quantity of renewable fuel proportional to the amount of excess renewable energy; and forward the excess renewable energy to the electrolyzer to produce the renewable fuel.

Inventors

  • Chinmay Shah
  • Sowmya Nagesh
  • Gregory Scott Hasler

Assignees

  • CATERPILLAR INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251104
Priority Date
20241111

Claims (10)

  1. Island grid control unit, comprising: a communication interface configured to receive load information corresponding to a variety of loads connected to an island grid, receives energy resource information corresponding to a variety of energy resource systems configured to power the island grid, communicates with a balance of plant (BOP) control unit and outputs control signals to the BOP control unit to regulate the production of a renewable fuel by an electrolyzer, where the variety of energy resource systems comprises a group of renewable energy-based (REB) energy resource systems configured to generate renewable energy; one or more storage devices; and one or more processors that are communicatively coupled to the one or more memories and are configured to: determine, based on load information and energy resource information, that the group of REB energy resource systems is generating excess renewable energy relative to the load demand of the multitude of loads, and calculate an amount of excess renewable energy generated by the group of REB energy resource systems, send a start command to the BOP control unit to start the electrolyzer based on the group of REB energy resource systems generating the excess renewable energy, distribute at least a portion of the excess renewable energy to the electrolyzer to start the electrolyzer, send a communication signal to the BOP control unit, based on receiving a ready status from the BOP control unit indicating that the electrolyzer has been successfully started, specifying the amount of excess renewable energy, to initiate production of an amount of renewable fuel proportional to the amount of excess renewable energy renewable energy is, and supplies the excess renewable energy to the electrolyzer for the production of the renewable fuel.
  2. Island grid control unit according to Claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to: continuously or periodically update the amount of excess renewable energy based on load information and information about the energy resources to reflect the current amount of excess renewable energy generated by the group of REB energy resource systems; provide updates of the current amount of excess renewable energy to the BOP control unit to regulate the amount of renewable fuel produced by the electrolyzer; and deliver the current amount of excess renewable energy to the electrolyzer to produce the amount of renewable fuel proportional to the current amount of excess renewable energy.
  3. Island grid control unit according to Claim 1 , wherein one or more processors are configured to: pass the start command to the BOP control unit to start the electrolyzer based on the amount of excess renewable energy that meets a threshold.
  4. Island grid control unit according to Claim 1 , wherein one or more processors are configured to: monitor the amount of excess renewable energy generated by the group of REB energy resource systems based on load information and energy resource information; determine, based on load information and energy resource information, that the group of REB energy resource systems is no longer generating excess renewable energy relative to the load demand; and, based on the group of REB energy resource systems no longer generating excess renewable energy, transmit a stop command to the BOP control unit to shut down the electrolyzer.
  5. Island grid control unit according to Claim 1 , wherein one or more processors are configured to: monitor, based on load information and energy resource information, the amount of excess renewable energy generated by the group of REB energy resource systems; predict, based on load information and energy resource information, an energy shortage indicating that the group of REB energy resource systems will not produce excess renewable energy relative to the load demand for more than a threshold period; and, based on the energy shortage prediction, send a stop command to the BOP control unit to shut down the electrolyzer.
  6. Island grid control unit according to Claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to: monitor the amount of excess renewable energy generated by the group of REB energy resource systems based on load information and energy resource information; predict a temporary energy shortage based on load information and energy resource information, in which the group of REB energy resource systems does not generate excess renewable energy relative to the load demand for less than a threshold duration; and, based on the prediction of the temporary energy shortage, send a standby command to the BOP control unit to place the electrolyzer into a standby operating mode.
  7. Island grid control unit according to Claim 6 , wherein one or more processors are configured to: send a restart command to the BOP control unit based on the expiry of the threshold time in order to resume the production of renewable fuel by the electrolyzer.
  8. Island grid control unit according to Claim 6 , wherein one or more processors are configured to: send a restart command to the BOP control unit to resume renewable fuel production by the electrolyzer based on the amount of excess renewable energy that meets a threshold.
  9. Island grid control unit according to Claim 1 , wherein one or more processors are configured to: receive an error indicator from the BOP control unit, and supply some of the excess renewable energy to the electrolyzer in order to shut it down in a controlled manner.
  10. A method for controlling the installations of an island grid, comprising: Receiving load information by an island grid control unit corresponding to the current load demand of a plurality of loads connected to the island grid; Receiving energy resource information by an island grid control unit corresponding to a plurality of energy resource systems configured to supply power to the island grid, wherein the plurality of energy resource systems includes a group of renewable energy resource systems (REBs) configured to generate renewable energy; Determining, based on the load information and the energy resource information, that the group of REB energy source systems is generating excess renewable energy relative to the current load demand of the plurality of loads; Calculating, by the island grid control unit, the amount of excess renewable energy generated by the group of REB energy source systems; The island grid control unit forwards a start command, based on the group of REB energy resource systems generating the excess renewable energy, to a Balance of Plant (BOP) control unit to start an electrolyzer that produces renewable fuel; The island grid control unit sends at least a portion of the excess renewable energy to the electrolyzer to start the electrolyzer; The island grid control unit receives a ready status from the BOP control unit indicating that the electrolyzer has started successfully; The island grid control unit sends a communication signal to the BOP control unit, based on the received ready status, indicating the amount of excess renewable energy, to initiate the production of a quantity of renewable fuel proportional to the amount of excess renewable energy; and the island grid control unit sends the excess renewable energy to the electrolyzer to produce the renewable fuel.

Description

Technical field The present disclosure relates generally to island networks and, for example, to an island network control unit configured to control or manage the operation of an island network. State of the art An island grid is a self-sufficient energy system that supplies a specific geographic area, such as a college campus, hospital complex, business center, residential area, mining site, drilling site, and/or similar facilities. Within an island grid, there are one or more types of distributed energy sources (DERs) (e.g., solar panels, wind turbines, fuel cells, photovoltaic cells, generators, energy storage devices (e.g., batteries, capacitors), and/or other energy sources) that generate electricity for the island grid. Some island grids are configured as off-grid power distribution systems (e.g., standalone island grids or islands) that are not connected to a larger power distribution system (e.g., a macro grid) operated by, for example, a utility company or power plant. Some island grids can operate in both grid-connected and stand-alone modes. In grid-connected mode, an island grid can operate in conjunction with and synchronize with the larger power distribution system. In stand-alone mode, the island grid can be disconnected from the larger power distribution system and operated as an independent island grid. An island grid control unit can manage whether the island grid operates in grid-connected mode or in stand-alone mode, for example, based on a schedule or one or more conditions that must be met. An island grid can include various types of energy recovery systems (ER), including ER based on non-renewable fuels (e.g., generator sets and certain types of fuel cells), ER based on renewable energy sources (e.g., wind, water, and solar), and energy storage systems (ESS) (e.g., batteries and capacitors). It may be desirable to include a fuel generation system within an island grid that produces a renewable fuel such as hydrogen. Furthermore, it may be desirable to utilize renewable ER when excess renewable energy is available to power the fuel generation system for renewable fuel production. Many island grids lack an efficient method for managing all renewable energy-based ER to allocate excess renewable energy for renewable fuel production. The Chinese patent application CN102710013A This describes an energy-optimizing management system implemented through energy planning for parks and energy management for island grids. Island grid energy management is divided into a three-tiered structure, comprising an energy planning level for island grids, a central control level for island grids, and a local control level for island grids, stored energy, and loads. The constraints of an energy-optimizing management process are ensured by the centralized control level of the island grid. The performance of each island grid or stored energy unit is determined by a coordination control policy for island grids and stored energy within a central island grid control system, and an objective function comprises three objective function subsets at different levels. By calculating the objective function values in different states using a weight-based multi-objective optimization algorithm, the lack of randomness and intermittency of the decentralized energy source can be overcome, the complementarity problem between multiple island grids and multiple micro-energy sources within the park energy network can be solved, and optimized clean energy use and maximization of system energy efficiency can be achieved. However, the Chinese patent application does not disclose the use of surplus renewable energy for the production of renewable fuels. The island grid control unit of the present disclosure solves one or more of the above-mentioned problems and/or other problems in this area. Summary In some implementations, the control unit of an island grid includes a communication interface configured to: receive load information corresponding to a variety of loads connected to the island grid; receive energy resource information corresponding to a variety of energy resource systems configured to power the island grid; communicate with a Balance of Plant (BOP) control unit; and issue control signals to the BOP control unit to regulate the production of a renewable fuel by an electrolyzer, considering the variety of energy resources. systems comprise a group of renewable energy resource systems (RES) configured to generate renewable energy; one or more storage systems; and one or more processors that are communicatively coupled to the one or more memories and are configured to: determine, based on load information and energy resource information, that the group of REB energy resource systems generates excess renewable energy relative to the load demand of the multitude of loads; calculate an amount of excess renewable energy generated by the group of REB energy resource systems; send a start command to the BOP control unit to sta