Kitu Systems has secured a new one patent for the “System and Method for Shared Control of Distributed Energy Resources.” This patent, issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and authored by Kitu’s CEO Rick Kornfeld and Vice President of Engineering Chris Leclercq, establishes a method for assigning rights to different parties to use the same distributed energy resources (DERs). check.
Often multiple parties have an interest in controlling the same distributed energy source, each with different objectives. These different controls can conflict, creating a need for a method that clearly defines the rights and priorities of each party. The shared control patent addresses this problem by providing a deterministic mechanism that allows multiple service providers to share valuable control of a DER based on their contractual and/or regulatory priorities.
For example, the control-sharing mechanism outlined in the patent would allow a distribution utility to control the discharge of a battery storage device for grid stabilization purposes with a higher priority than a commercial service provider that discharges the battery for purely commercial purposes.
“Sharing control of a distributed energy resource, such as a battery storage system or an electric vehicle, is a lot like sharing any other valuable asset, such as water,” Kornfeld said. “This patent, which leverages the capabilities of modern DER control protocols, will be a key element in the deployment of these systems.”
News item from Kitu Systems