CONTROL OF MULTIPLE FUEL CELL POWER PLANTS AT A SITE TO PROVIDE A DISTRIBUTED RESOURCE IN A UTILITY GRID

摘要

A site management system (11) is provided for a power system (8) at site in a utility distribution grid (10). The power system (8) includes multiple fuel cell power plants (18) and one or more loads (14), for selective connection/disconnection with the grid (10). The site management system (11) operates to control the power plants (18) in an integrated manner, alternatively in a grid connected mode and in a grid independent mode. The utility is able to view and treat the multiple power plants (18) at the site as a single, unified distributed resource on the grid (10). The site management system (11) provides signals representative of the present power capability (kw Capacity-88) of each of the power plants (18), and a signal (Total Kw Capacity -95) representative of the total present power capability at the site. These power representations are used to appropriately assign power dispatch loadings to the respective fuel cells (18) I the grid connected mode and in the grid independent mode. The site management system (11) also functions in the grid independent mode to monitor present demand of the loads (14) and, if necessary, to shed loads (14) in accordance with a predetermined schedule.