Disclosed are a power plant that uses a synchronous generator using a working fluid for generation of electric power, and a method of controlling the power plant, the power plant and the control method having an advantage of preventing damage to the power plant during synchronization with an electrical grid. The power plant comprises a pump for compressing a working fluid, a heat exchanger for heat transfer from an external heat source to the working fluid transferred from the pump, and a power turbine generator for generating a rotational force by using the working fluid heated by the heat exchanger, generating electricity using the rotational force, and supplying the electricity to an electrical grid.

Disclosed techniques include power management using pressure amplification. An energy conversion requirement for a fluid-based energy management system is determined. The energy management system includes a pump-turbine subsystem connected to one or more pressure amplification pipes. Energy is provided to the energy management system, based on the energy conversion requirement. The energy is transformed using the pump-turbine subsystem connected to one or more pressure amplification pipes. The pump-turbine subsystem is operated at an optimal pressure-performance point for the pump-turbine subsystem. The energy that was transformed is delivered, where the delivering is accomplished using the pump-turbine subsystem connected to one or more pressure amplification pipes. The energy management system is operated by an energy management control system. The energy management control system controls coupling of the energy, the pump-turbine subsystem, and the one or more pressure amplification pipes.

A power management device managing electric power in a load facility group including plural load facilities includes: a detector that detects an instantaneous value of power consumption for each of the plural load facilities; a forecaster that forecasts an instantaneous value of power consumption for each of the plural load facilities; an operation unit that obtains a difference between the value detected by the detector and the value forecasted by the forecaster, for each of the plural load facilities; a controller that outputs a storage command or a discharge command based on whether the difference obtained by the operation unit is positive or negative; and a storage/discharge device that stores/discharges electricity based on the storage command or the discharge command output by the controller. The power management device can respond to instantaneous and steep power consumption amount change in a load facility to enable efficient use of power.

A combined gas-liquid two-phase energy storage and power generation system includes a compressed gas storage unit, a first gas pipeline, a liquid piston device, a hydraulic energy conversion unit and a first pumped power generation unit. The combined gas-liquid two-phase energy storage and power generation system connects the liquid piston device and a first port group of the hydraulic energy conversion unit and receives/outputs the hydraulic potential from/to the first port group, and connects the first pumped power generation unit with the second port group of the hydraulic energy conversion unit and receives/outputs the hydraulic potential from/to the second port group.

A facility for generating electricity, including a water source and a plurality of penstocks adapted for selective flow communication with the water source for delivering water from the water source to a turbine electricity generator. An electricity distribution system is provided having a first component adapted to deliver electricity generated by the turbine electricity generator to an electric grid and an alternative second component adapted to use the electricity to power an air compressor. A compressed air storage reservoir is provided for storing air compressed by the air compressor, including an outlet for selectively delivering the compressed air to the plurality of penstocks according to a predetermined sequence for providing energy to the water contained in the penstock to propel the water from the penstock to the turbine.

A facility for generating electricity, including a water source and a plurality of penstocks adapted for selective flow communication with the water source for delivering water from the water source to a turbine electricity generator. An electricity distribution system is provided having a first component adapted to deliver electricity generated by the turbine electricity generator to an electric grid and an alternative second component adapted to use the electricity to power an air compressor. A compressed air storage reservoir is provided for storing air compressed by the air compressor, including an outlet for selectively delivering the compressed air to the plurality of penstocks according to a predetermined sequence for providing energy to the water contained in the penstock to propel the water from the penstock to the turbine.

An energy storage and regeneration system that converts irregular, non-constant, and variable input power to regular, constant, and controlled output power using hydraulics whereby the irregular input power is used to pump hydraulic fluid into an accumulator array where it is stored pressurized. Energy is released in a controlled fashion using a hydraulic motor operated by the pressurized hydraulic fluid from the accumulator array, in accordance with the specified power demand. One or more power units may be deployed depending on the amount of energy required at the output. Each power unit includes a hydraulic motor and associated floating accumulator whose internal pressure is controlled to maintain a substantially constant pressure differential across its associated motor. The system can be integrated into various energy system sources including renewable energy such as wind, PV or thermal solar, wave, tidal, etc.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for pumping or removing a fluid from a region within or on top of or in contact with a water or liquid body and applications for said systems and methods. Some embodiments may be applicable to, for example, inhibiting or preventing growth formation or fouling of structures in liquid environments. Other embodiments may be applicable to, for example, an energy storage device or a tidal power energy generation system.

A hydrostatically based energy conversion unit, which comprises a vertically oriented cylinder; a piston sealingly engaged with and vertically displaceable within the cylinder; a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted to a surface located above the cylinder and mechanically connected to the piston; a motor for driving the shaft in a first rotational direction; and a generator coupled to the shaft for producing electrical power when the shaft rotates in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction. The piston is vertically displaceable in a first vertical direction during a charging mode following operation of the motor, and is vertically displaceable in a second vertical direction opposite to the first vertical direction during a power generating mode after being hydrostatically driven to produce electrical power in conjunction with the generator.

A method for controlling an operating condition of an electric power grid having an intermittent power supply coupled thereto, comprising: using an energy variability controller, controlling variability of a delivered power output of the intermittent power supply to the grid by: monitoring an actual environmental value for a location proximate the intermittent power supply, an available power output of the intermittent power supply being dependent on the actual environmental value; when the actual environmental value is increasing and hence the available power output is increasing, increasing the delivered power output according to a predetermined rate of increase; monitoring a forecast environmental value for the location; when the forecast environmental value is decreasing, decreasing the delivered power output according to a predetermined rate of decrease; and, limiting the delivered power output to below a predetermined threshold. The electric power grid may be or may include an electric power microgrid.