Patent ID: 8626353

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for managing dispatch of energy for distribution to customers of an energy utility, said method comprising: receiving, at a processor device, configuration data of an energy distribution network including at least one energy generator for generating energy units, and generator busses carrying energy units dispatched from said generators to customers via transmission lines, receiving, at a processor device, data representing a renewable energy source injected for power generation on one of said generator busses; specifying decision variables for controlling a dispatching of energy units from energy sources over said network and a total power extracted at connected generator busses over said network in a defined time period; specifying a set of optimization constraints including a risk control constraint as a function of said decision variables, said configuration data and injected energy data; formulating, via mixed integer programming at said processor device, an optimization problem having an a cost-based objective function representing an objective to minimize a total cost metric within an acceptable risk level; solving, by said processing device, said optimization problem subject to said risk control constraint, set of optimization constraints, the objective and the cost-based objective function to jointly determine an optimal dispatching policy for generated energy units and an incentive rate for customers of the utility to extract load reduction from said customers total power at connected generator busses over said network in said defined time period that minimizes said total cost metric within said acceptable risk level, said dispatching policy comprising an on/off status indicator of a generator i for each of one or more generator buses i, a real power generation P g i of each generator bus i, a voltage phase angle θ i of each bus, and an energy unit incentive rebate price r offered to customers on the one or more buses; and, outputting said dispatching policy and incentive rate for adoption by the utility to control energy dispatch and customer demand response.