Patent ID: 8744635

Claim:
A method of operating a power production facility, the method comprising: receiving at a plant controller a current power production rate of the power production facility; receiving a power production rate requirement at the plant controller from a utility receiving power from the power production facility; determining at the plant controller that the current power production rate is either below or above the power production rate requirement; transmitting a signal from the plant controller to cause a power producing device to charge an energy storage device in the event that the current power production rate is above the power production rate requirement or to cause the energy storage device discharge in the event that the current power production rate is below the power production rate requirement; and providing a signal to the utility that indicates a ramp rate availability of the power production facility, the ramp rate availability being calculated based on a relation between a possible power of the power production facility, a power set point, and a charge status of the energy storage device.