An electric power grid requires that the energy input matches the energy output to maintain grid stability. Regulations services adjust the output to meet demand, but the increase of intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power requires improved methods for reliable, low-cost services.  PNNL’s grid regulations services are a system comprising one or more processing units, one or more specialized computer-readable storage media, an interface to a bi-directional charger, and an energy storage device.  The bi-directional charger charges or discharges the energy storage device, which is responsive to the processing units that execute instructions stored on the computer-readable storage media. 

The services allow an energy storage device such as a battery to vary its contribution to the power grid between full discharge (generation) and full charge (consumption) states.  For instance, the services can adjust the actual amount of load on the system using a regulation signal and information about any constraints imposed on the load device (such as a desired finish time or maximum device capacity). The services can be used in a wide variety of applications, ranging from power grid regulation to battery charging control methods, electric vehicle charging systems, rechargeable battery systems, and beyond.