H02J13/00006

Methods of optimizing energy usage from energy suppliers

Implementations of the disclosed subject matter may provide a method includes determining, at a server, average historical usage of energy by a user based on received energy usage data. The server may determine at least one available energy usage plan from one or more energy providers based on the determined average historical usage of energy and by determining available energy rate structures. The server may determine an optimized energy usage from the one or more energy providers based on the determined at least one available energy usage plan. The method may include controlling, at the server, one or more setting of an energy usage device based on the determined optimized energy usage and a selected energy usage plan from the determined at least one energy usage plan.

Energy dispatch system, apparatus, and method
11641111 · 2023-05-02 · ·

An energy dispatch system, apparatus, and method are disclosed. The energy dispatch system includes a server and multiple site controllers respectively corresponding to multiple users. Each user corresponds to an energy storage device, and each energy storage device has a stage of charge. The server determines a scheduled power consumption target of each scheduling period for each user according to a total support power, multiple power consumption references of the users, and the stages of charge. The server transmits each scheduled power consumption target corresponding to a first scheduling period of the scheduling periods to the corresponding site controller. Each site controller controls the corresponding energy storage device to charge or discharge according to the corresponding actual load and the corresponding state of charge in the first scheduling period so that the power consumption of the corresponding user during the first scheduling period meets the corresponding scheduled power consumption target.

System, method, and apparatus for electric power grid and network management of grid elements
11650613 · 2023-05-16 · ·

Systems, methods, and apparatus for smart electric power grid communication are disclosed in the present invention. At least one grid element transmits at least one registration message over an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network to at least one coordinator. The at least one coordinator registers the at least one grid element upon receipt of the at least one registration message. The at least one grid element automatically and/or autonomously transforms into at least one active grid element for actively functioning in the electric power grid. The at least one coordinator tracks based on revenue grade metrology an amount of power available for the electric power grid or a curtailment power available from the at least one active grid element.

BOOTSTRAP START-UP CIRCUIT FOR MICROINVERTER
20230155521 · 2023-05-18 ·

A microinverter is provided herein and comprises DC side MOSFETs connected to an input side of the microinverter, AC side MOSFETs connected to an output of the microinverter, and a plurality of gate drivers connected to the AC side MOSFETs and configured to automatically drive the microinverter without a DC voltage being applied to the input side of the microinverter.

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING A POWER CONVERSION SYSTEM

Methods and apparatus are provided herein. For example, a method for maintaining a power conversion system can include transmitting, to a computing apparatus in operable communication with the power conversion system, an alert message indicating non-working microinverters and which of the non-working microinverters are under warranty and eligible for replacement; receiving, from the computing apparatus, a request for replacement for the non-working microinverters; and transmitting, to the computing apparatus, an acknowledgment message indicating that the request has been successfully received and replacements for the non-working microinverters are being shipped.

System, method, and apparatus for grid location

A computer system at a substation of an electrical grid examines on-grid communication channels and for very channel, the system compares and correlates a GLA signal provided by a downstream transmitter on that channel to a reference GLA signal. The channel that provided the signal with the best correlation is mostly likely the channel with the transmitter. Thus, the feeder and phase of the signal can be determined from the correlation of signals.

Controller circuit for photovoltaic module

A controller circuit for a PV module includes a receiver circuit and a mode control and power conversion circuit. The receiver circuit receives a first signal from a transmitter circuit and changes a second signal from a first state to a second state responsive to the first signal. The mode control and power conversion circuit receives a DC voltage from a string of PV cells, receives the second signal from the receiver circuit, switches from a first mode to a second mode in response to the second signal being in the second state, converts the DC string voltage to a standby voltage in the second mode, and provides the standby voltage to DC power lines. The standby voltage is less than an operating voltage provided by the mode control and power conversion circuit in the first mode.

Shading and Lighting Control Using a Control Network
20170356243 · 2017-12-14 ·

A control system is disclosed that includes a room controller transmitting signals to both a shade control network and a light control network, directing that motorized roller shades and dimmable lights be set to desired intensity levels. The control system further includes an intelligent hub that provides a trickle-charge re-charge current via power-over-Ethernet cables to batteries associated with each of the motorized roller shades for re-charging the batteries, thereby eliminating power supplies being installed within walls. The intelligent hub provides for communication with the room controller based on streaming protocol and with the shade control network based on event-based protocol. A computer running user-interface software can be connected to the system to facilitate programming.

Voltage monitoring control system, voltage monitoring control device, measurement device, and voltage monitoring control method
09843195 · 2017-12-12 · ·

A voltage monitoring control system includes voltage control apparatuses controlling voltage on a power distribution line, a local voltage control device adjusting a voltage value controlled by the voltage control apparatuses such that it is maintained within a range between voltage upper-and-lower-limit values updated every first cycle, a voltage and power-flow measurement device calculating and transmitting fluctuation-band information indicating fluctuation band of the voltage every third cycle longer than a second cycle based on voltage on the power distribution line measured every second cycle shorter than the first cycle, and a centralized voltage control device. The centralized voltage control device includes a voltage-fluctuation-band calculation unit calculating fluctuation band within the first cycle, an optimal-voltage-distribution determination unit determining a threshold value for allowance for each of upper and lower limits of an appropriate voltage range and acquiring an optimal control amount, and a voltage upper-and-lower-limit-value determination unit.

Building load modification responsive to utility grid events using robotic process automation
11682903 · 2023-06-20 · ·

Responding to grid events is provided. The system determines, based on an event, to modify an electrical load of a site. The system selects a parameter for the site to adjust to modify the electrical load. The system identifies a script constructed from previously processed interactions between a human-machine interface of the building management system to adjust the parameter for the site. The system establishes a communication session with a remote access agent executed by a computing device of the site to invoke the building management system of the site. The system generates a sequence of commands defined by the script to adjust the one or more parameters for the site. The system transmits the sequence of commands to cause the remote access agent to execute the sequence of commands on the human-machine interface of the building management system to modify the electrical load of the site.