A system or method for thermal storage includes a recess or containment unit having a first storage layer and a second storage layer comprising a permeable filler material. An intermediate layer is disposed between the storage layers. A primary well traverses the layer in the recess. The primary well is in thermal communication with the first permeable filler material and the second permeable filler material. A heat source is provided for heating an inlet fluid. An input pump is in fluid communication with the primary well and the heat source. The primary well receives heated inlet fluid from the inlet pump and injects the fluid into the second layers. The heated inlet fluid transfers heat to the respective permeable filler material radially from the primary well toward an outer periphery of the thermocline recess.

A wind turbine is described which includes a support structure, a rotor which includes one or multiple rotor blades and which is situated on the support structure so that the rotor is freely rotatable about a rotation axis, and a generator which is connected to the rotor and which converts the wind energy into electrical energy when the rotor is rotating. The support structure includes a stationary ring on which the rotor is rotatably guided and on which the stator of the generator is situated.

An electric power control system for controlling supply and consumption of electric power in a system power supply, a storage battery and an electric power load, said electric power control system including: an estimated value correction unit configured to obtain a difference between a past power control estimated value and a past actual performance value, and to shift a power control estimated value obtained as a result of estimation in a predetermined period to an extent corresponding to said difference, thereby correcting the power control estimated value, wherein said past power control estimated value is a value obtained as a result of estimation performed in a past time relative to said predetermined period, and said past actual performance value is a value obtained as an actual result in the past time; and a power control unit configured to control supply and consumption of electric power in the system power supply, the storage battery, and the electric power load, based on the power control estimated value corrected by the estimated value correction unit.

Techniques for managing an off-grid power system include executing update requests for an off-grid power system that is communicably coupled to an energy management system by determining an amount of stored energy in energy storage devices in response to at least one update request, determining an amount of electrical power generatable by renewable energy power systems in response to another update request, determining a predicted reliability of at least a portion of the energy storage devices and the renewable energy power systems in response to another update request, and determining an amount of electrical power for a remote facility that is electrically coupled to the off-grid power system in response to another update request. The techniques further include determining a control command for the off-grid power system based on the responses to the update requests; and providing the control command to the off-grid power system to adjust an operation of at least one of the energy storage devices or the renewable energy power systems.

A low-voltage circuit in a bidirectional DC-DC converter converts output AC power from a high-voltage circuit to DC power to charge a smoothing reactor and discharge the smoothing reactor, and includes an active snubber circuit including switching elements and each having a backward diode and a snubber capacitor. The snubber capacitor of the active snubber circuit has its one end connected to a drain end of the switching elements and has its other end connected to a node between a center tap of a high-frequency transformer and a smoothing reactor.

The present disclosure is directed to energy storage and supply management system. The system may include one or more of a control unit, which is in communication with the power grid, and an energy storage unit that stores power for use at a later time. The system may be used with traditional utility provided power as well as locally generated solar, wind, and any other types of power generation technology. In some embodiments, the energy storage unit and the control unit are housed in the same chassis. In other embodiments, the energy storage unit and the control unit are separate. In another embodiment, the energy storage unit is integrated into the chassis of an appliance itself.

Methods, systems, and computer program products for mitigating the effects of shading in photovoltaic cells using flow batteries are provided herein. A computer-implemented method includes connecting at least one fuel stack to one or more photovoltaic cells, wherein each fuel stack comprises (i) one or more ports and (ii) one or more electrochemical cells; determining that one or more portions of the one or more photovoltaic cells are impacted by a shading effect; converting chemical energy stored in an electrolytic solution to electrical energy, by interacting the electrolytic solution with the electrochemical cells of each fuel stack connected to the portions of the impacted photovoltaic cells; automatically opening the ports of each fuel stack connected to the one or more portions of the impacted photovoltaic cells; and supplying the electrical energy to the portions of the impacted photovoltaic cells.

Methods for implementing power delivery transactions between a buyer and a seller of electrical energy supplied to an electrical grid by an integrated renewable energy source (RES) and energy storage system (ESS) of a RES-ESS facility are provided. Estimated total potential output of the RES is compared to a point of grid interconnect (POGI) limit to identify potential RES overgeneration, and the buyer is charged if potential RES overgeneration is less than potential overgeneration during one or more retrospective time windows. The method provides a basis for the RES-ESS facility owner to be paid for an estimated amount of energy that did not get stored as a result of a grid operator not fully discharging an ESS prior to the start of a new day.

A sunshade device and management system for mitigating the effects of climate change and direct and prolonged exposure to the sun, the sunshade device including a reflective canopy attached to a collapsible web or frame structure. The sunshade device is positioned above the ground by a combination of lifting balloons and positioning machines for managing the elevation, shape and geolocation of the sunshade device. A sunshade management system controls the status of the sunshade device, and can collapse and ground the sunshade in the evening, or during rainy weather, or cloudy days, or when severe weather-related events, such as thunderstorms, tornados, hurricane, etc. are anticipated, and can relaunch the sunshade device when such conditions have passed.

A controller according to an embodiment controls a hydrogen system including at least a hydrogen production system in which received power is planned in advance and a hydrogen production amount changes in accordance with the received power. The controller includes: a processor that calculates, in a preparation time period before a demand adjustment time period in which a target value of the received power is set in advance, a control command value such that input power to be inputted as the received power to the hydrogen production system matches the target value at a start of the demand adjustment time period; and a command controller that outputs the control command value calculated by the processor to the hydrogen production system.