Method for trading electrical energy between small producers and end users

Abstract

A device for controlling the feeding and discharging of electrical energy in or from a small producer network having at least one energy producer and at least one energy consumer. The device includes a transaction unit for communicating with at least one electronic energy trade prospect in order to negotiate and/or to define a transaction of a predefined quantity of energy; a measuring system for measuring a quantity of fed or discharged energy; a control system, which is in communication with the measuring system, designed to feed or to discharge the predefined quantity of energy via an electrical cable and controlled via a logic unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a transfer of electrical energy to and from a small producer network having at least one energy producer and at least one energy consumer, the apparatus comprising: a transaction unit for communicating with at least one electronic energy trade prospect, said transaction unit being configured to negotiate and/or define a transaction for a prescribed amount of energy; a measuring system having at least one sensor for measuring an amount of energy that is supplied to, or taken from, the producer network; a control system having a controller with a driver circuit in communication with said measuring system and configured to supply or take the prescribed amount of energy via an electrical cable; a logic unit connected via a data line to said transaction unit and being configured for communication with said controller of said control system and with said transaction unit, said logic unit being configured to produce a forecast about energy required or available in the small producer network and transmitting the forecast to said transaction unit, the forecast defining the predetermined amount of energy and the forecast being based on additional information about specific time intervals or time periods at which an electric vehicle is typically charged and/or household machines are typically operated; said transaction unit being configured, upon receiving confirmation about the transaction from the energy trade prospect, to transmit information regarding a concluded transaction to said logic unit via said data line; said logic unit being configured to actuate said control system based on the transaction and said control system being configured to supply or take the prescribed amount of energy based on the transaction for the prescribed amount of energy negotiated by said transaction unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said logic unit is configured to communicate a control signal for a flow of energy in concordance with a predetermined amount of energy to said control system.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said logic unit comprises a user interface configured to enable a user to configure the apparatus.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said logic unit is configured to acquire parameters relevant to a control of said control unit from a database.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a blockchain storing a data record relating to the transaction, the data record containing a hash value for a data record relating to a preceding transaction.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said logic unit is configured to communicate to said transaction unit at least one of the following items of information: a report of the expected amount of energy available for supply; a supply period; a supply duration; a supplied amount; a location; a price; and/or a type of production.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the items of information are sent from said logic unit to said transaction unit if the energy is to be taken, in order to define an offer, in order to configure a search for and/or a selection of a transaction, or if the amount of energy is to be supplied.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said transaction unit is configured to transmit information pertaining to a concluded transaction to said logic unit, wherein the information concerning when the amount of energy is to be supplied or to be taken comprises at least one of the following items of information: a confirmation of conclusion of an agreement; a supply period; a supply duration; a supplied amount; a location; a price; and/or a type of production.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said measuring system is configured to communicate the amount of energy supplied or taken to said logic unit.

10. A network system for transferring electrical energy to and from a small producer network having at least one energy producer and at least one energy consumer, the network system comprising: at least one energy user having an electrical connection; an energy producer connected to said electrical connection of said energy user for transmitting electrical energy; a transaction unit communicatively connected to said at least one energy user, said transaction unit being configured to negotiate with the at least one energy user and/or define a transaction for a prescribed amount of energy; a measuring system having at least one sensor for measuring an amount of energy that is supplied to, or taken from, the producer network; a control system having a controller in communication with said measuring system and configured to control a transfer of electrical energy to and from a small producer network having the energy producer and the at least one energy consumer; a logic unit connected via a data line to said transaction unit and being configured to communicate with said control system and with said transaction unit, said logic unit being configured to produce a forecast about energy required or available in the small producer network and to transmit the forecast to said transaction unit, the forecast defining the predetermined amount of energy and the forecast being based on additional information about specific time intervals or time periods at which an electric vehicle is typically charged and/or household machines are typically operated; said transaction unit being configured, upon receiving confirmation about the transaction from the at least one energy user, to transmit information regarding a concluded transaction to said logic unit via said data line; and said logic unit being configured to actuate said control system based on the transaction, and said control system being configured to supply or take the prescribed amount of energy based on the transaction for the prescribed amount of energy negotiated by said transaction unit; and wherein the amount of energy arranged in the transaction is taken via the electrical cable and is supplied to the at least one energy user via said electrical cable.

11. A method for controlling a transfer of electrical energy to and from a small producer network, the producer network having at least one energy producer and at least one energy consumer, the method comprising: by a transaction unit communicating between the energy producer and the energy consumer and negotiating and/or defining a transaction for a prescribed amount of energy; by a logic unit producing a forecast about energy required or available in the small producer network, the forecast defining a predetermined amount of energy and the forecast being based on additional information about specific time intervals or time periods at which an electric vehicle is typically charged and/or at which a household machine is typically operated measuring, by a measuring system, an amount of energy being supplied to, or taken from, the producer network; receiving, by the transaction unit, a confirmation about the transaction from the energy producer or the energy consumer, and transmitting information regarding a concluded transaction to the logic unit via a data line; and controlling, by a control system that is connected to the transaction unit and to the logic unit, a transfer of the prescribed amount of energy via an electrical cable based on the transaction for the prescribed amount of energy determined in the transaction.

12. The method according to claim 11, which comprises controlling the transfer of energy under a modulation of a logic unit in communication with the control system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an apparatus for controlling a supplying and taking of electrical energy in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

(2) FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a system for transmitting energy in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(3) The apparatus 1 schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 for controlling a supplying and taking of electrical energy to and from a small producer network 3 comprises a transaction unit 5 that is communicatively connected to at least one electronic energy trade prospect 7 or an entire network (such as network system 50 in FIG. 2) for the purpose of communication, in order to negotiate and/or define a transaction for a prescribed amount of energy. This is accomplished by virtue of the transaction unit 5 being connected to the electronic energy trade prospect 7, which itself may comprise an apparatus 1, via communication lines 9 that permit a bidirectional data interchange.

(4) The apparatus 1 further comprises a measuring system 11 for measuring an amount of supplied or taken energy, the energy being taken via a connection 13 and supplied to the apparatus 1 via an electrical connection 15. Energy is taken (and transmitted to the apparatus 1) from the small producer network 3 via a connection 17 and supplied via the connection 19.

(5) The apparatus 1 further comprises a control system 21 in communication with the measuring system 11, which is designed to supply the prescribed amount of energy to the small energy producer network 3, or to take it from the latter, via an electrical cable 17, 19.

(6) In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the apparatus 1 further comprises a logic unit 23 in communication with the control system 21 and in communication with the transaction unit 5, in order to actuate the control system 21 on the basis of the transaction. The logic unit 23 is e.g. designed to communicate a control signal 25 for a flow of energy in concordance with the predetermined amount of energy to the control system 21.

(7) The logic unit 23 is further equipped with a user interface 27, e.g. a keyboard with a screen, that allows a user to configure the apparatus 1. A data interface 28 can be used to supply further configuration data.

(8) The logic unit 23 is further designed to retrieve and obtain parameters relevant to the control of the control unit 21 from a database 29, in particular via a data line 31.

(9) In the illustrated embodiment 1, the transaction unit 5 also comprises a blockchain 33 in which a data record relating to the transaction is stored, said data record containing a hash value for a data record relating to a preceding transaction. The blockchain itself, that is to say the long data record, can therefore be managed in the transaction unit 5 separately from the logic unit 23. The separation is not absolutely necessary, but affords the advantage that the two “information tasks” closed-loop/open-loop control and management of the blockchain are separate and the computers do not influence one another in the present case.

(10) The use of a blockchain is only one embodiment option in this case. It is likewise possible for the communication for trading the electrical energy to be managed centrally via a server.

(11) In other embodiments, the blockchain 33 is arranged in other components of the apparatus 1, e.g. optionally as 33′ in the logic unit 23, or outside the apparatus 1.

(12) The measuring unit 11 uses a data line 35 to communicate the amount of supplied or taken energy to the logic unit 23.

(13) The logic unit 23 is designed to use a data line 37 to transmit information about an energy demand or information about an available energy to the transaction unit 5. This can involve e.g. a supply period, a supply duration, a supplied amount, a location, a price and a type of production being transmitted to the transaction unit 5 via data lines 37. The transaction unit 5 then uses the communication lines 9 to communicate information relating to a supply or demand to the energy trade prospect 7, with which an agreement regarding the supply or purchase of electrical energy can then be concluded. The transaction unit 5 then receives confirmation about the transaction from the energy trade prospect 7 and transmits information regarding the concluded transaction to the logic unit 23 via a data line 39.

(14) A central server for the energy trade is therefore not absolutely necessary; the trade can be handled by means of a local data interchange using blockchain.

(15) In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus schematically depicted in FIG. 1 may be integrated in an electricity meter. The apparatus 1 is also referred to as a control unit below. The control unit can allow a private power trade. Agreements for the energy trade can be concluded (peer to peer) by means of transaction logic (contained in the transaction unit 5) via a data network, for example by means of blockchain. The logic unit 23 can be used to ascertain the individual demand for or supply of energy in this case and may be designed to ascertain the individual demand for and supply of energy. In particular, the logic unit may be designed to ascertain the demand for or supply of energy that a private end user or small producer has at a particular time. The measuring unit 11 can measure the actual flow of energy in this case; the demand/supply is ascertained and communicated by means of the transaction unit 5 and/or the logic unit 23. Coupled with further data sources, such as e.g. weather forecasts, number of hours of sunshine, etc., e.g. from source 29 via data line 31, and also criteria stored directly by the user (input e.g. via interface) for preferred power sources, the logic unit 23 can make an optimum prediction and control the trade accordingly. This can be accomplished by virtue of the control unit 21 serving as a “switch” that either uses the power produced itself for its own purposes as required or, if there are overcapacities, outputs it to the system 41, in particular the energy system 41.

(16) The data line 35 can be used to communicate the amount of electrical energy for the consumers, the amount of electrical energy produced, the amount of electrical energy supplied and/or the amount of electrical energy taken. The data line 25 can be used to output control signals for the flows of energy to the switch.

(17) The control line 37 can be used as required to transmit a search criterion for the selection of a suitable supplier (e.g. supply period, supply duration, supplied amount, location, price, type of production) and, on delivery, the report of the foreseeable supplied amount, period, duration, price. The data line 39 can be used as required to communicate a report regarding the conclusion of an agreement, in the event of success information regarding the supply period, supply duration, supplied amount, location, price, type of production and, on delivery, a report regarding the conclusion of an agreement, in the event of success with information regarding the supply period, supply duration, supplied amount, location, price. The system 50 may be connected to distribution system operators or transmission system operators, which are in turn contained in an energy network 55.

(18) The available electrical energy can be fed to an existing system 41 (for example of a DSO) or directly to the consumer, as illustrated schematically in FIG. 2. In this regard, FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a system 50 for transmitting energy in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A plurality of small producer networks (and/or single persons) 3a, 3b . . . , 3e are communicatively connected in a communication network 51, in particular a trading network (blockchain) for private energy trade, specifically via respective control units 1a, 1b, . . . , 1e (as are illustrated e.g. in FIG. 1) that each have a transaction unit.

(19) Not all of the users connected in the network 51 need to have an energy producer. The small producer network 1b has e.g. photovoltaic cells, which may be installed on a residential building, for example. The small producer network 1d has e.g. a wind turbine. 3a, 3c and 3e produce no electrical energy themselves and therefore feature only as customers/consumers.

(20) The small producer networks 1a, . . . , 1e act in the present case as energy trade prospects 7 between which the energy trade takes place.

(21) In the network 51, there is also provision for a further energy trade prospect 7 with which an energy trade between the various small producer networks or private networks 1a, 1b, 1c, . . . , 1e can take place. An energy flow between various users of the system 50 can take place through high-current cables, which are not illustrated. The electrical energy available in one of the small energy production networks can be fed to an existing network or directly to the consumer, as illustrated in FIG. 2. At the same time, the supplied amount of energy can be offered via a decentralized network as available and hence for purchase.

(22) The network 55 comprises energy production, TSO infrastructure and DSO infrastructure.

(23) Embodiments of the present invention can allow local trade of electrical energy. This can involve a private end user using a network interface to communicate its energy demand (and/or else the supply (e.g. “over supply in the case of 3b, . . . )). It can detect the optimum energy supply, according to its preferred criteria (e.g. as cheap as possible, green power, etc.), in the blockchain and use the blockchain to conclude the agreement.