Systems and methods for solar power equipment

• US 10,042,963 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2015
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpha Technologies Services, Inc. (EnerSys)
• Original Assignee: Alpha Technologies Incorporated (EnerSys)
• Inventors: Petroski, Gordon H., Meyer, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thangavelu, Kandasamy
• Application Number:
  US14/716,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20150254381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 6/001 having photovoltaic cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/046 PV modules composed of a plurality of thin film solar cells deposited on the same substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/46 Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines

Abstract

Power equipment designed for use at a particular location comprises an insolation database, a load database, a processing system, and solar power equipment. The insolation database comprises insolation values associated with a plurality of geographic data points. The load database associates appropriate power equipment with load requirements. The processing system determines a solar power design from load requirements generated from the insolation database based on the insolation values associated with a geographic data point closest to the particular location and the load requirements selected from the load database. The solar power equipment is installed according to the solar power design.

Claims

1. Solar power equipment designed for use at a particular location, comprising:

an insolation database comprising at least first and second insolation values associated with each of a plurality of geographic data points;

a load database associating predetermined solar power systems with load data; and

a processing system for

allowing the user to enter minimum load requirements for power equipment at the particular location,

determining a first solar power design based on

the minimum load requirements for power equipment at the particular location,

the first insolation value in the insolation database associated with a geographic data point closest to the particular location, and

load data in the load database,

determining a second solar power design based on

the minimum load requirements for power equipment at the particular location,

the second insolation value in the insolation database associated with the geographic data point closest to the particular location, and

load data in the load database;

whereby

the solar power equipment is installed according to one of the first and second solar power designs.

2. Solar power equipment as recited in claim 1, in which the processing system further generates a third solar power design.

3. Solar power equipment as recited in claim 1, further comprising a user interface for allowing one of the first and second solar power designs to be selected.

4. Solar power equipment as recited in claim 1, further comprising a user interface, wherein

the user interface allows entry of the minimum load requirements for power equipment at the particular location.

5. Solar power equipment as recited in claim 1, in which:

the first value is an average insolation value; and

the second value is a minimum insolation value.

6. Solar power equipment as recited in claim 5, in which a first cost associated with the first solar power design is less than a second cost associated with the second solar power design.

7. A method of operating solar power equipment at a particular location, comprising:

providing, in a processing system, an insolation database comprising at least first and second insolation values associated with each of a plurality of geographic data points;

providing, in the processing system, a load database associating predetermined power systems with load data;

selecting, using the processing system, a geographic data point closest to the particular location;

entering, using the processing system, minimum load requirements for power equipment at the particular location;

determining, using the processing system, a first solar power design based on the minimum load requirements for power equipment at the particular location, the first insolation value in the insolation database associated with the geographic data point closest to the particular location, and load data in the load database;

determining, using the processing system, a second solar power design based on the minimum load requirements for power equipment at the particular location, the second insolation value in the insolation database associated with the geographic data point closest to the particular location, and load data in the load database; and

installing the solar power equipment at the particular location according to one of the first and second solar power designs.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, in which a third solar power design is generated.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

providing a user interface; and

selecting one of the first and second solar power designs using the user interface.

10. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

providing a user interface;

entering the minimum load requirements for power equipment at the particular location using the user interface.

11. A method as recited in claim 7, in which:

the first value is an average insolation value; and

the second value is a minimum insolation value.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, in which a first cost associated with the first solar power design is less than a second cost associated with the second solar power design.

13. Solar power equipment designed for use at a particular location, comprising:

a user interface that allows entry of minimum load requirements for power equipment at the particular location;

an insolation database comprising at least average and minimum insolation values associated with each of a plurality of geographic data points;

a load database associating predetermined solar power systems with load data; and

a processing system for

generating a first solar power design based on the minimum load requirements for power equipment at the particular location, the average insolation value associated with a geographic data point closest to the particular location, and load data in the load database, and

generating a second solar power design based on the minimum load requirements for power equipment at the particular location, the minimum insolation value associated with a geographic data point closest to the particular location, and load data in the load database; and

the solar power equipment is installed according to at least one of the first and second solar power designs.

14. Solar power equipment as recited in claim 13, in which the user interface further allows one of the first and second solar power designs to be selected.

15. Solar power equipment as recited in claim 13, in which a first cost associated with the first solar power design is less than a second cost associated with the second solar power design.