HIGH SPEED FEEDBACK ADJUSTMENT OF POWER CHARGE/DISCHARGE FROM ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM

• US 20110118894A1
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stem, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Powergetics, Inc.
• Inventors: REINECCIUS, Stacey, Erhart, David, Sellers, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,643,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/296
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc

Abstract

The invention provides systems and methods for control of power charge/discharge from energy storage system. The invention also provides for power monitoring and management. A smart charge system may include a system sensor, one or more energy storage units, and a controller, which may receive information about the power demand, power provided by an electricity provider, and charge/discharge information from an energy storage unit. The information received may all be time synchronized in relation to a time based reference. The controller may provide instructions to an energy storage unit at a rapid rate.

Claims

1. A smart charge system comprising:

a system sensor in communication with at least one electricity provider and at least one premises load, wherein information provided by the system sensor is time synchronized with a time synchronization reference;

at least one energy storage unit, wherein the energy storage unit can send information that is synchronized with the time synchronization reference; and

a control computer which receives time synchronized information from the system sensor and the energy storage unit, and provides a charge/discharge instruction to the energy storage unit based on the received time synchronized information.

2. The smart charge system of claim 1, wherein the system sensor is provided on a customer side of the system.

3. The smart charge system of claim 2, wherein the system sensor is capable of being installed on pre-existing equipment on the customer side.

4. The smart charge system of claim 1, wherein the charge/discharge instruction is provided at a rapid rate.

5. The smart charge system of claim 4, wherein the charge/discharge instruction is provided every 15 minutes or less.

6. The smart charge system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of energy storage units.

7. The smart charge system of claim 6, wherein the control computer provides charge/discharge instruction to each of the energy storage units.

8. The smart charge system of claim 1, wherein the charge/discharge instruction includes at least one of the following:

whether to charge or discharge, power level to charge or discharge, maximum duration of charge or discharge in case of loss of communication, or a phase of power against which this is to apply for each phase.

9. The smart charge system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage unit is provided on the customer side and is capable of being installed with pre-existing equipment on the customer side.

10. A method of power monitoring and management comprising:

providing, at a controller, a desired limit load;

receiving, at the controller, power demand load information;

receiving, at the controller, state of charge information from an energy storage unit; and

transmitting, from the controller to the energy storage unit, a charge/discharge instruction based on the desired limit load, the power demand load information, and the state of charge information, wherein the charge/discharge instruction is delivered at a fast sample rate.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the fast sample rate is every 15 minutes or less.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the fast sample rate is every 1 minute or less.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein charge/discharge instruction causes the energy storage unit to be charged or discharged, thereby providing an average apparent demand load on an electricity provider that approaches or is maintained at the desired limit load.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the power demand load information is received from an external communications unit.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the energy storage unit maintains a current level while allowing voltage to be varied or maintained, or the energy storage maintains a voltage level while allowing the current to be varied or maintained.

16. A tangible computer readable media containing program instructions for power monitoring and management comprising computer code that performs the steps of claim 10.

17. A method of power monitoring and management comprising:

receiving sensor information from a system sensor in communication with at least one electricity provider and at least one premises load, wherein the sensor information is time synchronized with a time synchronization reference;

receiving state of charge information from at least one energy storage unit, wherein the state of charge information is synchronized with the time synchronization reference; and

providing a charge/discharge instruction to the energy storage unit based on the received sensor information and the received state of charge information.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the received sensor information and the received state of charge information includes time stamps.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving power demand load information from an external communications unit, wherein the power demand load information is synchronized with the time synchronization reference.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the charge/discharge instructions are provided every 15 minutes or less.