METHODS, SYSTEMS AND APPARATUS FOR NATURAL POWER COLLECTION AND DISTRIBUTION

• US 20120223580A1
• Filed: 06/10/2011
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gordon Peck
• Original Assignee: Gordon Peck
• Inventors: PECK, Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 9,379,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/69
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/10 Truss-like structures
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/24 Cross arms
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 2012/006 Structures with truss-like sections combined with tubular-like sections
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/007 the wind motor being combined with means for converting solar radiation into useful energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/11 storing electrical energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/257 the wind motor being part of a wind farm
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/911 already existing for a prior purpose
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/9121 on a lattice tower
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy wind motors F03D
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/40 wherein a plurality of decentralised, dispersed or local energy generation technologies are operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/30 Wind power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/20 using renewable energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/50 : Energy storage in industry with an added climate change mitigation effect

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method for transmitting and distributing electricity in which a transmission tower is adapted to include a natural power device for converting wind or solar energy into electricity. The natural power device is electrically connected as a source to at least one or more transmission lines connected to the transmission tower, in order to supply the converted electricity to a distribution grid. A wind turbine and/or a solar panel may be implemented as the natural power device.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting and distributing electricity comprising:

one or more transmission towers supporting one or more transmission lines that supply electrical power or electrically-conducted signals to a distribution grid; and

a natural power device mounted to at least one of the one or more transmission towers and for converting wind or solar energy into electricity, the natural power device being electrically connected as a power source to at least one of the one or more transmission lines in order to supply the converted electricity to the distribution grid.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the natural power device comprises a wind turbine.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a first support plate mounted on the at least one of the one or more transmission towers at the top thereof;

a second support plate mounted on the at least one of the one or more transmission towers a certain distance below the first support plate; and

a support post mounted on the at least one of the one or more transmission towers and extending vertically through respective apertures in the first and second support plates, the wind turbine being mounted on one end of the support post extending above the top of the at least one of the one or more transmission towers.

4. The system according to claim 3, further comprising

an interior pipe;

one or more insulated wires attached to a generator of the wind turbine; and

an insulated brace mounted on the at least one of the one or more transmission towers,

wherein the support post is a pipe of larger diameter than the interior pipe,

the interior pipe runs down from the generator through the interior of the support post, and

the one or more insulated wires run down from the generator through the interior pipe to the insulated brace where the at least one of the one or more transmission lines is attached.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the at least one of the one or more transmission lines runs from the insulated brace to another transmission tower, the one or more insulated wires transmitting the converted electricity to the at least one of the one or more transmission lines.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising:

a solar panel mounted on the at least one of the one or more transmission towers, wherein the solar panel is electrically connected to the one or more insulated wires.

7. The system according to claim 3, wherein the support post is anchored to ground or underground.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the natural power device comprises a solar panel.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the natural power device is powered by a battery that is mounted on or disposed proximate to the at least one of the one or more transmission towers.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the natural power device is selectively and individually controlled by a computer system.

11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a camera mounted on the at least one of the one or more transmission towers,

wherein the camera is positioned to capture video images of the natural power device, and transmit the video images to the computer system.

12. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electricity storage device that is electrically connected to the natural power device, and configured to store at least part of the converted electricity.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the electricity storage device is mounted on or disposed proximate to the at least one of the one or more transmission towers.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the electricity storage device is disposed at a substation between the transmission grid and the distribution grid.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission lines are power lines.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission lines are communication lines.

17. A method of obtaining and distributing electricity converted from natural power, comprising:

mounting a natural power device to one or more transmission towers;

electrically connecting the natural power device as a power source to at least one of one or more transmission lines attached to the one or more transmission towers that supply electrical power or electrically-conducted signals to a distribution grid; and

converting with the natural power device, wind or solar energy into electricity and transmitting the converted electricity to the distribution grid via the at least one of the one or more transmission lines.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the natural power device is a wind turbine, the method further comprising for each of the one or more transmission towers:

mounting a support post on the transmission tower in a vertical direction in such manner that one end of the support post extends above the top of the transmission tower;

mounting the wind turbine on top of the one end of the support post; and

attaching one or more insulated wires to a generator within the wind turbine, and running the one or more insulated wires through the interior of the support post to an insulated brace on the transmission tower to which the at least one of the one or more transmission lines is attached; and

transmitting the converted electricity via the one or more insulated wires to the at least one of the one or more transmission lines.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising for each of the one or more transmission towers:

mounting a solar panel on a transmission tower, and electrically connecting the solar panel to the one or more insulated wires.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the natural power device is a solar panel.

21. The method according to claim 17, further comprising for each of the one or more transmission towers:

conducting video surveillance on the natural power device with a camera mounted on the transmission tower; and

controlling operation of the natural power device by a computer-implemented controller based on the video surveillance.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the natural power device is a wind turbine, and the computer-implemented controller controls the speed of wind blades in the wind turbine.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the computer-implemented controller controls the output of electricity of the natural power device.

24. The method according to claim 17, wherein the one or more transmission towers are part of a transmission grid comprising a plurality of transmission towers, the method further comprising:

running the at least one of the one or more transmission lines from the one or more transmission towers to one or more other transmission towers in the transmission grid.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

installing a battery at one of the plurality of the transmission towers, the natural power device being powered by the battery.

26. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

transmitting and storing at least part of the converted electricity to an electricity storage device.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising:

installing the electricity storage device at one of the plurality of transmission towers in the transmission grid.

28. The method according to claim 26, further comprising:

installing the electricity storage device at a substation between the transmission grid and the distribution grid.

29. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

attaching additional natural power devices to respective ones of the one or more other transmission towers in the transmission grid, each of the additional natural power devices being configured to convert wind or solar energy into additional electricity to be transmitted on the at least one of the one or more transmission lines.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the additional natural power devices are attached in such manner that every N-th transmission tower between which the at least one of the one or more transmission lines run is provided with one of the natural power devices, N being an integer greater than 1.

31. The method according to claim 17, wherein the transmission lines are power lines.

32. The method according to claim 17, wherein the transmission lines are communication lines.

33. A transmission tower as part of a system connected to a distribution grid, the transmission tower comprising:

one or more transmission lines that supply electrical power or electrically-conducted signals to the distribution grid; and

a natural power device for converting wind or solar energy into electricity, the natural power device being electrically connected as a power source to at least one of the one or more transmission lines in order to supply the converted electricity to the distribution grid.

34. The transmission tower according to claim 33, wherein the natural power device comprises a wind turbine.

35. The transmission tower according to claim 34, further comprising:

a first support plate mounted at the top of the transmission tower;

a second support plate mounted a certain distance below the first support plate; and

a support post extending vertically through respective apertures in the first and second support plates, the wind turbine being mounted on one end of the support post extending above the top of the transmission tower.

36. The transmission tower according to claim 35, further comprising

an interior pipe;

one or more insulated wires attached to a generator of the wind turbine; and

an insulated brace where the at least one of the one or more transmission lines is attached,

wherein the support post is a pipe of larger diameter than the interior pipe,

the interior pipe runs down from the generator through the interior of the support post, and

the one or more insulated wires run down from the generator through the interior pipe to the insulated brace.

37. The transmission tower according to claim 36, further comprising:

a solar panel electrically connected to the one or more insulated wires.

38. The transmission tower according to claim 35, wherein the support post is anchored to ground or underground.

39. The transmission tower according to claim 33, wherein the natural power device comprises a solar panel.

40. The transmission tower according to claim 33, further comprising a battery that that is configured to power the natural power device.

41. The transmission tower according to claim 33, further comprising:

a camera positioned to capture video images of the natural power device, and configured to transmit the video images to a computer system which controls the natural power device.

42. The transmission tower according to claim 33, further comprising:

an electricity storage device that is electrically connected to the natural power device, and configured to store at least part of the converted electricity.

43. The transmission tower according to claim 33, wherein the transmission lines are power lines.

44. The transmission tower according to claim 33, wherein the transmission lines are communication lines.