POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM

• US 20140052310A1
• Filed: 10/24/2013
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: TAKEHARA, Kiyotaka, BABA, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 9,523,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/46 Controlling of the sharing of output between the generators, converters, or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

A controller executes local generation and local consumption pathways of: supplying power from a solar cell to an appliance, and charging a storage cell with power that remains after subtracting power consumed by the appliance from the solar cell power. In the absence of excess power, the storage cell and solar cell supply power. Power supply from a commercial electrical grid covers a power shortage that remains after subtracting solar cell power and storage cell power from the power consumed by the appliance. The controller also executes a second excess power selling mode pathway wherein excess power flows into the commercial electrical grid, and an assist mode wherein all solar cell power flows into the commercial electrical grid, and storage cell power flows to the appliance.

Claims

1. A power supply system comprising a commercial electrical grid, a distributed power source, a power storage cell, an appliance, and a controller configured to select a non-regular power transfer pathway among the power supply system components;

wherein the non-regular pathway comprises a first excess power selling mode of causing excess power generated by the distributed power source to reversely flow into the commercial electrical grid, and a second assist mode wherein all power generated by the distributed power source flows into the commercial electrical grid, and wherein the storage cell supplies power to the appliance.

2. The power supply system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller prohibits power from the storage cell from being supplied to the appliance before a power cut in the commercial electrical grid, charges the storage cell to a predetermined power storage amount by using the commercial power in a time slot in which an electric power rate of the commercial electrical grid is lower before the power cut in the commercial electrical grid,

and during a power cut, directs distributed power source power to the appliance;

charging the storage cell with power that remains after subtracting power consumed by the appliance from the power generated by the distributed power source;

when there is no excess power, supplying the appliance with power stored in the storage cell together with the power generated by the distributed power source; and

supplying the power from the commercial electrical grid to cover a power shortage that remains after subtracting the power generated by the distributed power source and the power supplied by the storage cell from the power consumed by the appliance.

3. The power supply system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller selects the non-regular pathway when the power supply capacity falls short of the power demand.

4. The power supply system according to claim 3, wherein

the controller switches to the assist mode when the power supply capacity is estimated to fall short of the power demand within an execution period of the non-regular pathway.

5. The power supply system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller receives data from an electric power company of power from the commercial electrical grid in advance, the data indicating whether the electric power company will purchase excess power, and selects the non-regular pathway when the data indicates that excess power will be purchased.

6. The power supply system according to claim 5, wherein

the controller receives data from the electric power company indicating when the assist mode will start within an execution period of the non-regular pathway.

7. The power supply system according to claim 5, wherein

the controller automatically selects to supply distributed power source power to the appliance;

charge the storage cell with power that remains after subtracting power consumed by the appliance from the power generated by the distributed power source; and

when there is no excess power, supply the appliance with power stored in the storage cell together with the power generated by the distributed power source; and

supply available power from the commercial electrical grid to cover a power shortage that remains after subtracting the power generated by the distributed power source and the power supplied by the storage cell from the power consumed by the appliance;

when communication with the power company is interrupted or when a power cut occurs in the commercial electrical grid.

8. The power supply system according to claim 5, wherein the data is received from a management server of the electric power company.

9. The power supply system according to claim 2, wherein

the controller selects the non-regular pathway when the power supply capacity falls short of the power demand.

10. The power supply system according to claim 9, wherein

the controller switches to the assist mode when the power supply capacity is estimated to fall short of the power demand within an execution period of the non-regular pathway.

11. A power supply system that supplies power to an appliance from power generated by a distributed power source, power stored in a storage cell and supplied power from a commercial electrical grid, the system comprising:

a controller configured to select between a first pathway and a second pathway,

the first pathway comprising;

supplying distributed power source power to the appliance;

charging the storage cell with power that remains after subtracting power consumed by the appliance from the power generated by the distributed power source;

when there is no excess power, supplying the appliance with power stored in the storage cell together with the power generated by the distributed power source; and

supplying the power from the commercial electrical grid to cover a power shortage that remains after subtracting the power generated by the distributed power source and the power supplied by the storage cell from the power consumed by the appliance;

the second pathway having a first excess power selling mode of causing the excess power to reversely flow into the commercial electrical grid, and a second assist mode wherein all power generated by the distributed power source flows into the commercial electrical grid, and wherein the storage cell supplies power to the appliance.

12. The power supply system according to claim 11, wherein

the controller prohibits power from the storage cell from being supplied to the appliance before a power cut in the commercial electrical grid, charges the storage cell to a predetermined power storage amount by using the commercial power in a time slot in which an electric power rate of the commercial electrical grid is lower before the power cut in the commercial electrical grid, and selects the first pathway during the power cut.

13. The power supply system according to claim 11, wherein

the controller selects the first pathway when a power supply capacity of the commercial electrical grid satisfies a power demand, and selects the second pathway when the power supply capacity falls short of the power demand.

14. The power supply system according to claim 13, wherein

the controller switches to the assist mode when the power supply capacity is estimated to fall short of the power demand within an execution period of the second pathway.

15. The power supply system according to claim 11, wherein

the controller receives data from an electric power company of the power from the commercial electrical grid in advance, the data indicating whether the electric power company will purchase excess power, selects the first pathway when the data indicates that excess power will not be purchased, and selects the second pathway when the data indicates that excess power will be purchased.

16. The power supply system according to claim 15, wherein

the controller receives data from the electric power company indicating when the assist mode will start within an execution period of the second pathway.

17. The power supply system according to claim 15, wherein

the controller automatically selects the first pathway when communication with the power company is interrupted or when a power cut occurs in the commercial electrical grid.

18. The power supply system according to claim 15, wherein the data is received from a management server of the electric power company.

19. The power supply system according to claim 12, wherein

the controller selects the first pathway when a power supply capacity of the commercial electrical grid satisfies a power demand, and selects the second pathway when the power supply capacity falls short of the power demand.

20. The power supply system according to claim 19, wherein

the controller switches to the assist mode when the power supply capacity is estimated to fall short of the power demand within an execution period of the second pathway.