SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR BATTERY ASSEMBLIES

• US 20160301213A1
• Filed: 06/23/2016
• Published: 10/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Moixa Energy Holdings Limited (Lunar Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Moixa Energy Holdings Limited (Lunar Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: DANIEL, Simon Richard, WRIGHT, Christopher Verity
• Granted Patent: US 10,447,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/10 The dispersed energy generation being of fossil origin, e.g. diesel generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/12 Monitoring or controlling equipment for energy generation units, e.g. distributed energy generation [DER] or load-side generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A system including a plurality of battery assemblies. Each battery assembly includes power storage and control electronics, and a communication device. Each battery assembly acts as a local hub for local direct current (DC) power demand monitoring and a local DC power supply for DC loads. Each battery assembly also charges the power storage. The plurality of battery assemblies are configured to be managed as a collective resource in aggregate via the communication device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of battery assemblies, each of the plurality of battery assemblies being located in or associated with a different building of a plurality of buildings, each battery assembly comprising;

power storage and control electronics; and

a communication device configured to communicate with a remote service; and

,

wherein each battery assembly is configured to;

act as a local hub for local power demand monitoring and a local direct current (DC) power supply for DC loads or for a micro-inverter; and

charge the power storage;

wherein the plurality of battery assemblies are configured to be managed as a collective resource in aggregate via the communication device, the plurality of battery assemblies being configured to receive a demand management signal or demand request via the communication device from the remote service; and

wherein the power storage charging and supply of DC power or supply of power back to a mains network is scheduled based on the demand management signal or demand request from the remote service and in accordance with a demand from local end users.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of battery assemblies is a network of battery assemblies providing an aggregate battery or as clusters capable of supporting grid storage services or providing demand management services.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the power storage and control electronics comprises an algorithm for charging or DC power demand management.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 configured to receive the demand management signal from a smart meter, where said smart meter is connected remotely to a third party service.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein charging of the battery assemblies is scheduled based on power usage measurements.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the charging is further scheduled dependent upon the availability of power generation resources.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the charging is further scheduled dependent upon the export of power from power generation resources.

8. The system as claimed in claims 6 wherein the said power generation resources comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

photovoltaic resources, wind generation, fuel cells, combined heat power electrical generation, building fabric technology capable of generating DC power, and DC scavenging technologies.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein charging of the battery assemblies and supply of DC power is scheduled based on a demand from a third-party service.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein power is supplied to only a subset of connected DC loads.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control electronics are to determine a profile and type of end device power usage and manage an end device.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein determining the profile and type of end power usage comprises using universal serial bus (USB) power delivery via a DC socket.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein managing the end device comprises reporting maximum and minimum power load, switching off or putting the end device into standby when not used, or deferring the charging of a battery on said end device.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control electronics are configured to detect a cluster of end power use and correlate power supply activities across associated power sockets.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the control electronics are configured to:

connect to a series of DC sockets;

receive power usage data from the series of DC sockets

determine when an end device and a connected peripheral device are in use; and

switch off the DC power or switch to standby the peripheral device when the end device is not in use

16. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the battery assemblies are configured to supply DC power to a DC socket, a lighting circuit, or a micro-inverter AC resource.

17. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control electronics are configured to control the power export of a connected photovoltaic resource.

18. A method of installing a system comprising:

providing a plurality of battery assemblies, each of the plurality of battery assemblies being located in or associated with a different building of a plurality of buildings, each battery assembly comprising power storage and control electronics and a communication device configured to communicate with a remote service, wherein each battery assembly is configured to act as a local hub for local power demand monitoring and a local direct current (DC) power supply for DC loads or for a micro-inverter, and charge the power storage, wherein the plurality of battery assemblies are configured to be managed as a collective resource in aggregate via the communication device, the plurality of battery assemblies being configured to receive a demand management signal or demand request via the communication device from the remote service, and wherein the power storage charging and supply of DC power or supply of power back to a mains network is scheduled based on the demand management signal or demand request from the remote service and in accordance with a demand from local end users;

co-locating one of the battery assemblies near an energy meter and consumer unit; and

connecting the battery assembly to re-use existing lighting circuit wiring.