Light standard with electric vehicle (EV) charger

• US 10,518,657 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2018
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beam Global
• Original Assignee: Envision Solar International, Inc.
• Inventors: Wheatley, Desmond, Senatore, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Amaya, Carlos
• Application Number:
  US15/879,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20190225091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 Wind-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/04 having stationary wind-guiding means, e.g. with shrouds or channels F03D9/35 takes precedence
• 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 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/035 the solar unit being integrated within the support for the lighting unit, e.g. within or on a pole
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/043 driven by wind power, e.g. by wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/00 Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/12 Hybrid wind-PV energy systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/10 : Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground H02S20/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/32 : specially adapted for solar tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 : Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/72 : in street lighting
• 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 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 : Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

A charging station for electric vehicles (EVs) is mounted on a public light post which receives an allotment of electric energy from a distributed power grid. In addition to its electrical connection with the distributed power grid, the charging station is electrically connected with a solar array on the light post that collects solar electric energy. Also mounted on the light post is a wind turbine that produces wind-generated electric energy. The electric energy from all three sources (i.e. solar, wind and grid) is consolidated in a storage battery at the charging station. The consolidated electric energy is then used for charging EVs, with an overriding priority given to electric energy allotted for regulated grid support requirements, such as street lighting and lighting for public venues.

Claims

1. A charging station, in combination with a light post, for a prioritized charging of an electric vehicle (EV) with electric energy from renewable energy sources and from a distributed power grid, wherein the charging station and light post combination comprises:

a storage battery mounted on the light post;

a light source mounted on the light post, wherein the light source is connected with the distributed power grid for illuminating an area, and wherein the storage battery is connected with the distributed power grid to receive excess power therefrom as a lower priority when the excess power is not consumed by the light source;

a solar array mounted on the light post, wherein the solar array includes a plurality of photovoltaic cells for generating solar electric energy, and wherein the solar array is connected with the storage battery for transfer of the generated solar electric energy to the storage battery;

a support structure mounted on the light post, wherein the support structure defines a vertically oriented axis;

a wind turbine mounted on the support structure and positioned above the solar array for generating wind electric energy, wherein the wind turbine is rotatable through a 360°

horizontal arc, and wherein the wind turbine is connected with the storage battery for transfer of the wind generated electric energy to the storage battery; and

a connector mounted on the light post for interconnecting the storage battery with the electric vehicle (EV) for charging the EV.

2. The charging station recited in claim 1 wherein the light source is a Light Emitting Diode (LED).

3. The charging station recited in claim 1 wherein excess power is determined as a difference between the electric energy allotted from the distributed power grid for energizing the light source and the electric energy demand requirement of the light source.

4. The charging station recited in claim 1 wherein electric energy stored in the storage battery is prioritized by first charging the storage battery with available electric energy from the renewable resources of the solar array and the wind turbine, before electric energy is taken from the distributed power grid.

5. The charging station recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of charging stations is connected with the light post.

6. The charging station recited in claim 1 wherein the solar array comprises:

at least one panel of photovoltaic cells;

a frame for supporting the panel of photovoltaic cells in a planar array; and

a drive motor mounted on the light post and connected to the frame for rotating the panel of photovoltaic cells in a direction, on a predetermined path, for a predetermined time duration, for daytime sun tracking.

7. The charging station recited in claim 1 wherein the wind turbine comprises:

a shroud formed as an annulus and defining a shroud diameter, wherein the shroud is mounted on the support structure with the defined shroud diameter coaxial with the vertical axis of the support structure, for rotation of the shroud about the vertical axis through a complete 360°

arc; and

a plurality of turbine blades mounted as a wheel on a rotator and positioned within the shroud for rotation about a turbine axis to generate wind electric energy in response to wind blowing through the shroud, wherein the turbine axis is perpendicular to the vertical axis of the support structure.

8. An electric vehicle (EV) charging station mounted on a light post which comprises:

a collector, wherein the collector includes a solar array mounted on the light post for collecting solar electric energy, a wind turbine mounted on the light post above the solar panel and rotatable through a 360°

arc for generating wind electric energy, and a grid connector for establishing an electrical connection with a distributed power grid, wherein the distributed power grid provides a predetermined allotment of grid electric energy for the light post;

a storage battery connected with the collector for consolidating and prioritizing the solar electric energy, the wind electric energy and the grid electric energy, with grid electric energy as a lower priority;

a light source mounted on the light post for illuminating an area, wherein the light source receives operational electric energy from the storage battery; and

an EV connector for interconnecting the storage battery with the electric vehicle for charging the EV.

9. The charging station of claim 8 wherein the solar array comprises:

at least one panel of photovoltaic cells;

a frame for supporting the panel of photovoltaic cells in a planar array; and

a drive motor mounted on the light post and connected to the frame for rotating the panel of photovoltaic cells in a direction, on a predetermined path, for a predetermined time duration, for daytime sun tracking.

10. The charging station of claim 8 wherein the wind turbine comprises:

a support structure mounted on the light post and connected with the wind turbine to position the wind turbine on the light post, wherein the support structure defines a vertically oriented axis;

a shroud formed as an annulus and defining a shroud diameter, wherein the shroud is mounted on the support structure with the defined shroud diameter coaxial with the vertical axis of the support structure, for rotation of the shroud about the vertical axis through a complete 360°

arc; and

a plurality of turbine blades mounted as a wheel on a rotator and positioned within the shroud for rotation about a turbine axis to generate wind electric energy in response to wind blowing through the shroud, wherein the turbine axis is perpendicular to the vertical axis of the support structure.

11. The charging station of claim 8 wherein the storage battery is connected with the distributed power grid to receive excess electric energy therefrom when the excess electric energy is not consumed by the light source, and wherein the excess electric energy is determined as a difference between the electric energy allotted from the distributed power grid for energizing the light source and the electric energy demand requirement of the light source.

12. The charging station of claim 11 wherein electric energy stored in the storage battery is prioritized by first charging the storage battery with available electric energy from the renewable resources of the solar array and the wind turbine, before electric energy is taken from the distributed power grid.

13. The charging station of claim 8 wherein the light source is a Light Emitting Diode (LED).

14. The charging station recited in claim 8 wherein a plurality of charging stations is connected with the light post.

15. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon that direct a computer system to perform a process for operating an electric vehicle (EV) charging station, the medium comprising instructions for:

monitoring a light source mounted on a light post, to ensure sufficient electric energy is taken from a distributed power grid and held in a storage battery for an operational use by the light source to illuminate an area;

consolidating electric energy contributions to the storage battery from a solar array mounted on the light post (solar electric energy), a wind turbine mounted on the light post above the solar array and rotatable through a 360°

arc (wind electric energy), and a predetermined allotment of electric energy from the distributed power grid (grid electric energy), to establish a combined electric energy capacity for the storage battery;

prioritizing the collection of electric energy in the storage battery by first charging the storage battery with available electric energy from the renewable resources of the solar array and the wind turbine, before electric energy is taken from the distributed power grid; and

dispensing electric energy from the storage battery, on demand, to charge an electric vehicle when there is excess electric energy in the storage battery, and to otherwise suspend dispensing of the electric energy.

16. The medium of claim 15 further comprising an instruction for selling electric energy from the storage battery under preset conditions.

17. The medium of claim 15 further comprising an instruction for derating a charging rate capability of the charging station to maintain excess electric energy in the storage battery when the excess electric energy in the storage battery is below a predetermined level.

18. The medium of claim 15 wherein the excess electric energy is determined as a difference between the electric energy allotted from the distributed power grid for energizing the light source and the electric energy demand requirement of the light source.

19. The medium of claim 15 wherein the solar array is mounted on the light post and comprises:

at least one panel of photovoltaic cells;

a frame for supporting the panel of photovoltaic cells in a planar array; and

a drive motor mounted on the light post and connected to the frame for rotating the panel of photovoltaic cells in a direction, on a predetermined path, for a predetermined time duration, for daytime sun tracking.

20. The medium of claim 15 wherein the wind turbine comprises:

a support structure mounted on the light post, wherein the support structure defines a vertically oriented axis;

a shroud formed as an annulus and defining a shroud diameter, wherein the shroud is mounted on the support structure with the defined shroud diameter coaxial with the vertical axis of the support structure, for rotation of the shroud about the vertical axis through a complete 360°

arc; and

a plurality of turbine blades mounted as a wheel on a rotator and positioned within the shroud for rotation about a turbine axis to generate wind electric energy in response to wind blowing through the shroud, wherein the turbine axis is perpendicular to the vertical axis of the support structure.