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US 11,984,722 B2Granted
Virtual power grid
AssigneeApparent Labs, LLC
InventorsStefan Matan, Fred C. Horton, Frank P. Marrone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Distributed grid intelligence can enable a virtual power grid. Multiple consumer nodes can have local power sources, and be coupled to a same point of common coupling (PCC). The consumer nodes can be controlled by distributed control nodes at the consumer nodes. The control nodes control the distribution of power from the local power sources based on local power demand of each respective consumer node, and also based on distribution of power from the other respective control node. Thus, consumer nodes can share power generated locally, but operate independently without the need for central management or a central power plant.
Claims20
A power grid system, comprising:
- a first control node having a first connector to couple to a power grid at a point of common coupling (PCC) and a first microinverter on a consumer side of the PCC downstream from a grid meter on a grid side of the PCC to measure power delivered by the power grid for a utility to charge a consumer for the power delivered, the first microinverter to generate an output current from energy from a first local direct current (DC) power source, the output current having a different phase than a grid voltage of the power grid, to generate reactive power, the first control node configured to select between providing the reactive power to a first local load or adjusting a ratio of real power to reactive power as seen at the PCC without satisfying all reactive power demand of the first local load;
- and
- a second control node having a second connector to couple to the power grid at the PCC and a second microinverter on the consumer side of the PCC downstream from the grid meter to generate an output current from energy from a second local direct current (DC) power source, the output current having a different phase than a grid voltage of the power grid, to generate reactive power, the second control node configured to select between providing the reactive power to a second local load or adjusting a ratio of real power to reactive power as seen at the PCC without satisfying all reactive power demand of the second local load;
- wherein the first control node and the second control node are configured to control distribution of power from the first local DC power source and the second local DC power source based on local power demand of each respective control node and based on distribution of power from the other respective control node to the PCC.
1 more element
A distributed control node within a power grid system, comprising:
- a connector to couple between a consumer side of a point of common coupling (PCC) and a first consumer node having a first local power source local to the first consumer node, and to couple via the PCC to a second consumer node having a second local power source local to the second consumer node, the second consumer node on the consumer side of the PCC;
- a microinverter to generate real power from energy of the first local power source and generate an output current having a different phase than a grid voltage of the power grid system to generate reactive power from energy of the first local power source;
- a metering device;
- and
- a controller to control distribution of power with the microinverter from the first local power source, including the controller to calculate a ratio of real to reactive power to provide to the PCC from the microinverter, including to cause the microinverter to adjust the output current to change the reactive power, based on local power demand of the first consumer node as measured by the metering device and based on distribution of power from the second consumer node to the PCC.
2 more elements
A method for controlling a power grid, comprising:
- monitoring, with a metering device, power demand of a first consumer node and power generation from a first local power source local to the first consumer node, and power demand of a second consumer node and power generation from a second local power source local to the second consumer node;
- and
- controlling distribution of power with a microinverter from the first local power source, including calculating a ratio of real to reactive power to provide to a consumer side of a point of common coupling (PCC) from the microinverter and generating real power generated from energy of the first local power source and generating an output current from energy of the first local power source, the output current having a different phase than a grid voltage of the power grid, to generate reactive power, including adjusting the output current to change the reactive power based on power demand of the first consumer node as measured by the metering device and based on distribution of power from the second consumer node to the PCC.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.