Buffering in photovoltaic plus storage systems
AssigneeTelemeTrak, Inc.
InventorsFrederick Steinway Ziegler, Bjorn-Erik Eklund
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The devices, systems, and methods described herein are directed to buffering the electrical energy output from a PV array before storing the electrical energy in a battery storage system of the PV system. In some examples, a buffering module receives electrical energy from one or more PV cells at a first level that exceeds a threshold charging rate of a battery storage system. The buffering module temporarily stores the electrical energy before outputting the electrical energy to the battery storage system at a second level that is at or below the threshold charging rate of the battery storage system.
Claims10
A photovoltaic (PV) system comprising:
- a PV array comprising one or more PV cells to output electrical energy at a first level that exceeds a threshold charging rate of a battery storage system;
- the battery storage system;
- and
- a buffering module directly coupled to the one or more PV cells, the buffering module comprising:
- an input to receive the electrical energy from the one or more PV cells,
- a buffer electrically coupled to the input, the buffer to temporarily store the electrical energy received from the one or more PV cells, and
- an output electrically coupled to the buffer, the output to provide electrical energy to the battery storage system at a second level that is at or below the threshold charging rate of the battery storage system.
A method of buffering electrical energy in a photovoltaic (PV) system, the method comprising:
- outputting, from one or more PV cells of a PV array, electrical energy at a first level that exceeds a threshold charging rate of a battery storage system;
- receiving at a buffering module, the electrical energy from the one or more PV cells at the first level;
- temporarily storing, at the buffering module, the electrical energy received from the one or more PV cells;
- and
- outputting, from the buffering module to the battery storage system, electrical energy at a second level that is at or below the threshold charging rate of the battery storage system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.