Photovoltaic management and module-level power electronics
AssigneeSunPower Corporation
InventorsMiles Bintz, Patrick L. Chapman, Jonathan L. Ehlmann, Julianne Frances Haugh, Dale Herman, Brian Kuhn, Kelly Mekechuk, Eric Roesinger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A photovoltaic (PV) system includes module-level power electronic (MLPE) devices that produce energy. The PV system includes a gateway to receive and send data to MLPE devices. The gateway also connects the PV system with a network, such as a local area network, that allows access to the Internet. The gateway provides functionality within the PV system to perform various processes to improve operation of MLPE devices.
Claims21
-23. (canceled)
A process of managing a photovoltaic system with photovoltaic module-level power electronics (MLPE), the process comprising:
- monitor the power output of two or more MLPE devices of a photovoltaic (PV) system and determine the power output at a time A;
- estimate the amount of power output from the two or more MLPE devices of the PV system;
- determine the difference between the estimated power output and the determined power output at time A;
- transmit the determined difference between the estimated power and the determined power output at time A to a third-party;
- and
- receive a command to increase power output of the PV system from the third-party,
- wherein a power production limit for the PV system has been previously set and is overridden when following the command to increase power.
A process of managing a photovoltaic system with photovoltaic module-level power electronics (MLPE), the process comprising:
- monitor the power output of two or more MLPE devices of a photovoltaic (PV) system and determine the power output at a time A;
- estimate the amount of power output from the two or more MLPE devices of the PV system;
- perform a series of analysis to determine the difference between the estimated power output and the determined power output at time A;
- from a gateway, transmit the determined difference between the estimated power and the determined power output at time A to a third-party;
- and
- at the gateway, receive a command to increase power output of the PV system from the third-party,
- wherein a power production limit for the PV system has been previously set and is overridden when following the received command.
A process of overriding a previously set power production limit for a photovoltaic (PV) system, the process comprising:
- monitoring the power output of a photovoltaic (PV) system and determining the power output of the PV system;
- estimating the amount of power output from the PV system;
- determining the difference between the estimated power output and the determined power output;
- transmitting the determined difference between the estimated power and the determined power output to a third-party;
- and
- receiving a command from the third-party to increase power output of the PV system,
- wherein a power production limit for the PV system has been previously set and is overridden when following the received command.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.