# US 9,882,528 B2 · Distributed energy storage and power quality control in photovoltaic arrays > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,882,528 B2 - Document ID: US9882528B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/852,426 - Filed: 2015-09-11 - Published: 2016-01-21 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-14 - Applicants: James F. Wolter - Inventors: James F. Wolter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9882528B2 ## CPC - H02J 3/32: using batteries or super capacitors with converting means - H01M 10/425: {Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00)} - H01M 10/48: Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) - H02J 7/35: with light sensitive cells - H02S 40/32: comprising DC/AC inverter means associated with the PV module itself, e.g. AC modules - H02S 40/36: characterised by special electrical interconnection means between two or more PV modules, e.g. electrical module-to-module connection - H02S 40/38: Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules - H02S 50/00: Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification - H10F 77/90: Energy storage means directly associated or integrated with photovoltaic cells, e.g. capacitors integrated with photovoltaic cells - Y02B 10/10: Photovoltaic [PV] - Y02E 10/56: Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02E 70/30: Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin - Y02P 80/20: using renewable energy - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00) - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A solar electric system comprises photovoltaic elements having integrated energy storage and control, ideally on each PV-panel. The energy storage media may be primary or secondary cylindrical cells interconnected into a battery and/or an array of capacitors (or super-capacitors) and are accompanied by an electronic control circuit which may perform a variety of functions, including but not limited to power quality control, load following, pulse powering, active line transient suppression, local sensing, remote reporting, wireless or wired communications allowing two way programmable control through local or remote operation. The operation of the system may yield direct current or with the integration of bidirectional micro-inverters create distributed alternating current generation enhanced with energy storage and control two way energy flows between the solar system and the grid. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A distributed electrical energy device, comprising: at least one of: a photovoltaic device or an energy storage device; and a controller, sensing alternating current (AC) power parameters of an electric power system and using active feedback-control, configured to synchronize an output of the photovoltaic device or the energy storage device to the electrical power system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 1, further comprising: controlling an output current of at least one of: an output of the at least one photovoltaic device or an output of the at least one energy storage device, based on an electric load connected to the distributed electrical energy device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to provide an early warning indicator, and wherein the early warning indicator is representative of a reduction in output power of the at least one photovoltaic device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 1, further comprising a voltage step-up transformer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 1, wherein the controller, using an on-board battery management circuit, is further configured to detect an energy storage device fault and to isolate an energy storage device that is detected to have experienced a fault. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 1, comprising at least one energy storage device, wherein the controller is further configured to charge the at least one energy storage device via the electrical power system based on electric energy stored in the at least one energy storage device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 1, comprising: a first photovoltaic device and a second photovoltaic device, wherein the controller is further configured to individually control a first flow of electric power from the first photovoltaic device to the electrical power system, separately from a second flow of electric power from the second photovoltaic device to the electrical power system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 1, comprising: at least one photovoltaic device and at least one energy storage device, wherein the controller is further configured to control a first flow of electric power from the at least one photovoltaic device to the electrical power system and/or the at least one energy storage device, and control a second flow of electric power from the electrical power system to the at least one energy storage device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 1, comprising: at least one photovoltaic device and at least one energy storage device; and a bi-directional DC-to-AC inverter; wherein the controller is connected to the at least one photovoltaic device, the at least one energy storage device, the bi-directional inverter, and to the electrical power system to control a flow of electric power from the electrical power system to the at least one energy storage device through the bi-directional DC-to-AC inverter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 1, comprising; at least one photovoltaic device and at least one energy storage device, wherein the at least one energy storage device includes a plurality of energy storage devices which are physically and thermally isolated from one another, but are electrically interconnected to function collectively to store electric energy received from the at least one photovoltaic device, and to release energy to the electrical power system, and wherein the plurality of energy storage devices includes at least one electrochemical battery and at least one capacitor. ### Claim 11 A distributed electrical energy device, comprising: at least one of: a photovoltaic device or an energy storage device; and a controller, sensing alternating current (AC) power parameters of an electric power system and using active feedback-control, configured to control an output current of at least one of: an output of the photovoltaic device or an output of the energy storage device, based on an electric load connected to the distributed electric energy device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to synchronize at least one of: an output frequency and an output power factor of the photovoltaic device or an output frequency and an output power factor of the energy storage device to an electrical power system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to provide an early warning indicator, and wherein the early warning indicator is representative of a reduction in output power of the at least one photovoltaic device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 11, further comprising a voltage step-up transformer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 11, wherein the controller, using an on-board battery management circuit, is further configured to detect an energy storage device fault and to isolate an energy storage device that is detected to have experienced a fault. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 11, comprising at least one energy storage device, wherein the controller is further configured to charge the at least one energy storage device via the electrical power system based on electric energy stored in the at least one energy storage device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 11, comprising: a first photovoltaic device and a second photovoltaic device, wherein the controller is further configured to individually control a first flow of electric power from the first photovoltaic device to the electrical power system, separately from a second flow of electric power from the second photovoltaic device to the electrical power system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 11, comprising: at least one photovoltaic device and at least one energy storage device, wherein the controller is further configured to control a first flow of electric power from the at least one photovoltaic device to the electrical power system and/or the at least one energy storage device, and control a second flow of electric power from the electrical power system to the at least one energy storage device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 11, comprising: at least one photovoltaic device and at least one energy storage device; and a bi-directional DC-to-AC inverter; wherein the controller is connected to the at least one photovoltaic device, the at least one energy storage device, the bi-directional inverter, and to the electrical power system to control a flow of electric power from the electrical power system to the at least one energy storage device through the bi-directional DC-to-AC inverter. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 11, comprising; at least one photovoltaic device and at least one energy storage device, wherein the at least one energy storage device includes a plurality of energy storage devices which are physically and thermally isolated from one another, but are electrically interconnected to function collectively to store electric energy received from the at least one photovoltaic device, and to release energy to the electrical power system, and wherein the plurality of energy storage devices includes at least one electrochemical battery and at least one capacitor. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of energy storage devices which are physically and thermally isolated from one another, but are electrically interconnected to function collectively to store electric energy received from the photovoltaic device, and to release energy to electrical power system, wherein the plurality of energy storage devices include at least one electrochemical battery and at least one capacitor. ### Claim 22 A distributed electrical energy device, comprising: at least one of: a photovoltaic device or an energy storage device; and a controller, sensing alternating current (AC) power parameters of an electric power system and using active feedback-control, configured to provide an early warning indicator, and wherein the early warning indicator is representative of a reduction in output power of the at least one photovoltaic device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 22, wherein the controller is further configured to synchronize at least one of: an output frequency and an output power factor of the photovoltaic device or an output frequency and an output power factor of the energy storage device to an electrical power system. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 22, comprising: at least one photovoltaic device and at least one energy storage device, wherein the controller is further configured to control an output current of at least one of: an output of the at least one photovoltaic device or an output of the at least one energy storage device, based on an electric load connected to the distributed electrical energy device. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 22, further comprising a voltage step-up transformer. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 22, wherein the controller, using an on-board battery management circuit, is further configured to detect an energy storage device fault and to isolate an energy storage device that is detected to have experienced a fault. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 22, comprising at least one energy storage device, wherein the controller is further configured to charge the at least one energy storage device via the electrical power system based on electric energy stored in the at least one energy storage device. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 22, comprising: a first photovoltaic device and a second photovoltaic device, wherein the controller is further configured to individually control a first flow of electric power from the first photovoltaic device to the electrical power system, separately from a second flow of electric power from the second photovoltaic device to the electrical power system. ### Claim 29 (depends on 22) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 22, comprising: at least one photovoltaic device and at least one energy storage device, wherein the controller is further configured to control a first flow of electric power from the at least one photovoltaic device to the electrical power system and/or the at least one energy storage device, and control a second flow of electric power from the electrical power system to the at least one energy storage device. ### Claim 30 (depends on 22) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 22, comprising: at least one photovoltaic device and at least one energy storage device; and a bi-directional DC-to-AC inverter; wherein the controller is connected to the at least one photovoltaic device, the at least one energy storage device, the bi-directional inverter, and to the electrical power system to control a flow of electric power from the electrical power system to the at least one energy storage device through the bi-directional DC-to-AC inverter. ### Claim 31 (depends on 22) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 22, further comprising; at least one photovoltaic device and at least one energy storage device, wherein the at least one energy storage device includes a plurality of energy storage devices which are physically and thermally isolated from one another, but are electrically interconnected to function collectively to store electric energy received from the at least one photovoltaic device, and to release energy to the electrical power system, and wherein the plurality of energy storage devices includes at least one electrochemical battery and at least one capacitor. ### Claim 32 A distributed electrical energy device, comprising: a photovoltaic device and an energy storage device; and a controller, sensing alternating current (AC) power parameters of an electric power system and using active feedback-control, configured to charge the energy storage device via the electrical power system based on electric energy stored in the energy storage device. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 32, wherein the controller is further configured to synchronize at least one of: an output the photovoltaic device or an output of the energy storage device to the electrical power system. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 32, wherein the controller is further configured to control an output current of at least one of: an output of the photovoltaic device or an output of the energy storage device, based on an electric load connected to the distributed electrical energy device. ### Claim 35 (depends on 32) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 32, further comprising a voltage step-up transformer. ### Claim 36 (depends on 32) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 32, wherein the controller, using an on-board battery management circuit, is further configured to detect an energy storage device fault and to isolate an energy storage device that is detected to have experienced a fault. ### Claim 37 (depends on 32) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 32, wherein the controller is further configured to provide an early warning indicator, and wherein the early warning indicator is representative of a reduction in output power of the at least one photovoltaic device. ### Claim 38 (depends on 32) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 32, comprising: a first photovoltaic device and a second photovoltaic device, wherein the controller is further configured to individually control a first flow of electric power from the first photovoltaic device to the electrical power system, separately from a second flow of electric power from the second photovoltaic device to the electrical power system. ### Claim 39 (depends on 32) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 32, comprising: at least one photovoltaic device and at least one energy storage device, wherein the controller is further configured to control a first flow of electric power from the at least one photovoltaic device to the electrical power system and/or the at least one energy storage device, and control a second flow of electric power from the electrical power system to the at least one energy storage device. ### Claim 40 (depends on 32) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 32, comprising: at least one photovoltaic device and at least one energy storage device; and a bi-directional DC-to-AC inverter; wherein the controller is connected to the at least one photovoltaic device, the at least one energy storage device, the bi-directional inverter, and to the electrical power system to control a flow of electric power from the electrical power system to the at least one energy storage device through the bi-directional DC-to-AC inverter. ### Claim 41 (depends on 32) The distributed electrical energy device of claim 32, comprising; at least one photovoltaic device and at least one energy storage device, wherein the at least one energy storage device includes a plurality of energy storage devices which are physically and thermally isolated from one another, but are electrically interconnected to function collectively to store electric energy received from the at least one photovoltaic device, and to release energy to the electrical power system, and wherein the plurality of energy storage devices includes at least one electrochemical battery and at least one capacitor.