According to an aspect of the disclosure, a home energy management system and method includes a network device disposed at a residence and a wireless home energy network capable of establishing communication with the network device. A server is disposed remotely from the residence and capable of generating a control action report to control the network devices. A controller is located at the residence and in communication with the server and configured to establish the wireless home energy network; initiate a plurality of operating status requests of the network device; receive device data in response to at least one of the operating status requests; generate a site report including the device data; initiate a communication of the site report to the remote server; and detect an availability of the control action report at the remote server in conjunction with the communication of the site report.

Energy management system and method

An expert system manages a power grid wherein charging stations are connected to the power grid, with electric vehicles connected to the charging stations, whereby the expert system selectively backfills power from connected electric vehicles to the power grid through a grid tie inverter (if present) within the charging stations. In more traditional usage, the expert system allows for electric vehicle charging, coupled with user preferences as to charge time, charge cost, and charging station capabilities, without exceeding the power grid capacity at any point. A robust yet accurate state of charge (SOC) calculation method is also presented, whereby initially an open circuit voltage (OCV) based on sampled battery voltages and currents is calculated, and then the SOC is obtained based on a mapping between a previously measured reference OCV (ROCV) and SOC. The OCV-SOC calculation method accommodates likely any battery type with any current profile.

Smart electric vehicle (ev) charging and grid integration apparatus and methods

A system and method for combining power from DC power sources. Each power source is coupled to a converter. Each converter converts input power to output power by monitoring and maintaining the input power at a maximum power point. Substantially all input power is converted to the output power, and the controlling is performed by allowing output voltage of the converter to vary. The converters are coupled in series. An inverter is connected in parallel with the series connection of the converters and inverts a DC input to the inverter from the converters into an AC output. The inverter maintains the voltage at the inverter input at a desirable voltage by varying the amount of the series current drawn from the converters. The series current and the output power of the converters, determine the output voltage at each converter.

Distributed Power Harvesting Systems Using DC Power Sources

A battery monitor is provided for use with a battery of an automotive vehicle. The battery monitor can provide real time battery condition measurements and can selectively control the charging of the battery through an alternator of the vehicle based upon the measured battery condition.

Energy management system for automotive vehicle

A monitoring system and method for monitoring performance of individual powers sources in a distributed power source system A monitoring module is coupled to each of the power sources, or to each string of serially connected power sources, to monitor and collect data regarding current, voltage, temperature and other environmental factors at the power source The collected data is transmitted over a power line to a central analysis station for analysis Data collected from each source indicates malfunction or degradation at the source Comparison of data collected from adjacent sources filters for environmental factors impacting neighboring sources such as cloudy days for a solar panel Comparison of data collected from the same source at different times indicates soiling or degradation of the source with time or periodic events such as a moving shade from an adjacent building

Monitoring of Distributed Power Harvesting Systems Using DC Power Sources

A DC to DC Converter includes an electrical circuit that allows batteries and other electrical energy storage devices to be charged from or to discharge to a variable voltage DC bus. This electrical circuit also enables seamless integration with other energy storage devices and/or DC power sources, such as fuel cells, to provide DC power for a Power Management System. A Power Management System preferably provides both full power source management and power conditioning. The Power Management System is able to manage power flow to and from multiple, isolated power sources and energy storage devices to deliver high quality alternating current (“AC”) power to a load.

Dc to dc converter and power management system

Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for charging and discharging an energy storage device connected to an electrical power distribution system In one exemplary embodiment, a controller monitors electrical characteristics of an electrical power distribution system and provides an output to a bi-directional charger causing the charger to charge or discharge an energy storage device (eg, a battery in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)) The controller can help stabilize the electrical power distribution system by increasing the charging rate when there is excess power in the electrical power distribution system (eg, when the frequency of an AC power grid exceeds an average value), or by discharging power from the energy storage device to stabilize the grid when there is a shortage of power in the electrical power distribution system (eg, when the frequency of an AC power grid is below an average value)

Grid regulation services for energy storage devices based on grid frequency

Stripping analysis into the 21st century: faster, smaller, cheaper, simpler and better

A power conversion and energy management system preferably includes a controller, one or more standard modules, and a custom (or semi-custom) backplane. The backplane preferably accommodates one or more modules and uses the modules to control power quality and/or flow to one or more input and/or output connections. The standard modules are preferably power modules such as an inverter module, converter module, or grid connect module. In addition to accommodating the modules, the backplane can include system components other than power electronics. The backplane can, for example, include external connectors, disconnects, fusing, and so forth, for a given application. The backplane can further include internal DC and AC buses to interconnect the modules. The backplane can also include a communications module, a user interface, a socket for control firmware, and slots for accommodating the standard modules.

Modular, integrated power conversion and energy management system

An interface between software and hardware, as well as a fuzzy logic control algorithm, for controlling a DC-DC converter or an AC-DC or DC-AC inverter are provided. A control circuit receives commands from a control logic to operate a converter or inverter in various operation modes. Control software inputs can be translated into signals to operate the converter or inverter. Control variables in the control software can be configured to operate under various control modes. If the converter or inverter cannot simultaneously meet the demands placed on two or more variables, the control logic can use prioritization to choose a more important constraint.

Donald J. Hammerstrom

Papers

Dc to dc converter and power management system

Grid regulation services for energy storage devices based on grid frequency

Stripping analysis into the 21st century: faster, smaller, cheaper, simpler and better

Modular, integrated power conversion and energy management system

Bi-directional regulator/converter with buck/boost by fuzzy logic control