Solar24 Technology Roundup
Technology, n.: "How things are done"
Exhibits:
(A.) US 9136732 [ 35 Claims Allowed ] {2011 Priority Date}
- (B.) US 9882528 [41 Claims Allowed] {2011 Priority Date}
- (C.) US 9252311 [ 21 Claims Allowed ] {2010 Priority Date}
- (D.) US 2016/0099673 A1 [Continuation of (C.) seeking 16 new Claims]
- (E.) US 2017/0117716 A1 [ Cont. App. of IC-microgrid generator ] { priority 2011 }
- Seeking 20 new Claims. Parent App. Presently under examination at USPTO
- (F.) US 10,374,117B2 [ 17 Claims allowed - 6 independent Claims. Priority date 2012 ]
- (G.) US 2016/0241036 A1 (International PCT Application)
- seeking 20 Claims (priority Apr. 18, 2017)
Our Patents and Pending Patents
Listed below (in full-text form) are our four issued patents, and three applications which are presently under examination by the USPTO.
Patent (A.) US 9136732 DISTRIBUTED ENERGY STORAGE AND POWER QUALITY CONTROL IN PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAYS
If PV systems are examples of Distributed Generation then it makes perfect sense to use Distributed Energy Storage where energy storage is required. In a similar logic it also makes perfect sense to use Distributed Power Quality Control whether if be in front-of or behind-the-meter.
Importantly, embedded within the term: “distributed power quality control,” are the use of active power factor correction (eg. VAR-injection), transient mitigation, load following, load shifting, peak-shaving et.al. – AND providing for “dispatchable PV” using collective, synchronous telemetry and master-control (on site or far-end).
This suite of distributed assets is under the control of a “master controller” whether this be used within a microgrid, multiple, integrated microgrids, or gird intertied.
We teach bi-directionality for energy-flows in our system because I cannot imagine a Community Microgrid (aka. Blockchain) where cumulative surplus energy storage (created by members who did not use all of their generated or stored energy) could not be readily sold into a system where others desired more energy than they generated and stored.
Take the time to read through the “specification-part” (the descriptive text) and you will find that what we teach is decidedly “Utility Friendly” while also being “Community Friendly”. We see modern electric power systems needing:
- Clean Power
- Flexible Control with user dominated interface (unless owned by a Utility)
- Safe-power where potential destructive failure modes are limited to panels or strings
- Self-diagnostics and appropriate response to system-health changes
- Ease of maintenance, repair, or replacement of smaller modules
- Cost benefits from using “many” smaller energy cells (capacitive of chemical storage elements)
- Cyber-Security (each element having its own encrypted IP-address)
- Figure 2A and Figure 3 (and Claim language) accept external fossil-fueled generation for solar reliability for either peak-shaving or long spells of low-sun-days.
- Wide latitude of voltage and power energy storage use (12-24-48VDC up to the 1,500 VDC standard using efficient DC-DC conversion interfacing).
Patent (B.) US 9882528 Distributed Energy Storage and Power Quality Control in Photovoltaic Arrays
These two Patents, taken together, (A. + B. ), teach 35 + 41 = 76 Novel, Claimed-methods for configuring distributed energy storage for off-grid, grid-tied, microgrid, and macro-grid clean-tech energy development (allowing for normal content repetition when needed in different Independent claim language).
Taken together, they teach a comprehensive yet technology-flexible approach to diffusing clean power within highly developed Nations as well as Emerging Economies power infrastructures which are:
- Controlled by flexible, software-defined system which will readily relearn new energy storage device characteristics, adapt to ever “smarter” inverters and converters, and able to integrate with ever-smarter telemetry and metering systems.
- There are a number of energy storage devices I like to call “9X” because they are not only less volatile in failure modes – they promise 3X energy density and 3X the cycle-life (hence 3 X 3 = 9).
- Cyber-Security (each master-controller may have its own encrypted IP-address)
Therefore, upgrading Power systems, energy storage systems, or power control systems should in most cases a simple plug-in of firmware with reprogramming software.
Patent (C.) US 9252311 SOLAR PANEL SYSTEM WITH MONOCOQUE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE
Patent APPLICATION (D.) US 2016/0099673 SOLAR PANEL SYSTEM WITH MONOCOQUE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE
This patent and companion patent-pending application represent the least cost method for presenting thin-film PV for ground-mount (i.e., independent of any roof supporting sub-structure).
The genesis of this technology comes from my years of association with Uni-Solar Corporation who made thin-film amorphous silicon PV (A-Si). They sold Megawatts of BIPV (Building Integrated PV) where their solar materials would be applied with adhesive directly to the roof structure.
When they approached “ground mount” (which must be self-supporting) they incurred punishing cost adders because they in effect had to mount their PV “twice” – first on a stabilizing steel pan (a section of standing-seam roof for example) and then add the cost of the traditional (erector set) of structural-steel in-ground frameworks to stabilize their pan-mounted PV.
With the bankruptcy of Uni-Solar in 2013 one might dismiss the present IP as “historical” were it not for the rapidly re-emerging thin-film PV industry. Taken in combination, (A. + B.) teach not only the least cost method of ground-mounting thin-film PV, importantly (see Claim #5 of (B.) for example) they teach direct deposition of layers of energy storage media + PV media directly on the sun-facing side of the monocoque structure – which would lead to a solar panel with integrated energy storage which “mounts itself”. Admittedly there is a significant technology gap which must be bridged (efficient PV coating – deposition of energy storage – using 3D printing or laser etching to electrically connect everything usw.). But when this is accomplished we will be blessed with VERY low cost PV and storage – in VERY thin layers. There will be no lower cost methods to achieve the functionality of integrating distributed generation, distributed energy storage, and distributed power quality control in any conceivable PV future.
As for the probability of the re-emergence of thin-film PC – NREL and Fraunhofer Institute have verified performance of new materials yield-ranges’ from 21% to 35% PV-yields (in the laboratory). As for low cost, Perovskytes (which use no rare-earths and can be sprayed-on as like robot-painting of automobiles) are yielding PV conversion efficiencies in the 22%+ range notwithstanding they must yet be chemically stabilized as they self-degrade too rapidly to be commercially viable (now).
As these patents are in-force until 2032 – one hopes timely solutions will be found to create commercial viability of these novel materials and methods – we need research and development!
Figure 3 in this document is self-explanatory as is the reason for the importance of adding a conventional fossil-fueled generator to a PV + Energy Storage installation. Sized appropriately and used with solar micro or macro grid systems this is the assurance of near 100% frequency (on-time availability) for the system.
This application has been submitted since 2011 and the existing “prior-art” is both deep and historical. The bad news is that we may not get an issued patent – the good news is that if this does not issue – NO ONE will ever get a patent covering this material anywhere in the World. In either case the teaching is valid – this is a robust-solution to power reliability when backing up inherently intermittent RE sources.
This system is successfully being competitively-used on membraned landfills, environmentally sensitive lands, solid rock, sand dune, solid-lava, flood-plains, or “lahar”. The system also creates a “portable PV system” in that it is not a permanently mounted “structure”. Because of its 3-axis adjustability (+ height) it is possible to create a leveled and stable mounting on irregular terrain.
Solar Ground Mount Inc. [ Marshall, MI ] has made amazing progress in automating the creation and placement of ballast bases – and has done over a dozens of PV-installations (some over 10MWP) using these methods (circa August 2019). Visit www.solargroundmounts.com to see examples of these installations.
This patent-pending application and its Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) filing represent an integration and International Coverage of the novel ideas taught in earlier patents plus adds significant material surrounding reconfigurable microgrids having user (owner) control.
This application also teaches the integration of IoT and AI in the controls systems from small microgrids to multi-megawatt PV + Generator + Energy Storage + Smart-Inverter clean-tech power systems. This application also teaches the management of within-system health as well as external prediction of load management needs. AI is applied to solve weather-prediction related to load prediction determinations and all potential telemetry and controls are IoT integrated.
The PCT allows us to apply for in-country Patents in over 150 Nations (within a 15 month window from July 2017) and we are seeking partners who have specific interest internationally. It is sobering to consider that two patents encompass all of China (includes Beijing and Hong Kong awards), one patent for India, and one patent covers 90+% of African Nations. Additionally 29 Western European Countries are party to the European Patent Office Cooperation – there is enormous demand for clean energy emerging worldwide. Google: PCT Member Nations - to visualize our Planet’s electrical needs “covered by PV”!
