System and method for controlling an electricity supply

Abstract

A system for controlling an electricity supply to a load comprises at least one battery for storing energy. The system also comprises a controller for determining when to switch between a first mode wherein electricity is supplied to the load from a mains electricity circuit; and a discharging mode wherein electricity is supplied from the battery to the load via the mains electricity circuit. The determining is based on information associated with the electricity supply.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for controlling an electricity supply to a load comprising:
 a controller configured to determine based on information associated with the electricity supply when to switch between a first mode wherein electricity is supplied to the load from a mains electricity circuit and a discharging mode wherein electricity is supplied from a battery to the load via the mains electricity circuit,   wherein the controller is configured to determine when to switch to a charging mode, wherein the battery is charged from the mains electricity circuit,   wherein the controller is configured to have a connection with an electricity network system operator or a service provider via a communication interface, the communication interface configured to receive the information from the electricity network system operator or the service provider, and   wherein the controller is configured to provide second information to the electricity network system operator or the service provider via the communication interface.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said received information comprises frequency information, wherein said frequency information comprises a frequency of said electricity supply, and wherein said frequency information comprises a deviation of a frequency of said supply from a given value. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said received information comprises an imbalance between a supply and a demand for the electricity supply. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said imbalance is indicated by a deviation of a frequency of said supply from a given value. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said received information comprises one or more parameters of an electricity transmission and distribution network or said electricity supply, wherein the one or more parameters comprise one or more of the following:
 time of peak periods of load on the electricity network;   time of off-peak periods of load on the electricity network;   price of electricity;   available capacity of the electricity transmission and distribution network; and   time of imbalance between supply and demand on the electricity transmission and distribution network.   
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor configured to measure at least one of frequency information, imbalance information and one or more parameters of the electricity supply and to provide information regarding the measurements to the controller. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that switching between the idle mode and the discharging mode or the charging mode is not required for a time period and to control the communication interface to reduce communication frequency for the time period. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to store information about switches between the idle mode, the discharging mode and the charging mode over a time period and to send the switching information to an electricity network system operator or a service provider. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the information comprises a request to switch between the idle mode, the discharging mode, and the charging mode, and wherein said received information comprises a real time command. 
     
     
       10. A system comprising the apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , at least one battery configured to store energy, a charger configured to charge the battery from a mains electricity circuit when in the charging mode, and an inverter configured to supply the load with an electricity supply from the battery when in the discharging mode,
 wherein the battery is configured to supply electricity to the mains electricity circuit in the discharging mode and receive electricity from the mains electricity circuit in the charging mode using a single bi-directional connection with the mains electricity circuit.   
     
     
       11. The system according to  claim 10  wherein the controller is configured to control a waveform of the electricity supply current from the inverter to the load. 
     
     
       12. A method for controlling an electricity supply to a load comprising:
 determining when to switch between a first mode wherein the load is supplied from a mains electricity circuit, and a discharging mode wherein the electricity is supplied to the load from a battery via the mains electricity circuit;   wherein the determining is based on information associated with the electricity supply, and wherein said information comprises one or more parameters of an electricity transmission and distribution network or said electricity supply, wherein the one or more parameters comprise one or more of the following:   time of peak periods of load on the electricity network;   time of off-peak periods of load on the electricity network;   price of electricity;   available capacity of the electricity transmission and distribution network; and   time of imbalance between supply and demand on the electricity transmission and distribution network.   
     
     
       13. A computer program comprising program code adapted to perform the steps of  claim 12  when the program code is run on at least one processor. 
     
     
       14. The method as set forth in  claim 12 , further comprising determining information comprising sensing at least one of frequency information, imbalance information and one or more parameters of the electricity supply. 
     
     
       15. The method as set forth in  claim 12 , further comprising detecting a loss of the electricity supply from the electricity transmission and distribution network and preventing discharging of the battery when said loss is detected. 
     
     
       16. The method as set forth in  claim 12 , further comprising storing information about switches between the idle mode, the discharging mode, and a charging mode over a time period and communicating the switching information to an electricity network system operator or a service provider. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , wherein said imbalance is indicated by a deviation of a frequency of said supply from a given value. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus for controlling an electricity supply to a load comprising:
 a controller configured to:
 determine based on information associated with the electricity supply when to switch between a first mode wherein electricity is supplied to the load from a mains electricity circuit and a discharging mode wherein electricity is supplied from a battery to the load via the mains electricity circuit, and 
 determine when to switch to a charging mode, wherein the battery is charged from the mains electricity circuit; and 
   a communication interface configured to receive the information from an external source, wherein the information comprises a request to switch between an idle mode, the discharging mode, and the charging mode, and wherein said received information comprises a real time command.   
     
     
       19. The apparatus as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to store information about switches between the idle mode, the discharging mode, and the charging mode over a time period and to send the switching information to an electricity network system operator or a service provider. 
     
     
       20. A system comprising an apparatus as claimed in  claim 18 , at least one battery configured to store energy, a charger configured to charge the battery from a mains electricity circuit when in the charging mode, and an inverter configured to supply the load with an electricity supply from the battery when in the discharging mode,
 wherein the battery is configured to supply electricity to a mains electricity circuit in the discharging mode and receive electricity from the mains electricity circuit in the charging mode using a single bi-directional connection with the mains electricity circuit.   
     
     
       21. The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the controller is configured to control a waveform of the electricity supply current from the inverter to the load. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to prevent discharging of the battery if a loss of the electricity supply from an electricity transmission and distribution network is detected. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the communication interface is configured to receive the information from an electricity network system operator or a service provider; and   the controller is configured to have a connection with the electricity network system operator or the service provider via the communication interface, and wherein the controller is configured to provide second information to the electricity network system operator or the service provider via the communication interface.   
     
     
       24. An apparatus comprising:
 a communication interface configured to connect with an electricity network system operator or a service provider and receive information from the electricity network system operator or the service provider; and   a processor communicatively connected to the communication interface and configured to:
 control a supply of electricity from a mains electricity circuit to a load; 
 control discharge of a supply of electricity from a battery to the load; 
 based on received information from the electricity network system operator or the service provider of an increased electricity requirement at the load comprising information that an additional load has been switched on during a peak usage time period, determine to supplement the load with electricity from the battery in addition to the supply of electricity provided from the mains electricity circuit to the load, and control the battery to discharge a current from the battery which substantially matches the additional load; and 
 provide second information about the supply of electricity to the electricity network system operator or the service provider via the communication interface.  
   
     
     
       25. The apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising:
 at least one sensor configured to sense electrical current information of the supply of electricity from the mains electricity circuit to the load, and to provide the electrical current information to the processor.    
     
     
       26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the battery to discharge electricity to the load when it is determined, based on the received information, that a current of the supply of electricity from the mains electricity circuit to the load reaches a predetermined value.  
     
     
       27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the predetermined value comprises an increase above a threshold value.  
     
     
       28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the battery to discharge a current from the battery which substantially matches the increase above the threshold value.  
     
     
       29. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the at least one sensor is further configured to sense at least one of frequency information, imbalance information, or one or more parameters of the supply of electricity, and to provide the sensed information to the processor.  
     
     
       30. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a wireless sensor.  
     
     
       31. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to use the electrical current information from the at least one sensor to operate a safety switch to disconnect the mains electricity supply from the load.  
     
     
       32. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to use the electrical current information from the at least one sensor to prevent a net current outflow into the mains electricity circuit from at least one of the load or the battery.  
     
     
       33. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the processor is further configured to store operational data, the operational data comprising one or more of: battery charging events, battery discharging events, or maintenance cycles.  
     
     
       34. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the processor is further configured to control a waveform of the supply of electricity.  
     
     
       35. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the communication interface is further configured to communicate information with the electricity network system operator or the service provider using a secure internet protocol connection.  
     
     
       36. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the communication interface is further configured to communicate with other apparatuses or systems using the secure internet protocol connection.  
     
     
       37. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the load comprises a building.  
     
     
       38. A method comprising:
 controlling, by a processor communicatively coupled to a communication interface, a supply of electricity from a mains electricity circuit to a load;   controlling, by the processor, discharge of a supply of electricity from a battery to the load;   based on received information from an electricity network system operator or a service provider of an increased electricity requirement at the load comprising information that an additional load has been switched on during a peak usage time period, determining, by the processor, to supplement the load with electricity from the battery in addition to the supply of electricity provided from the mains electricity circuit to the load, and controlling the battery to discharge a current from the battery which substantially matches the additional load; and   providing, by the processor, second information about the supply of electricity to the electricity network system operator or the service provider via the communication interface.    
     
     
       39. The method according to claim 38, further comprising:
 sensing electrical current information of the supply of electricity from the mains electricity circuit to the load;   providing the electrical current information to a processor; and   causing the battery to discharge electricity to the load when it is determined, based on the received information, that a current of the supply of electricity from the mains electricity circuit to the load reaches a predetermined value.    
     
     
       40. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by at least one processing device, cause the at least one processing device to:
 control a supply of electricity from a mains electricity circuit to a load;   control discharge of a supply of electricity from a battery to the load;   based on received information from an electricity network system operator or a service provider of an increased electricity requirement at the load comprising information that an additional load has been switched on during a peak usage time period, determine to supplement the load with electricity from the battery in addition to the supply of electricity provided from the mains electricity circuit to the load, and control the battery to discharge a current from the battery which substantially matches the additional load; and   provide second information about the supply of electricity to the electricity network system operator or the service provider via a communication interface communicatively coupled to the at least one processing device.