System and procedure for managing the shared use of a secondary energy source by consumers

Abstract

System for managing the shared use of a secondary energy source by a plurality of first consumers, wherein each first consumer is connected to the power grid via a meter (220, 221, 222), the system comprising: a secondary energy source (100) that generates secondary energy at least temporarily, a converter (120) coupled to the output of the secondary energy source and used to adjust the energy flowing through the converter in response to a power matching signal, a secondary power matching device SPAD (300, 310, 320, 330) for each first consumer, each SPAD comprising: a first input device for connecting the SPAD to the meter of the respective consumer, a second input device for connecting the SPAD to the adjusted secondary energy output power of the converter,an output device for connecting the SPAD to the main disconnect switch of the electrical system of the respective consumer, a coupling device for combining the supplied mains power and the supplied adapted secondary power output with the output of the SPAD, a switching device (309, 329) for connecting or disconnecting the SPAD from the adapted secondary power supply in response to a group selection signal, mains current sensor devices (305, 325) for detecting the mains current consumption by the electrical system of the respective consumer, secondary power sensor devices (306, 326) for detecting the secondary energy consumption by the electrical system of the respective consumer, a control device (308, 328) for receiving information on the detected mains current consumption and the secondary energy consumption and for outputting the group selection signal, thereby controlling,whether the respective SPAD is connected to or disconnected from the adapted secondary energy, a communication device (304, 314, 324, 334) for transmitting information on the combined grid and secondary energy consumption of the respective consumer to at least one other SPAD, wherein at least one SPAD from the plurality of SPADs is designed to receive this information on the combined grid and secondary energy consumption from the other SPADs via its communication device and is designed to model the expected power distribution and total expected secondary energy consumption for different groups of SPADs connected to the adapted secondary energy and to select the group of SPADs that together achieves the highest expected total secondary energy consumption under at least the condition that there is essentially no feed-in of energy into the grid via the SPADs of the respective group,wherein, in response to the group selection signal, the SPADs belonging to the selected group are supplied with the adapted secondary energy via their switching devices (309, 329) and the SPADs not belonging to the selected group are disconnected from the adapted secondary energy via their switching devices, and wherein the at least one SPAD that selects the group is further configured to transmit the power matching signal to the converter via the communication device, whereby the converter acts as a trigger and regulates the energy flowing through the converter so that it corresponds to the modeled expected total second energy consumption of the selected group of SPADs.

Description

Field of invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the distribution of a secondary energy source that is generated on-site or near the point of consumption in addition to the public grid or any primary energy source. The secondary energy source can be any type of energy source and, in particular, a green energy source, such as solar or wind energy. Specifically, the present invention relates to the possibility of feeding green energy into the units of an apartment building or, more generally, to multiple users, while enabling clear, separate billing of green energy and grid energy for each user, even if the users have different grid energy suppliers. The underlying challenge is to enable clear energy metering from two energy sources while simultaneously ensuring practical compatibility with all existing metering systems in apartment buildings, including older systems.The demand for green energy, and especially for solar energy, is high, but shared solar power plants are still rare due to technical and related legal restrictions. State of the art

[0002] To enable the shared use of a photovoltaic system, the simplest and probably most common approach is to connect the system to the consumers in common areas, such as elevators, lighting, and heating or cooling systems. However, this does not allow multiple parties to directly use the generated electricity to cover their own consumption.

[0003] Connecting a single photovoltaic system to multiple parties in a building presents a challenge for measurement, which is solved in the state of the art by metering systems that include a main meter for the entire building, a meter for solar power generation and individual meters for the different parties.

[0004] One example of this is the German "tenant electricity" model, which attempts to implement secondary solar energy sources in apartment buildings. However, this model has a number of rigidities that often render it impractical, such as the need for significant contractual and hardware modifications for those wishing to implement such a model. These points, among others, have been identified by the German government as obstacles to the development of these models.

[0005] A second example currently being introduced is the "shared building supply" model, which has the disadvantage that it can only estimate each party's solar and grid consumption instead of measuring it accurately.

[0006] Patent JP 2003-134672A describes a system in which the energy generated by the secondary source is constantly divided into fixed proportions, as determined by the system's users. However, this results in suboptimal local energy utilization, since the system cannot actively redistribute the allocated energy based on the users' current consumption.

[0007] Patent EP 2 820 737 B1 describes a system in which the allocated parts can be adapted to the current consumption of each user. However, the described system requires one or more of the following points, which complicate the necessary hardware and the installation process: - the installation of a new bidirectional meter, - the installation of a new power line between the system and the grid, - The use of complex energy pooling methods, such as multiple inverters used to control each user's share of energy when disputes arise over energy distribution, resulting in less than optimal simplicity in the required hardware and installation process. Fig. Paragraph 2 of this patent implies that locally generated energy 100 can flow back into the grid 110 via a bidirectional meter 210. This requires the presence of such bidirectional meters, which is not the case in most current installations. Typically, the installed meters are unidirectional meters. The problem with unidirectional meters is that, while they do allow energy to flow back into the grid, this flow causes the meter to count backward. This means the energy supplier would have to pay back the same price for the locally generated energy that they charge users for grid energy. Energy suppliers are generally only willing to pay a fraction of the grid price for locally generated energy.Therefore, the approach of EP 2 820 737 B1 can only function if specially installed bidirectional meters 210 are present, for which corresponding installation permits from network operators and installation effort are required. EP 2 820 737 B1 proposes a device 300 for controlling the consumption of grid energy 110 and local energy 100 by a single user UP. It is proposed to switch off the grid supply for a specific user UP when sufficient local energy is available.

[0008] WO 2018 / 184 076 A1 describes a system downstream of the meter for the controlled distribution of solar power to units in a multi-family dwelling connected to an electrical grid. The system includes a grid-connected inverter 14, which can be connected between a solar power generator 16 and an electrical grid 12. Sensors measure the instantaneous energy demand and solar power consumption per unit, as well as the solar power generation. Switches 20 are configured to selectively connect and disconnect the units from the solar power generator 16. The controller 22 controls the switches and thus the distribution of solar energy between the different units. The controller 22 applies an energy distribution algorithm designed to maximize the efficiency of solar power consumption within the multi-family dwelling and to prevent cross-flow of energy between the units.The design aims to keep inverter 14 online while preventing cross-flow of energy through the described protective measures and maximizing the efficiency of solar energy consumption by minimizing the export of solar power to the grid. The approach proposed in WO 2018 / 184076A1 aims to minimize the feed-in of solar energy but does not prevent it.

[0009] Similar items are also known from WO 2021 / 068 023 A1 and WO 2013 / 145 205 A1.

[0010] The problem to be solved is to provide a device and a corresponding system that are easy to manufacture and install and are backward compatible with existing metering systems, even in old buildings, to control the distribution of secondary energy in multi-family dwellings or buildings connected to an electricity grid. Summary of the invention

[0011] The present invention is based on the realization that a solution to the defined problem requires preventing the feed-in of secondary energy into the power grid.

[0012] The proposed system features a variety of secondary power adjustment devices (SPADs) that control the energy flow from the secondary energy source to the consumers in such a way that, at least for consumers who are not allowed to feed energy back into the grid, no energy is fed into the grid, and optionally, in such a way that the energy flow from consumer to consumer via the aforementioned devices, all of which are connected to the secondary energy source, is prevented.

[0013] To achieve this, the system models the preliminary or expected currents based on each user's electricity demand to determine the maximum absorbable secondary energy for a subset of users without feeding any power into the grid (for a group of users who are not permitted to feed power in) and optionally without energy flow between users within the subset. Once the subset of users with the maximum absorbable secondary energy has been determined, the system connects only those users or consumers within that specific subset to the secondary energy source and, furthermore, controls an inverter to ensure that only the specified maximum absorbable secondary energy is fed into this subset of users or consumers.

[0014] Any available excess secondary energy that cannot be fed into this subgroup due to the limitation imposed by the inverter can optionally be stored in a storage device, such as a battery, for later use.

[0015] In other words, the proposed solution calculates the amount of absorbable solar energy without grid feed-in (for those users or consumers who are not permitted to feed in) based on a model of expected energy flows derived from each user's energy demand. This calculation considers existing options (namely, the use of switching devices such as relays, but could alternatively or additionally be achieved through load management or a combination thereof) and selects the scenario with the highest expected solar consumption without grid feed-in. This calculation excludes options that could lead to undesirable energy flows (feeding power into the grid or, optionally, cross-flow between users via the line connecting all users to the secondary energy source).The electricity demand of users or consumers who are not permitted to feed electricity into the grid determines the maximum amount of solar power that can be absorbed and thus the inverter settings. The intricacy lies in the fact that solar energy is not simply divided among users to be consumed before grid power, nor is it distributed perfectly evenly. Therefore, the system must model how the electricity is distributed based on a series of approximations and ideally calibrate based on the results obtained to achieve a more accurate model in subsequent iterations.

[0016] The invention particularly proposes a system for managing the shared use of a secondary energy source by a plurality of first consumers, wherein each first consumer is connected to the power grid via a meter, wherein the system comprises a secondary energy source that generates secondary energy at least temporarily, an inverter coupled to the output of the secondary energy source and used to adjust the energy flowing through the inverter in response to a power adjustment signal, and a secondary power adjustment device (SPAD) for each first consumer, wherein each SPAD comprises: a first input device for connecting the SPAD to the meter of the respective consumer, and a second input device for connecting the SPAD to the adjusted secondary energy output power of the inverter.an output device for connecting the SPAD to the main disconnect switch of the electrical system of the respective consumer, a coupling device for combining the supplied mains power and the supplied adapted secondary energy output power with the output of the SPAD, a switching device for connecting or disconnecting the SPAD from the set secondary energy power in response to a group selection signal, a mains current sensor device for detecting the mains current consumption by the electrical system of the respective consumer, a second energy power sensor device for detecting the secondary energy consumption by the electrical system of the respective consumer, a control device for receiving information on the detected mains current consumption and the secondary energy consumption and for outputting the group selection signal, thereby controlling,whether the respective SPAD is connected to or disconnected from the adapted secondary energy, a communication device for transmitting information on the combined grid and secondary energy consumption of the respective consumer to at least one other SPAD, wherein at least one SPAD from the plurality of SPADs is designed to receive this information on the combined grid and secondary energy consumption from the other SPADs via its communication device and is designed to model the preliminary power distribution and the expected total secondary energy consumption for different groups of SPADs connected to the adapted secondary energy and to select the group of SPADs that together achieves the highest expected total secondary energy consumption under at least the condition that there is essentially no feed-in of energy into the grid by the SPADs of the respective group,wherein, in response to the group selection, the SPADs belonging to the selected group are connected to the adapted secondary power supply via their switching devices, and the SPADs not belonging to the selected group are disconnected from the adapted secondary power supply via their switching devices, and wherein the at least one SPAD that selects the group is further configured to transmit the power matching signal to the inverter via the communication device, whereby the inverter acts as a trigger to adjust the energy flowing through the inverter to match the modeled expected total secondary power consumption of the selected group of SPADs.

[0017] The invention further proposes a method for managing the shared use of a secondary energy source by a plurality of first consumers, wherein the electrical system of each first consumer is connected to the power grid via a meter and wherein the electrical system of each consumer is connected to the secondary energy source via a switching device, the method comprising: determining the combined secondary energy consumption and grid power consumption of the respective electrical system of the consumer for each first consumer, modeling the expected distribution of the secondary energy among the connected consumers based on the data obtained from all first consumers regarding their combined secondary energy consumption and grid power consumption, and calculating an expected total secondary energy consumption for different consumer groups.Selecting the group of first consumers that together achieve the highest expected total secondary energy consumption, provided that there is essentially no feed-in of energy from the electrical systems of the first consumers into the power grid; connecting the electrical systems of the first consumers belonging to the selected group to the secondary energy source via the aforementioned switching devices and disconnecting other first consumers from the secondary energy source; adjusting the total energy supplied by the secondary energy source to the electrical systems of the selected group of first consumers to match the modeled expected total secondary energy consumption of the selected consumer group.

[0018] Furthermore, the invention proposes a secondary power adjustment device (SPAD) for managing the sharing of a secondary power source by a plurality of consumers, comprising: a first input device for connecting the SPAD to a meter for the mains power supply of a consumer, a second input device for connecting the SPAD to a secondary power source, an output device for connecting the SPAD to a main disconnect switch of a consumer's electrical system, a coupling device for combining the supplied mains power and the supplied secondary power supply with the output of the SPAD, and a switching device for connecting or disconnecting the SPAD from a secondary power source in response to a group selection signal.a mains current sensor device for detecting the mains current consumption by an electrical system of a respective consumer, a second energy power sensor device for detecting the secondary energy power consumption by an electrical system of a consumer, a controller for receiving information on the detected mains current consumption and the detected secondary energy power consumption and for controlling whether the SPAD is connected to or disconnected from a secondary energy source by outputting the group selection signal, communication means (304) for transmitting information on the combined mains and secondary energy consumption to other SPADs, wherein the SPAD is designed to receive information on the combined mains and secondary energy consumption from other SPADs via its communication means, and is designed to determine the expected total secondary energy consumption for different groups of SPADs,which are connected to a secondary energy source, and selects the group of SPADs that together achieve the highest expected total secondary energy consumption under the condition that there is essentially no energy fed back into the grid via the SPADs of the respective group, and is designed to transmit a power matching signal to a converter or inverter via the communication means, thereby enabling the converter or inverter to match the energy flowing through the converter or inverter to the modeled expected total energy consumption of a selected group of SPADs.

[0019] Exemplary embodiments according to the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show the following: Fig. 1: A simplified view of a system according to an embodiment of the invention, comprising first consumers that are not allowed to feed energy back into the power grid, and second consumers that are allowed to feed energy back into the power grid, Fig. 2: A more detailed representation of a system according to an embodiment of the invention, which provides a simplified representation of the secondary power matching devices (SPADs).

[0020] The following detailed description refers to solar energy as a secondary energy source. It should be understood that solar energy is merely an example and that the term "solar energy" is only meant to be understood as an example of secondary energy sources such as solar power, wind power, or other green or non-green energy sources.

[0021] Furthermore, the description refers specifically to buildings with multiple units as a typical scenario for using the present invention. It is understood that the users or consumers can also be other units, such as an electric car, an elevator, communal facilities, etc. The present invention relates to a specific way in which secondary energy is distributed, but is in no way limited with regard to the specific consumer receiving the energy.

[0022] Fig. Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention. The system comprises a number of units in a multi-user building, the electrical system of each unit being represented by a respective load 400, 410, 420, and 430. The number of units is arbitrary and, in a real-world implementation, typically ranges from 5 to 50 units. Such an electrical system of a particular unit belonging to a user is hereinafter referred to as a consumer. Each electrical system or consumer is connected to an AC network 200 via a line 230, the connection being established in the illustrated example via a measuring device 220, 221, 222, and 223. The measuring devices 220 and 221 are represented as bidirectional meters that measure both the energy flowing from the AC network into the respective electrical system (i.e., the energy flowing from the AC network into the respective electrical system).The energy meters can measure both the energy for which the consumer pays the grid operator and the energy flowing back into the grid from the respective electrical system (i.e., the energy fed back into the grid). In the case of such energy feed-in, the grid operator can pay the consumer compensation, which is usually only a fraction of the price the consumer pays the operator for the grid energy. Other consumers' energy meters can only be standard meters 222 and 223, which cannot separately measure the amount of energy fed back into the grid.With these types of fixed-mounted meters, the energy supplier does not allow energy to be fed back into the grid, as this would reduce the meter reading. This would mean the energy supplier would have to refund the consumer the same price they charged for the energy fed into the grid. Since energy suppliers are unwilling to do this, such energy feeding back into the grid is illegal with fixed-mounted meters. For this reason, installing a secondary energy source, such as a solar panel, is difficult in such buildings. The presence of such a secondary energy source automatically leads to situations where energy is fed back into the grid.The solar system 100 has a photovoltaic system 110, which consists of a large number of photovoltaic or solar panels 111 that supply energy to an inverter 120, which converts direct current into alternating current and can also control the amount of energy or power that may finally flow via the line 130 into the electrical systems connected to the line 130.

[0023] To create a system like in Fig. To implement the system shown in Figure 1 in practice, approvals from one or more energy suppliers and possibly the installation of additional bidirectional meters are required to address the problem of undefined energy backflow into the power grid. According to the described embodiment, the present invention provides that each consumer participating in a shared use of the secondary energy source 100 installs a secondary power matching device, SPAD, 300, 310, 320, 330, between the power grid line 230, the line 130 of the secondary energy source, and the consumers or electrical systems 400, 410, 420, 430. As explained in more detail below, the installed SPADs can prevent energy from being fed back into the power grid, at least for those consumers who are not permitted to do so, typically because they only use unidirectional meters 222 and 223.Due to this function implemented by the SPADs, illegal backfeeding is no longer possible, thus significantly reducing the contractual and construction costs that otherwise often prevent the introduction of green energy in multi-family buildings.

[0024] Fig. Figure 2 shows the SPADs in more detail. Each SPAD is connected to the mains power line 230 via a first input device and to the secondary power source line 130 via a second input device. As explained above, the SPADs ensure that only a portion of the secondary power from the secondary power source 100 is allowed to pass through the converter 120. The mains power and secondary power supplied via lines 230 and 130 are combined in the SPADs 300, 310, 320, and 330 and output to the electrical system or the load 400, 410, 420, and 430 via an output device and the respective interrupting devices 401 and 421. Each SPAD has a switching device 309 or 329 that disconnects or connects the secondary power to the SPAD.The switching device 309, 329 is controlled by a control device 308, 328, which outputs a group selection signal that determines whether a specific SPAD is connected to secondary power or not. Each SPAD measures the mains power consumption of the electrical system connected to the respective SPAD via a mains current sensor 305, 325 and the secondary power consumption of the respective electrical system or consumer with a secondary power sensor 306, 326. The sensor device can transmit the measurement results to a circuit for reading the measured values ​​supplied by the sensors 305, 306, 325 and 326 or directly to the control device 308, 328. The control device 308, 328 ultimately receives information on the combined mains power and secondary power consumption of the respective electrical system or consumer.

[0025] SPADs can also transmit the aforementioned combined mains power and secondary energy consumption data to other SPADs via communication means, as illustrated by communication lines 304, 314, 324, and 334. Such communication can be transmitted via cable or wirelessly. In summary, at least one SPAD, a central controller, or all SPADs can thus receive combined mains power and secondary energy consumption data from all SPADs and are therefore able to monitor the consumption of the respective loads or electrical systems behind these SPADs.

[0026] The SPAD controller, which has all this information, can now identify which consumers are operating within similar or acceptable consumption ranges and which consumers have significantly higher consumption or no consumption at all. The controller can then model the distribution of secondary energy among the consumers according to their current grid power demand and secondary power demand. Power distribution in a system like the one described here is a complex phenomenon.

[0027] The power distribution model can be more or less complex to more or less accurately reflect the actual distribution, or more or less efficient by including more or fewer computational steps. In real-world applications, this model is designed to remain simple enough to be run by the available hardware while still being sufficiently accurate. The model can include adaptation variables that it updates according to the results observed in each installation. These variables can be used to account for the specific characteristics of each installation context. The model can be configured to identify previously known scenarios to derive the expected power distribution or to understand the user's power consumption patterns. It can also incorporate parts of a computer intelligence (CI) model or be completely replaced by one, particularly through machine learning.

[0028] The distribution of solar or secondary energy can also be based on empirical data obtained during the development of the respective system or through measurements taken during its installation in a building. The historical electricity consumption of users in a particular building, for example from energy bills, can be taken into account, as can similarities to other buildings where the system is already operating successfully.

[0029] The controller attempts to calculate the maximum absorbable secondary energy consumption for a specific group of consumers. Each SPAD can be disconnected from the secondary energy power line 130 using the switching devices. It is important to note that this maximum absorbable secondary energy consumption is calculated under the condition that the SPADs currently connected to the secondary energy source via their switching devices do not feed any energy back into the grid. Using this model, tests are performed for various or all possible consumer groups to determine how much secondary energy they can collectively absorb without feeding any energy back into the grid. With a larger number of consumers, the number of subgroups to be tested becomes quite high (2^n-1, where n is the number of available consumers).However, the model may also apply several rules that must be met to identify successful groups, such as that the members of a successful group have consumption within certain smaller ranges and may not test all combinations, but stop when a predefined acceptance condition is met. These conditions may also prevent cross-flow between SPADs, which are currently all connected to line 130.

[0030] Once the algorithm has identified a group of consumers that together have the highest absorbable secondary energy consumption, provided that no energy is fed back into the grid, this group is selected and the respective SPADs connect to the secondary energy power line 130 via their respective switching devices. All other SPADs that do not belong to the selected group disconnect from the secondary energy supply.

[0031] At least one of the consumers from the selected group transmits a power adjustment signal to the converter 120 via communication means 303 to cause the converter 120 to only allow the amount of secondary energy or power to pass through that corresponds to the maximum absorbable secondary energy consumption of the consumers belonging to the selected group.

[0032] In this way, the SPADs forming the group do not feed energy back into the power grid, since the total secondary energy supplied to these SPADs of the group by the inverter 120 corresponds to the maximum absorbable secondary energy of this group, thus preventing a feed-in to the power grid.

[0033] The condition that no energy is fed back into the grid may not be the only condition that the ultimately selected group of SPADs or consumers must meet: Another condition that may have to be met is the absence of cross-flow between the SPADs in the selected group via the secondary energy power line 130. If this additional condition has to be met, a different group of SPADs may win the selection process.

[0034] The presence of cross-flow between SPADs can be detected by measuring the secondary energy power sensor 306, 326, i.e., by detecting the power flowing from a SPAD via a second input device. Likewise, the feedback into the power grid can be measured, monitored, or detected by means of the grid current sensor 305, which is capable of detecting energy flowing back into the power grid line 230 via a first input device of a SPAD.

[0035] Once a SPAD controller has a good model of the expected energy distribution, any measurements become unnecessary. The model itself is then able to calculate the maximum absorbable secondary energy consumption for different groups of SPADs (consumers) in advance, at least under the condition that no energy is fed back into the grid by this group of SPADs, and optionally under the additional condition that no energy flow occurs between the SPADs in this group.

[0036] For secondary consumers that are permitted to feed energy back into the grid, these secondary consumers can also be considered during group selection. The algorithm tolerates this feeding back into the grid for these secondary consumers, which generally increases the maximum absorbable secondary energy consumption. In other words, the algorithm enforces the condition that no feeding back into the grid only for primary consumers that are not allowed to feed back into the grid, but not for secondary consumers that are. The optional additional condition that no cross-flow between SPADs is permitted is a condition that both primary and secondary consumers must meet if the second condition is also met.

[0037] Each SPAD can have an interface for communication with a cloud (301, 311, 321, 331) and / or another interface for controlling loads in the electrical system of the respective consumer (302, 312, 322, 332). The latter is a way to influence the power load detected by the system for a specific consumer and maximize the absorbable secondary energy consumption. For example, such an interface can be used to activate or deactivate a radiator, air conditioner, heat pump, hot water storage tank, electric vehicle charger, or other high-consumption devices to achieve a more even secondary energy consumption for a larger group of consumers, which then has the potential for a higher overall absorbable secondary energy consumption. In other words, for most users or consumers, it doesn't matter much at what exact time a heater, etc., is activated.is put into operation. This flexibility can be used to achieve a more even distribution of secondary energy among consumers, thereby increasing the chances of higher overall consumption.

[0038] Theoretically, such load control for a specific consumer in its electricity grid, via the respective SPAD (Secondary Energy Distribution Device), can balance the consumption of users to such an extent that separating the SPADs becomes unnecessary, as all users are sufficiently balanced in terms of their electricity consumption. In practice, however, such load control is usually an additional measure to increase the overall secondary energy consumption in a system, selecting a group with the highest consumption. Examples of such loads, which can be controlled—that is, activated and deactivated at appropriate times—include hot water storage tanks, heating and cooling systems, car chargers, and connected devices (washing machines, dishwashers, personal batteries, etc.).It is also possible that an indicator on the SPAD and / or in an app lights up when the SPAD is installed in the apartment to alert the user that solar energy availability is high and to encourage them to adjust their energy consumption to the availability of solar energy (cooking when energy is available, showering when energy is available, using an instantaneous water heater, etc.).

[0039] In contrast to the prior art, the described embodiments, in which groups of SPADs are selected to remain connected to the secondary energy supply while other SPADs not belonging to the selected group are disconnected, lead to an unfair consumption of secondary energy, at least for a certain period. It can happen that a particular SPAD, due to very low power consumption over an extended period, is excluded from consuming favorable secondary energy for that period, which at first glance seems unfair. However, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the actual secondary energy consumption of a consumer is recorded by the respective SPAD, so that over longer periods, for example, a month, it can be ensured that all SPADs are treated fairly and the secondary energy is distributed equitably.SPADs that have reached a certain threshold for secondary energy consumption may no longer be eligible for group selection and are therefore excluded from secondary energy consumption for the remainder of the respective period (e.g., one month) so that others can further increase their share. This means that, in this implementation, a fair distribution of secondary energy is not achieved immediately, but rather over a longer period.

[0040] SPADs must communicate with other SPADs via an interface or communication device. This communication is illustrated by reference numerals 304, 314, 324, and 334. This communication can be wireless via LoRaWAN, WLAN, WLAN Direct, etc., or wired, for example, via Ethernet. It is also possible to communicate over the AC power line by adding a signal to the AC waveform.

[0041] Likewise, SPADs, or at least one SPAD or a central controller, must be able to communicate with the inverter 120 to supply it with the inverter control signal and instruct it to control the amount of secondary energy so that it corresponds to the maximum absorbable secondary energy of the ultimately selected group of SPADs; this communication is in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 marked with reference numeral 303. Communication takes place via an interface or communication device of the SPAD and can be wired, for example if a protocol readable by the inverter is used, or wireless, by communicating directly with the inverter or with an additional peripheral device connected to the inverter.

[0042] Furthermore, a SPAD can communicate with the cloud either via a wired connection such as Ethernet or wirelessly, for example via Wi-Fi or LTE, to provide consumers with an overview of their solar energy consumption or available solar energy via an app. If the system is part of a leasing or pay-as-you-go model, this can be used to transmit the customer's consumption data for billing purposes.

[0043] To meet the measurement requirements for billing purposes, a SPAD can be connected to an external meter, allowing it to read the user's solar energy consumption from a suitable (calibrated) meter. A SPAD can be installed similarly to an energy meter, either in a common area where all meters are mounted or in each apartment, where meters are sometimes also installed. The SPAD can be designed to fit a standard DIN rail mounting format, enabling installation in a typical electrical panel.

[0044] The SPAD is preferably a device that is easy to manufacture and install, which further promotes the widespread adoption of such devices and the associated increase in the number of buildings that can now participate in the use of green energy without major bureaucratic or financial hurdles. The SPAD generally has three connection options: one for connection to the electricity grid (via the appropriate single-line or bidirectional meter), another for connection to the secondary energy power line that supplies all participating (and currently switched-on) SPADs with secondary energy, and a third connection option for connection to a consumer's electrical system, preferably via that consumer's main disconnect switch.The SPAD also features a communication module that enables wired or wireless communication with other SPADs to transmit and receive data on the combined power grid and secondary energy consumption of each consumer. This data is necessary for the SPAD's control system to model the distribution of secondary energy across various assumed groups of SPADs (and their associated electrical systems). As mentioned above, the control system attempts to identify the group of consumers that collectively achieves the maximum absorbable secondary energy, ensuring that SPADs associated with consumers not permitted to feed energy back into the grid receive as much secondary energy as possible, provided that no feed-in occurs.

[0045] These SPADs typically originate from primary consumers whose SPADs are connected to a single-directional meter. For secondary consumers that are permitted to feed electricity back into the grid (because they have bidirectional meters), the algorithm used by the control system to calculate electricity distribution assumes that feed-back from the SPADs of these secondary consumers is possible.

[0046] Once the controller has identified the group of SPADs with the maximum absorbable secondary energy, it sends a signal (via its communication device) to the inverter or converter, instructing it to allow only the amount of secondary energy corresponding to the calculated maximum absorbable secondary energy to pass through. This matching prevents the backfeeding of SPADs that are not permitted to do so. At this point, all SPADs belonging to the selected group connect to the secondary energy power line via their respective switching devices, while other SPADs not belonging to this group disconnect. Typically, the controller sends a corresponding signal to the associated switching device, such as a "group selection signal," indicating that the SPAD should be connected to the secondary energy because it is part of the selected group.

[0047] As explained above, all necessary modeling and calculations are performed by the SPAD's controller. This controller, or control device, can naturally have one or more processors and associated memory devices to execute the various tasks in a timely manner. Specifically, one or more processors may be dedicated to AI modeling, others to communication tasks, and still others to measurement tasks. When a SPAD is sold, it is typically equipped with software capable of performing the necessary calculations. Generally, a SPAD undergoes certain configurations during installation to adapt it to the specific environment in which it will be used. If a SPAD is subsequently added to a system, it can read the current settings from other SPADs that are already functioning correctly via its communication channels.The initial setup and programming of a SPAD can fulfill the function of modeling the current distribution. This setup can be based on machine learning and / or tests in a laboratory where similar conditions are simulated.

[0048] SPADs that utilize a KL model can be implemented by training the model in a test environment that simulates typical installation scenarios. During training, the model learns how to determine the expected distribution of secondary energy among specific consumers and how to efficiently select the group of consumers with the highest secondary energy consumption. After installation in a real-world environment, the model can continue to learn during operation, potentially based on additional measurements, such as the continued occurrence of unintended feed-in to the grid, measurements or comparisons of absorbed secondary energy consumption under different conditions, and so on.

[0049] After installation, a SPAD can also be connected to a cloud and to one or more inverters or converters of the system.

[0050] SPADs can be installed to perform various tasks. A specific SPAD can act as a central controller, performing all the modeling and thus identifying the group of consumers with the highest absorbable secondary energy. In such a centralized system, this SPAD might have more computing power than other SPADs, allowing the other SPADs to be designed more simply and cost-effectively. In such cases, the leading SPAD would transmit information about the selected group to the other SPADs, so they know whether to connect to or disconnect from the secondary energy source. Alternatively, the leading SPAD can also send a connection or disconnection instruction to the other SPADs, which would then react accordingly.In such cases, it would also be the leading SPAD that informs the inverter or converter about the energy or power it is allowed to pass on to the connected SPADs, so that no unintentional backfeeding into the power grid can occur.

[0051] To further reduce feed-in while simultaneously utilizing solar energy as much as possible, an AI model could be implemented that predicts user energy consumption in order to adjust the inverter in advance and thus compensate for the inverter's delay (the inverter cannot immediately respond to the required power and needs a few seconds to adjust).

[0052] In the case of a solar power system, the device 120 is a converter for transforming direct current into alternating current and for controlling the power supplied by the secondary energy source to the SPADs. In the case of a wind energy application or another energy source that does not generate direct current, the device 120 can be a converter that transforms the alternating current generated by the wind power or other source into alternating current suitable for the SPADs.

[0053] The switching devices can be semiconductor relays for a longer service life or electromechanical relays.

[0054] The following provides some additional explanations to illustrate at a high level how the algorithm can achieve the calculation of the maximum absorbable secondary energy consumption, which includes the distribution of electricity among consumers: The energy flow from the solar system to the connected units cannot be easily and accurately modeled. This is because the energy is distributed among the connected units, but it is difficult to model the exact proportions. In other words, the units do not prioritize solar energy over grid energy, and the solar energy is neither distributed equally among the connected units nor proportionally to the energy demand of each unit. For example, if the devices primarily consumed solar energy instead of grid energy, setting up a non-grid-feed-in system would be relatively simple by measuring the total demand and limiting the inverter accordingly, but this is not the principle of the present invention.

[0055] The following are some simplified examples of how the system can calculate the maximum absorbable solar energy. These examples are highly simplified, and real-world algorithms are more complex, may employ machine learning components, and adjust their variables over time based on the success of previous modeling runs to account for the specific characteristics of each installation. Furthermore, these examples do not account for cross-flow avoidance. In real-world situations, some users may be excluded, or loads may be managed to prevent cross-flow, thus altering the total amount of absorbed solar energy. Assuming equal use of solar power:

[0056] In such a case, the consumer with the lowest consumption, who is not allowed to feed energy into the grid, determines the absorbable energy, since no more solar energy can be supplied to him than he actually needs.

[0057] If all users receive equal shares, the total absorbed energy corresponds to that specific energy multiplied by the number of users.

[0058] Solar power used = electricity demand of the lowest-consuming consumer who is not allowed to feed electricity into the grid * number of users.

[0059] Under this assumption, the total solar energy used can be increased by taking low-consumption consumers off the grid or, optionally, by increasing the demand of low-consumption consumers. Assumption of the proportional component:

[0060] Solar energy used = (Electricity demand of the lowest-consuming user * share of that user in the total electricity demand * other component) + (Electricity demand of the second user * share of that user in the total electricity demand * other component) + (Electricity demand of the third user * share of that user in the total electricity demand * other component) + ... In such an example, the solar power flow is considered to be partially proportional to each user's electricity demand. A model in which each user's solar power consumption were simply proportional to that user's electricity demand would be very inadequate, which is why other components are included in the calculation (to account for tipping points, the influence of the system's physical layout, observed differences in previous forecasts, etc.).

[0061] More complex arithmetic models are possible to represent the expected power flows more accurately. These models can also include variables calibrated for each specific plant. These models can also incorporate parts of AI models or consist entirely of them.

[0062] Assuming the secondary power source is connected to three units 1, 2, and 3, each with a power requirement of D1 = 2000 W, D2 = 800 W, and D3 = 500 W, the system calculates the theoretical power distribution of the secondary power source to the units. It assumes equal use of the solar energy by the units, meaning each unit receives the same power. If no units are allowed to feed power into the grid, the system limits the inverter to 1500 W, so each unit receives 500 W (still assuming equal power distribution). In total, 1500 W of solar energy is consumed directly by the units.

[0063] If, for example, only unit 3 is allowed to feed solar power into the grid, the inverter would be limited to 2400 W to accommodate the non-feed-in condition for units 1 and 2. Each unit therefore receives 800 W. Unit 3 feeds 800 - 500 = 300 W into the grid, while units 1 and 2 do not feed any power into the grid. In total, 800 + 800 + 500 = 2100 W of solar power is consumed by the units.

[0064] If the goal had been to maximize the solar power consumption of the units without avoiding grid feed-in, 2000 W could have been distributed across each unit, and 1000 + 800 + 500 = 2300 W of solar power would have been consumed by the users, while 1200 + 1500 = 2700 W would have been fed into the grid.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the SPADs can follow the sequence below to connect to and disconnect from the secondary power source. This sequence can be calculated by one device (SPAD) for all devices and then sent to each device by a central controller, or each device can make its own decision (resulting in the same overall decision, since all devices follow the same logic): Each device measures the total energy consumption of its unit (grid + solar if connected to solar, grid only if connected only to the grid).

[0066] This data is exchanged with the other devices (or sent to a central control unit or a device that assumes the role of central control). It should be noted that the measured solar energy consumption data is not needed in isolation and therefore does not need to be calculated or sent to the other devices, meaning that no single device knows the total potentially available solar energy.

[0067] The control device, or each individual device, then calculates the "permissible combination" (or bundle) with the highest solar energy consumption. The following steps can be performed for this purpose: Calculating the permissible combinations / bundles, for example, when the energy consumption of the included devices does not differ too much. This is to prevent devices with excessively different energy requirements from being connected, as in this case, energy could flow from one unit to another via secondary devices. This process can be dynamic, meaning the system could start with relatively similar consumption values ​​and gradually allow more until it detects a risk or the occurrence of a fault current, at which point it becomes somewhat more restrictive (since the permissible factor can vary slightly from one circuit to another).

[0068] If a device has already reached (or is approaching) its energy allowance, or if a device reports a fault, that device may be temporarily excluded from the calculation of permissible combinations.

[0069] Among the permissible combinations, the control device (or all devices individually, since they follow the same logic) selects the combination with the highest potential for solar energy consumption (the system may also favor certain users so that they can make up for their allowance; in this case, the selected combination may not be the one with the highest solar consumption).

[0070] The SPADs then connect or disconnect their loads from the shared solar array according to the selected combination. They subsequently limit the inverter output to the solar energy that can be absorbed by the chosen combination.

[0071] As a final, optional step, the system verifies that the desired energy flows are occurring. Each SPAD monitors that no energy flows from the grid to another SPAD, and if configured to not feed solar energy into the grid, it also verifies that no feed-in is taking place. If it detects a fault (i.e., if either of these conditions is not met), it reports this to the other devices (or the central controller). It could then be excluded from the next round of calculating eligible combinations. It is important to note that during this step, the device still does not report its solar energy consumption. It simply sends an error signal, which tells other SPADs not to include this SPAD in the next round of calculating eligible combinations. In this way, the system prevents grid energy paid for by one user from flowing to another.

[0072] Further examples of the function for selecting the SPADs to be connected to or disconnected from the secondary power supply, taking into account the feed-in conditions of each user and to maximize solar power consumption, could follow an algorithm such as the one described below: Inputs

[0073] Power demand D i,t (measured by 307 at 305 and 306 and by 327 at 325 and 326 in Fig. 2) at a time t for each user i.

[0074] The feed-in rights of each user (whether feed-in is permitted or not), indicated by the bidirectional meters 220 and 221 or the unidirectional meters 222, 223 in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. expenditure

[0075] Output power of the inverter.

[0076] Connection status (relay status) of each user. Operation

[0077] The following process repeats itself regularly over time and is described below at a time t: Calculating all possible combinations or those deemed sufficient L n of user connection states (subject to relevant conditions such as crossflow conditions based on their power requirements).

[0078] Input the total electricity demand of each user Di,t, the number of users N, and the feed-in rights of each user into the electricity distribution model for each combination Ln. The model outputs a maximum acceptable solar power value for each combination Ln.

[0079] Selecting combination L max from L n with the highest solar power value P s,tot . Setting the maximum output power of the inverter (120 in Fig. 1) via interface 303 as the determined solar power P s,tot .

[0080] Setting the relay states (309 and 329 in Fig. ) according to the selected combination L max .

[0081] Optimization techniques can be used to reduce the number of iterations, for example by restricting the search in step 1 to certain combinations.

[0082] Another example of the function for selecting the inverter output power and the load control function (without consumer connection / disconnection): Although this function could theoretically operate independently, in real-world applications it would typically be used as a complement to the function A described above.

[0083] To define the power demand of the controllable loads within the system (400, 410, 420, 430 in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2), ensuring that each user's feed-in conditions are met, while maximizing the consumption of solar power whenever these conditions are met. Inputs

[0084] Power requirement D i,t (measured by 307 at 305 and 306 and by 327 at 325 and 326 in Fig. 2) at time t for each user i.

[0085] Maximum power that can be absorbed by each controllable load (400, 410, 420, 430) at time t.

[0086] Power requirement of each controllable load at time t.

[0087] Feed-in rights of each user (symbolized by the bidirectional meters 220 and 221 or the unidirectional meters 222, 223 in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). expenditure

[0088] Output power of the inverter.

[0089] Energy requirement of each controllable load. Operation

[0090] The following process repeats itself regularly over time and is described below at time t: Input the electricity demand Di,t and the feed-in rights of each user into the electricity distribution model (see Section III below). The model outputs the maximum amount of solar power that can be absorbed for the specified electricity demand.

[0091] Taking into account the possible adjustments for controllable loads (based on the energy absorbed by each load and its current energy demand), repeat the algorithm from step 1, varying the user requirements within the feasible limits of the controllable load adjustments with the aim of maximizing solar power consumption (i.e., P). s,tot to maximize).

[0092] Selecting the combination of controllable loads with the highest solar power value P s,tot .

[0093] Defining the maximum output power of the inverter (120 in Fig. 1) via interface 303 as the determined solar energy P s,tot .

[0094] Adjusting the requirements of the controllable loads 400, 410, 420 and 430 according to the selected combination.

[0095] Optimization techniques can be used to reduce the number of iterations, for example by focusing on relevant combinations in step 2 (e.g., by reducing the resolution of adjustable performance settings or omitting irrelevant possibilities).

[0096] In another embodiment, a function is also possible that combines the elements of the two functions A and B described above.

[0097] The various embodiments and variants described above are independent of each other, but can also be combined (unless alternatives are described), as a person skilled in the art will easily understand.

Claims

[1] System for managing the shared use of a secondary energy source by a plurality of first consumers, wherein each first consumer is connected to the electricity grid via a meter (220, 221, 222), the system comprising: a secondary energy source (100) that generates secondary energy, at least temporarily, a converter (120) which is coupled to the output of the secondary energy source and serves to adjust the energy flowing through the converter in response to a power matching signal, for each first consumer a secondary power matching device, SPAD (300, 310, 320, 330), each SPAD comprising the following: a first input device for connecting the SPAD to the meter of the respective consumer, a second input device for connecting the SPAD to the adapted secondary energy output power of the converter, an output device for connecting the SPAD to the main disconnect switch of the electrical system of the respective consumer, a coupling device for combining the supplied grid power and the supplied adapted secondary energy output power with the output of the SPAD, a switching device (309, 329) for connecting or disconnecting the SPAD from the adapted secondary power supply in response to a group selection signal, a mains current sensor device (305, 325) for recording the mains current consumption by the electrical system of the respective consumer, a second energy power sensor device (306, 326) for recording the secondary energy consumption by the electrical system of the respective consumer, a control device (308, 328) for receiving information on the detected mains power consumption and secondary energy consumption and for outputting the group selection signal, thereby controlling whether the respective SPAD is connected to or disconnected from the adapted secondary energy, a communication device (304, 314, 324, 334) for transmitting information on the combined network and secondary energy consumption of the respective consumer to at least one other SPAD, wherein at least one SPAD from the plurality of SPADs is designed to receive this information on the combined grid and secondary energy consumption from the other SPADs via its communication device and is designed to model the expected power distribution and the expected total secondary energy consumption for different groups of SPADs connected to the adapted secondary energy and selects the group of SPADs which together achieve the highest expected total secondary energy consumption under at least the condition that substantially no energy is fed back into the grid via the SPADs of the respective group, wherein in response to the group selection signal the SPADs belonging to the selected group via their switching devices (309,329) are supplied with the adapted secondary power and the SPADs not belonging to the selected group are disconnected from the adapted secondary power via their switching devices, and wherein the at least one SPAD that selects the group is further configured to transmit the power matching signal to the converter via the communication device, causing the converter to adjust the power flowing through the converter to match the modeled expected total second power consumption of the selected group of SPADs. [2] System according to claim 1, wherein all SPADs are designed to receive, via their communication device, the information on the combined grid and secondary energy consumption from other SPADs, and are designed to model the expected total secondary energy consumption for different groups of SPADs connected to the adapted secondary energy, and to select the group of SPADs that together achieve the highest expected total secondary energy consumption under the condition that there is substantially no feed-back of energy into the grid via the SPADs of the respective group, and are further designed to transmit the power matching signal to the converter via the communication device, whereby the converter can adapt the energy flowing through the converter to the modeled expected total secondary energy consumption of the selected group of SPADs. [3] System according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the system also manages the shared use of a second energy source for at least one second consumer connected to the power grid, wherein each second consumer has a SPAD which is connected via its first input device to the meter of the respective consumer, with its second input device to the adapted secondary energy output of the converter and with its output device to the main disconnect switch of the electrical system of the respective consumer, wherein the SPAD of the at least one second consumer can be selected from other SPADs to model the expected total secondary power consumption for different groups of SPADs, wherein the condition that there is substantially no feed-in of power to the grid does not apply to the SPAD of the at least one second consumer. [4] System according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first consumers are connected to the power grid via a directional meter and the second consumers via a bidirectional meter. [5] System according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the converter is a converter that converts generated direct current into alternating current. [6] System according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the modeling of the expected total secondary current consumption for different groups of SPADs is carried out by SPADs under the further condition that cross-flow of current between different SPADs via their second input device connected to the adapted secondary current is avoided. [7] System according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the cross-flow through SPADs is detected by measuring the energy flowing back from the respective SPAD through the second input device using the secondary energy power sensor (306, 326). [8] System according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the feedback of energy into the power grid by SPADs is detected by measuring the energy flowing back from the respective SPAD through the first input device using the grid current sensor device (305, 325). [9] System according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the modeling of the expected total secondary power consumption for different groups of SPADs by SPADs is carried out using a pre-trained model. [10] System according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the modeling of the expected total secondary power consumption for different groups of SPADs by SPADs is carried out using a pre-trained model which is further trained during use. [11] System according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the secondary energy consumption of consumers is accumulated over a predefined period and wherein SPADs of first or second consumers that reach a predefined threshold of secondary energy consumption within the predefined period are no longer considered for group selection by other SPADs and are permanently disconnected from the adapted secondary energy for the remainder of the predefined period. [12] System according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the energy generated by the secondary energy source, which cannot flow through the inverter due to current matching, is stored in an energy storage device, for example a battery, for later use. [13] System according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein SPADs are designed to control the loads of the respective consumers in order to maximize the secondary energy consumption of the consumers. [14] A secondary power matching device, SPAD (300, 310, 320, 330), for managing the sharing of a secondary power source by a multitude of consumers, comprising: a first input device for connecting the SPAD to a meter for the mains power supply of a consumer, a second input device for connecting the SPAD to a secondary power source, an output device for connecting the SPAD to a main disconnect switch of a consumer's electrical system, a coupling device for combining the supplied mains power and the supplied secondary power with the output of the SPAD, a switching device (309, 329) for connecting or disconnecting the SPAD from a secondary power source in response to a group selection signal, a mains current sensor device (305, 325) for detecting the mains current consumption by an electrical system of a respective consumer, second energy power sensor devices (306, 326) for detecting the secondary energy consumption by an electrical system of a consumer, a control device (308, 328) for receiving information on the detected mains power consumption and secondary energy consumption and for controlling whether the SPAD is connected to or disconnected from a secondary energy source by outputting the group selection signal, a communication device (304, 314, 324, 334) for transmitting information on combined grid and secondary energy consumption to other SPADs, where the SPAD is designed to receive information on the combined grid and secondary energy consumption from other SPADs via its communication device, is designed to model the expected total secondary energy consumption for different groups of SPADs connected to a secondary energy source and to select the group of SPADs that together achieve the highest expected total secondary energy consumption, provided that there is essentially no feed-back of energy into the grid via the SPADs of the respective group, and is designed to transmit a power matching signal to a converter or inverter via the communication device, enabling the converter or inverter to adjust the energy flowing through the converter or inverter to the modeled expected total second energy consumption of a selected group of SPADs. [15] SPAD according to claim 14, wherein the modeling of the expected total secondary power consumption for different groups of SPADs is carried out using a pre-trained model. [16] SPAD according to one of claims 14 or 15, wherein the modeling of the expected total secondary power consumption for different groups of SPADs is carried out using a pre-trained model which is further trained during use. [17] SPAD according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the SPAD measures the secondary energy consumption of the respective consumer over a predefined period and disconnects the SPAD from the secondary energy source for the remainder of the predefined period if a predefined threshold for secondary energy consumption has been reached within the predefined period. [18] Method for managing a shared use of a secondary energy source by a plurality of first consumers, wherein the electrical system of each first consumer is connected to the power grid via a meter (220, 221, 222, 323) and wherein the electrical system of each consumer is connected to the secondary energy source via a switching device, the method comprising: Determining the combined secondary energy consumption and grid electricity consumption of the respective electrical system of the consumer for each primary consumer, Modeling based on the data of all first consumers regarding their combined secondary energy consumption and grid electricity consumption, the expected distribution of secondary energy among the connected consumers, and calculating the expected total secondary energy consumption for different groups of consumers. Selecting the group of first consumers that together achieve the highest expected total secondary energy consumption, provided that there is essentially no feed-in of electricity from the first customers' electrical systems into the grid, Connecting the electrical systems of the first consumers belonging to the selected group to the secondary energy source via the said switching devices and disconnecting other first consumers from the secondary energy source, Adapting the total power supplied by the secondary energy source to the electrical systems of the selected group of primary consumers to the modeled expected total secondary power consumption. [19] Method according to claim 18, wherein the first consumers are connected to the electricity grid via installation meters. [20] Method according to claim 18 or 19, wherein a SPAD performs the modeling of the preliminary distribution of secondary energy among the connected consumers and the calculation of an expected total secondary energy consumption for different customer groups and exchanges information with other SPADs, enabling the other SPADs to connect to or disconnect from the secondary energy source according to the selected consumer group.

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