Off-Peak Electricity Storage System for Grid Load Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current electricity system faces challenges in storing off-peak electricity, leading to shortages during peak hours and high environmental pollution due to the inability to efficiently utilize and transmit excess electricity generated during off-peak times.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising energy storage devices, such as rechargeable batteries and super-capacitors, electrically coupled to an electricity grid, controlled by a central processing unit to charge during off-peak hours and discharge during peak hours, allowing for the profitable sale of stored electricity to electricity providers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If electricity is generated continuously during off-peak hours, then electricity supply abundance increases, but electricity cannot be stored for later use
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by charging energy storage devices during off-peak hours when electricity is abundant and cheap, storing energy in advance for later discharge during peak demand periods. This resolves the contradiction by capturing electricity before it would otherwise be wasted.
Solution Approach 2:
Energy storage devices serve as an intermediary between electricity generation and consumption, decoupling the timing of production and usage. The storage system mediates the mismatch between continuous generation capability and intermittent demand patterns.
2Reliability
If power companies increase transmission capacity to meet peak demand, then electricity supply reliability improves, but transmission equipment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-charges energy storage devices during off-peak hours, creating a local reservoir of electricity that can be discharged during peak demand. This eliminates the need for oversized transmission infrastructure designed to handle peak loads, reducing transmission equipment costs while maintaining reliability.
3Quantity of substance
If expensive gas-fired plants are used during peak hours, then electricity supply adequacy improves, but electricity cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system accumulates electricity in energy storage devices during off-peak hours when power is cheap and abundant, then discharges this stored energy during peak hours when demand and prices are high. This replaces the need to operate expensive gas-fired peaker plants, reducing electricity costs while maintaining supply adequacy.
4Device complexity
If electricity is produced and consumed simultaneously, then system simplicity is maintained, but energy waste increases during off-peak hours
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary energy storage during off-peak hours, capturing electricity that would otherwise be wasted. This simple addition of storage capability allows the system to utilize off-peak generation efficiently, reducing energy waste without significantly complicating the overall system architecture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables the efficient storage and transmission of off-peak electricity, reducing energy shortages and environmental pollution, while providing property owners with a profit that can be used to pay off debts, and potentially offsetting the cost of energy storage systems.
Implementation Method 1
The energy storage device comprises one or more re-changeable batteries
Implementation Method 2
The energy storage device comprises one or more re-changeable batteries, one or more super-capacitors, or a combination of them
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the invention relate to system and method of storing off-peak electricity. The system includes an energy storage device electrically coupled to an electricity grid of at least one electricity provider, where the energy storage device has a storing capacity and is chargeable or dischargeable, upon demand, and a controller configured to control operation of the energy storage device such that the energy storage device is charged with the off-peak electricity at an off-peak time each day when a demand for electricity is low from the electricity grid, and is discharged at a peak time each day when the demand for electricity is high, to provide an amount of the stored electricity, to the at least one electricity provider.