Electricity: power supply or regulation systems – In shunt with source or load
Patent
1997-02-28
1998-07-28
Hecker, Stuart N.
Electricity: power supply or regulation systems
In shunt with source or load
307 39, 364483, H02J 100, G05F 110
Patent
active
057866830
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to the control of electric power in domestic and similar buildings.
There is no simple method of storing electric power on a large scale (the kind of scale appropriate to electricity generating and supply companies utilities). Utilities therefore have to have sufficient generating capacity to meet peak demand. To cope with changing demand, they have to start up and shut down generators. This is costly, and they therefore want to encourage users to even out their demands.
This can be achieved by using time-dependent tariffs. This requires the users to be provided with tariff information, and the metering to be dependent on the tariff information.
This can readily be achieved with large (industrial) users. They can easily be provided with tariff information, either fixed or on-line (e.g. via a telephone link), so that they can adjust their demands accordingly. Also, the metering installations for such users can easily be arranged to charge for supplies at different rates at different times. The costs of supplying tariff information and of providing suitable metering equipment are generally small compared to the potential savings achievable by such users adjusting their demands in accordance with the varying tariffs (and even smaller compared to the total cost of the electricity supplied).
With domestic users, however, the scope for time-dependent tariff charging has been generally very restricted. The costs of upgrading the metering equipment have been high compared to the potential savings, and it has not been easy for domestic consumers either to be given adequate awareness of the tariffs or to make intelligent decisions about changing their load patterns accordingly.
One attempt at variable domestic tariff operation is the technique commonly known as the "white meter" system. Essentially, this involves providing the normal domestic supply and an additional, separately metered, supply which can only be used during off-peak times. This is both expensive and inflexible.
Considerable developments are currently taking place in the area of mains signalling. One aspect of this which is being actively pursued and developed by the utilities is that of remote metering. It is now feasible to envisage domestic meters being designed so that they can be remotely read, by means of signalling over the mains supply lines, from district metering stations operated by the utilities.
For this, a domestic meter must be provided with suitable electronics for accumulating the consumption reading and for detecting an interrogation signal from the metering station and responding thereto by transmitting its reading, together with an identification signal. (The interrogation signal will also, of course, include an identification signal, so that the metering station can poll all meters in its district in sequence.)
Given that a domestic meter will have such electronics, it is relatively easy to expand its functionality to implement a variable tariff. This involves providing the meter with tariff information and with means for adjusting its accumulation rate accordingly. (It may be convenient to provide it with a plurality of accumulators, one for each tariff rate.)
The tariff information will in practice invariably be sent by means of mains signalling, using the same techniques as the remote metering. This will of course avoid the absurdity of reintroducing the requirement for physical visiting of the meters by inspectors. It also solves the problem of resynchronizing meters in the event of power failures, and permits the timing of different tariffs to be adjustable rather than fixed.
For the system to be fully effective, the consumers must also be provided with the tariff information, so that they can make intelligent decisions on scheduling their use of electricity. This can be achieved by providing the meters with means for displaying tariff information. This can be done by providing a special tariff display. However, such meters will normally have display means so that the consumers can monitor their
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Hecker Stuart N.
Remote Metering Systems Ltd.
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