“This technology could give customers control over what they want to do and when”
It’s a thrifty trick used by households from L.A. to Luxembourg, or anywhere where utilities charge less for electricity during off-peak hours. You load the washer and drier during the day and turn it on before you go to bed, when cheap power kicks in.
But what if you could take the scheme to the next-level, store off-peak electrons in a powerful battery and use them to power your home during the day, when price per kilowatt-hour hits the roof?
“This technology could give customers control over what they want to do and when,” Chris Todd, an engineer with Princeton Power Systems (PPS). “It could also help utilities balance demand and shave peak electricity loads during the day.”
Such systems are now coming to light. Todd was part of a team that just linked Princeton Power’s advanced power management technology to GE’s next-generation Durathon batteries at L.A.’s Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, Calif. The system will help the non-profit shift between 10 to 20 percent of its daily electricity demand from peak rates to less expensive off-peak power. It will also serve as backup during power outages. “This type of project can demonstrate that battery-based load-shifting technology is a viable tool for customers to respond to demand and permanently shift a significant percentage of daily electrical loads to non-critical hours,” says Prescott Logan, general manager at GE Energy Storage.
PPS makes the technology that “inverts” direct current stored in the batteries to alternating current needed in the sockets, and vice versa. The system uses data gathered from the science center’s smart meters and other sensors and feeds it into a set of algorithms to determine the most economical time for battery discharge and recharge. “The algorithms are gathering real time data about what’s happening in the building,” Todd says.
The Durathon batteries at the center can store 500 kilowatt hours, enough to reduce its electricity bill and keep the lights on for several hours when power goes out.
The project is part of California’s Permanent Load Shift program, a statewide effort to reduce peak demand on the California electrical grid. The joint Princeton Power and Durathon design won Southern California Edison’s request for a cost-effective solution to shifting the center’s power load.
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Load-shifting technology
- An in-depth look at the Bimota by Kawasaki WorldSBK Announcement
Whatever may or may not be left behind in green from head-to-toe after the new Italian/Japanese amalgam has been created, Kawasaki’s official 2025 team in WorldSBK will be the ‘Bimota by Kawasaki’ one ...
- Shifting Office Trends Could Influence Site Selection Decisions
The uncertain impact of AI hangs like a cloud over the whole picture. The report considers it a threat because some firms intend to supplement existing staff with AI instead of new employees. However, ...
- Championing the Crucial Dialogue to Advance Fleet Electrification
Fleets and utilities must create a foundation for strategic planning, allowing utilities to gauge the scale of infrastructure needed to take proactive steps to meet the charging demand effectively for ...
- Revolutionizing Light Electric Vehicle Mobility: The Story and Innovations of Veer’s Shift Drive System
Veer, led by its Founder Sean Hacking, emerged from a pivotal moment when a cycling mishap ignited a mission to revolutionize alternative transportation. Hacking’s passion for cycling collided with ...
- The Importance of Technology in Modern Logistics: Enhancing Efficiency and Transparency
The logistics sector has undergone a transformative shift with the advent of sophisticated technologies that streamline operations, enhance real-time tracking, and fortify supply chain management. The ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Load-shifting technology
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Load-shifting technology” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Peak demand
- Nagaland’s power distribution system cannot sustain peak load: E-in-C DoPN
Fiscal 2023-24 saw 300 crore in return against 540 crore in purchase Morung Express News Dimapur | April 26 When it comes to electricity, the emphasis largely revolves around supply shortfall owing to ...
- Grids still on alert amid demand surge
Power grids across the country remained on alert yesterday, according to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.
- Drop in fuel demand and oil prices sends gas prices lower: AAA
The national average cost for a gallon of gas declined to $3.65, a slight two-cent decrease from the previous week. Gas demand fell from 8.66 to 8.42 million barrels per day last week and oil prices ...
- Through Aramco, Peak China courts Peak Oil
Exchanges between China and Arab states stretch back centuries along the ancient Silk Road. More recently, Saudi Aramco is doubling down in the People’s Republic, making energy investments in the ...
- Copper tops $10k per tonne for first time in 2 years amid soaring demand, tight supplies
Copper prices soared above the $10,000 mark per tonne on Friday, the first time in two years, driven by high global demand and constrained supply chains. Copper hits key milestone on LME In early ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Peak demand
[google_news title=”” keyword=”peak demand” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]