Sharp developing Intelligent Power Conditioner enabling EV batteries to be used as storage batteries for home power
23 February 2011
Sharp Corporation has developed an Intelligent Power Conditioner that enables batteries in electric vehicles to be used as storage batteries for the home. Sharp will be conducting tests to confirm the safety and reliability of this system, with the aim of making this device commercially available in the near future.
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| Sharp Intelligent Power Converter. Click to enlarge. |
The Intelligent Power Conditioner (power inverter/controller) is based on power control technology Sharp has developed over the course of developing power conditioners for PV generation systems. With the Intelligent Power Conditioner, solar cells and storage batteries operate in conjunction with utility power to supply electrical energy on a consistent basis. In anticipation of future DC home appliances, this system can also supply DC electricity.
The technology can make use of EV traction batteries as part of a residential power storage system. In proof-of-concept trials, Sharp succeeded in using a battery pack in a commercially available iMiEV to supply 8 kW of power—enough to power electrical appliances in an average household. In addition, the charge controller in the Intelligent Power Conditioner was able to deliver 4 kWh of energy to recharge the electric vehicle battery pack in approximately 30 minutes.
Sharp will be pursuing R&D aimed at the early commercialization of this Intelligent Power Conditioner.
In the context of making the Eco House concept a reality, Sharp is focusing on three themes: solar cells, storage batteries, and DC (direct-current) appliances.
Peak-shaving, other DSM, floating the house through short blackouts... many possibilities here, and they all make the grid more robust and electric power delivery more reliable.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 23 February 2011 at 02:32 PM
The immediate use I see is 'home peak shaving'. In The Netherlands the monthly fixed cost for a grid connection depends on the main fuse. Up till 3x25A is the lowest tariff. Above that, you suddenly start paying a lot more.
I plan to do a lot more electric in my house in the coming years: induction cooker, ground sourced heat pump, EV. Switching them on at the same time can easily blow my fuse ;). Those are the moments when I could use such a battery, to prevent the cost of upgrading my connection.
Posted by: Arne | 24 February 2011 at 05:03 AM
You don't necessarily need a battery for that, just priority ranking of loads. If the heat pump needs power the EV charger cuts back, and if the induction cooker needs power the other two cut back.
Anne, do you have a blog?
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 24 February 2011 at 06:49 AM
Load misers were used, up to 30 or 40 years ago, when many residences did have sufficiently/properly sized main distribution panels. However, after a few incidents with older self-installed load misers, they were removed in favor of 200 Amps and 400 Amps distribution panels for small and larger electrically heated residences respectively.
Load misers (with variable change-over points) were made by Pioneer Control Co. and Feral Pacific Equipment (FPE). When they were legally installed in a small separate electrical control box and properly wired, they worked for many decades. Mechanical relay noise was sometime annoying. Up-to-day units could use noiseless electronic power switches and easily adjustable to suit requirements.
Posted by: HarveyD | 24 February 2011 at 02:47 PM
Correction....should read Federal Pacific Equipment (FPE) ....
Posted by: HarveyD | 24 February 2011 at 02:49 PM