Controllers implement dynamic demand
15 October 2008
Power Electronics / Power Management
UK-based company RLtec specialises in demand-side energy management (dynamic demand) systems.
What dynamic demand does is fine-tune the demand side of the utility energy equation, making subtle, second-by-second adjustments to power drawn by certain commercial and domestic appliances to keep the grid in balance.
In effect, dynamic demand can turn fridges, electric heaters, water geysers and airconditioning units into ‘virtual power stations’. This could not only go a long way to alleviating the energy supply problems currently plaguing South Africa, it could also have a positive environmental impact by displacing coal-fired power stations without any discernable effect on the nation’s power supply. To use the UK as an example, RLtec says that if all of the nation’s fridges were fitted with dynamic demand, they could decommission a 750 megawatt power station which currently acts as a backup supply, without any loss of performance.
The UK government has already done its sums, and it estimates that dynamic demand has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 2 million tons of CO2 equivalent a year. It can also reduce the costs associated with energy balancing by around £80 million a year, which is good news for consumers facing rising energy bills.
Dynamic demand is not a complicated technology to introduce. It does not require major upheavals to the grid, planning permission, major construction work or a radical overhaul of electricity use. All it requires is for smart devices to be fitted to certain electrical appliances whose power supply is not time critical.
If a light bulb loses power the effect is immediately noticeable. But because refrigeration, cooling and heating units store a certain amount of power to keep the temperature under control, they can take a drop in power consumption and still maintain their performance.
To employ dynamic demand, white goods manufacturers implement a control unit containing RLtec’s technology in new appliances with electronic control, although the technology can also be fitted into appliances without electronic control units. The company is targeting South Africa as a prime candidate for this technology, and sees water geysers as an ideal application.
For more information visit www.rltec.com
Further reading:
Powering the IoT
Uniross Batteries
Power Electronics / Power Management
Choosing the right battery is not simply a technical detail, but a defining factor in the longevity and cost-effectiveness of any IoT deployment.
Read more...
The move to DC infrastructure
IOT Electronics
Power Electronics / Power Management
The shift toward direct current infrastructure in data centres is accelerating as operators pursue higher efficiency, improved reliability, and stronger alignment with renewable energy goals.
Read more...
Power inductor for automotive applications
Würth Elektronik eiSos
Power Electronics / Power Management
The WE-MXGA inductor features RDC values up to 25% lower and a saturation current up to 47% higher compared to other components currently available on the market.
Read more...
High-performance DC-DC converter
Conical Technologies
Power Electronics / Power Management
With a wide 9 - 40 V DC input range, the Claf Power DWHB400-F24xxN series is a high-performance DC-DC converter family ideally suited for 12 V and 24 V battery-based systems including vehicles, off-grid installations, and distributed power architectures.
Read more...
DC-DC converters for next-generation IoT
iCorp Technologies
Power Electronics / Power Management
AIPUPOWER’s K78XXJT-500R3 and K78XXJT-500R3-LB give designers a compact, high-efficiency power option for battery-powered and space-constrained systems, combining up to 96% efficiency with no-load input current as low as 0,2 mA.
Read more...
240 W in compact form factor
Brabek
Power Electronics / Power Management
The cost-effective and reliable RECOM RACPRO1-S240E DIN-rail mount AC-DC series is only 125 x 139 mm and 39 mm wide, yet provides 240 W output.
Read more...
You cannot manage what you cannot measure
Power Electronics / Power Management
South African sites are generating solar energy. Most still have no idea what is consuming it… or when, or why. Intelligent load management hardware is changing that.
Read more...
Scalable and intelligent power solution
Power Electronics / Power Management
Designed for Africa’s rapidly evolving energy landscape, Bluetti’s ES125 offers a scalable, intelligent power solution that delivers reliable and cost-efficient electricity for uninterrupted operations.
Read more...
Simulating grid abnormalities
Conical Technologies
Power Electronics / Power Management
Simulating grid abnormalities has become an essential part of validating systems such as inverters, UPS units, photovoltaic inverters, and EV charging infrastructure.
Read more...
Evaluation board for STPMIC25 PMIC
Power Electronics / Power Management
The STEVAL-PMIC25V1 is a power management IC evaluation board for the highly integrated STPMIC25, which is designed to manage the power requirements of the core, memory, and interfaces of the STM32MP2x series MPU.
Read more...
printer friendly version