GB2496698A - Renewable energy sharecropping meter system - Google Patents

Abstract

The application relates to the principal of sharecropping applied to the renewable energy marketplace and is embodied in the form of a metering system. The system comprises a meter device 5 and remote database 3. The remote database 3 stores, in a user account, information of units produced from a micro-generating plot of a commercial renewable energy resource. The meter 5 accesses the account on the remote database following authentication using chip and pin card 1, and subtracts units of electricity used from the stored renewable energy units, or counts units used when the database account balance has reached zero (or the use of the meter is outside terms and conditions). The application proposes the breaking up on an accounting basis the larger commercial installations, adding to existing installations where possible or building new ones into privately owned lots within a larger installation applying a sharecropping philosophy to a manageable commercial installation.

Description

THE RE NE WA B Mc.Q Authentication The overS obwctre o this patent aopliatlon s to promote the most efeJt.e use of Renewdble Tec'i ioogy Resources atow and ardwarel v 1st at lie satre tine CrC4tm a more opi aecesbe ano comneut ye eflergy m?4tatpace t etfctwely npernenzeo t c system wi ehrnmate Lel poiicrtv and eruate a realistic platfo'w toc mauling to UK s:aots fcc C02 on'ssions n hne w1th the oto Agreement Attached is the Schemaic o' a generation and d strrbutioi system of Renewabe Electocitv Ow<hLh with the cse cfthe t'Reuewable Energy Sharecropping MctV ann in conjuntson with cooperation and agreement from the Governri ent, the Natioial Gnd, the District Nctwcrk Opeators (JNOs1 and toe Terbndo wrrpi es wil esuFt ri the most efhcent jtthsation of nvtstnern capltdl supplied by the generai public. The foundation to the system links the functionS, maintenance and management opt*irnisatic.n her fits 1 commercial kmnling methods directly to thi benefits of havilig a prIvate micro generating system instalied on your own property.

R&ow isttie defined technical funchonality of the metering device required in order to develop the scheme of Renewable Energy Sharecropping in conjunction with the C'ovemnrnenfl Poiicv of thea Feed in Tariff SchemC, I Simon Hanthlett propose to patent the functionS design of a circuit switching unit which Slows the application of the schematic process described: that being the interoperahUity of a metering system able to effectiveiymeasure the useage of electricity produced and used from a privately owned micro generating unit located within a commerus installation and a so having the furthonality to account fr swpuscs bemg red bach into the network whilst at the same time being able to measure any additional electricity usage which is o.er a d above that which is prod aced by the ç,ri se micro generation o C At the same time como] rig w th tie Governnie its policy 0r the Energy Act 2008 and the terms and conditions associated with toe Feed In Ta'éf rOR THE SCHEMA1 (OF] 1* METER ilSU..' "LEASE SE AuPUs,LNX C eOi SIHEMAUC OF HOV 1h IECHNOWGY FiTS WIThiN 3L CURRENI ENERGY DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM PLEASE SEE APPENDIX A AND FOR THE RATIONAL. SEHIND THE SHARECROPPiNG SCHEME BENEFiTS PLEASE REFER TO

APPENDIX B

The1' RENEWABLE ENERGY SHARECROPPING METER SWITCHING ciRciur will be housed within an electricity usage mesuring device and will be ectivated by the use of a dhip and pin card provided by the Renewable Energy company under the aut:hori.sation of the Government in conjunction with agreement from the District Network operator. The information on the card ftseifwili communicate and access directly a central managed database storing information periSning to the feed in tariff contract, signed by. the individual based on the number of KW/h his installation produces and the Feed in Tariff rates his contract attaches to that produced electricity.. Thereby on a functional basis reducing his balance from the account assodated wth the card when hi use) on the central database and most hiiportantly switching the circuit to bypass the Distdbution etwork Operator \ieter wthr the toM It a switchrng necnartm cruot wL e nflated to dose wha cther the balance on the card reaches zero or its attempted useage is outside of the. terms of its use. thereby reth'ecrng the cuipy to mc'ate the fh&ti,huion Nrwork ODratir Vete to tar rotint og kw/h uhits used within the household.s normal supely contract with ti..e DNa.

me conceptual baground to this patent app cation is based on the benefits aswdated witftthe pracPce of s aiecroppn'g enbecoed withm a coipeta ye nmrberpIare b threctiy attacnng the ghts and d;st hi non to tie output c the crop I r t}us case Renewaoe Energy Ftectrtcitv, chrettly oac to the owng rnd vwu& wtb'n defined Prits for h,s own persoial i. senge and therefore outside of the taxatcn slstem rh concept 1⁄4 Is n re w th the Governments current jolic wth reard to the benefits obtafflable fern:fm wrreot feed n tarot sysre n and or sunprdv o' admm tehon the sale of shares ri the sac Re iewahle F ergv Ccrnpan cot? d eutcrrabcal be contained within an ISA wrapper.

ThIs method of implirnentation would have a significant advantage as the industry could then be effectwelv regulated by the Fnarc& Servce Authontv r' order to stamp out the agresswe threct selling practices of finns promoting unachievable rtturns in order to secure a sale but at present regulated by nobody. These finns are not registered with the REA enewable Energy Association) or the MCS IMicro generation Certification Scheme) scheme so are currently completely unregulated in their operation. However. pricing structures asside I do believe that the marketing activities of these cornpanie are an ovea' benefit to the epaMon of the mthstry as a cvbole regulated accordingly.

Currently the options avadabie within the marketplace as a vehide for investing in RenewaWe of the folowing: * instailin Your Own Personal Mktogeneration Unit n your home. EG Solar thermaL Solar PV etc e Purchasing Shares in a Renewable tnergy company and redeve a divident from th earnings of those shares.

* Through olhing a cooperative scheme such as a Housing association which implirnents a Renewable technology for shared uscage of produced energy.

This design specification functionali will result in a secure and much improved appLication of resources ccnent'y bemg utced wfthn toe f'amewo of toe:tvrer eo o tanft system and Ut rate'y bnefit oven t'ose unablo at p'escnt tc west enct by va' af malnng th: energy markets ni&'O coflttit IC CflC he'cC oowenng pflce WC smply ecnnue ta mode am roie out o this industry like rrnany then tose people. unable to afford to have an instahation wilt f.tl victim to hgt dectnny poce flatlon The ureeat average per KV? h rate rn Germa iy 2C puce and kavJ% all ether h r's eq.a t s vgh y prohan a tt at this wi I be the tate charged in ne U1 ui Ne year 202.0 resulting in a continued polarisation eta society characterised by those who have and those who have: not.

The environiental benefitsof Solar Energy technology need no explanation here and it goes without question that commercial farming methodology makes for a greatly improved effective use of resourcs.. This system by mean.s of bringing together a number of operational. business and technology based processes through the design and functionality of the technology based hardware of the metering system proposed will revolurionise the distribution of Renewable energy wfthfo the cunent network of companies operating within the industry. This proposal theft is. p*hmarhy geared to the Soiar Industry but the systems. processes and ap1hcation of the rneter}ng Wst.ern ouki equally be appfled to any Renewable Energy Technok?gy Company feeding Eiectridty foto the National,nij The schematic diagrams within this appUcation outline the business process design, the system nnrtioral ty equrernenh and most niportanti'm toe ctL-ral resign of technulogy hrdware recessarj tc imnobmeit tie suheme o' Rerwabe Enely 15 Shrecroppn t'h'ret3<I a east this syten could be aop ico to the promotion of the reiewable anrgv mdustry on a globe level beine Twened where necessa -y n order to be emibeddea r any pohtica economy and a ectr ca ipp str icture) To date the current Government framework for promoting Micro generation by individual households has been predominantly via private installations, fixed to private homes with prnducS elecli icity being uti ised for their ovn prrate consun ption and am otuse being sod back to he Distribution etwork Operator.. This policy was set out in the Government Energy Act in 3008 and has near a SiCCSS n getting the oat &rng with ega d to tie cveiall ipementation o Vicra generation.

however, the inherently high costs of installing thi.s technology individually onto peoples homes means that ft is highly unlikeiy that the targets which we have set ourselves with regard to such a°ects as the KYOTO agreement wol oc acheva und te present system There ic I stIa dot bt p the ligot o the charge of the eed r' tarltrtrom the 43p level cut to the 2Li levd that tiese inseUatioris fli gather pace due to the fact that the Technology hardware supply companies along with the Instadajon co roan e have ut hen costs, Ue3-efore result r aim Il Return on Uivestment Rates being achievable but at lower marker entry price.levels..

Ths will ri thu tOng in all things being ogt a ecc&krat the ro{iojt of tho s0a> P\ industru as a whole and thereby reinforce the validity of the rate cut ieciskm. Moreover. this decision Unked to the Sharecropping scheme will facilitate further the rapid aparis'ion of the Renewable Energy Industry.

Currently the reed in Tariff rates are set at different levels for commecdai and domestir farming of Scici E iCi g depend ng on how much is genetatco by the stal at or Cm tiny tnos le C S ate as follows: * Dovestic Pnvate instalabons upo 4Kw/n ei year) 21 2p * commercial 440 kWJh (Per Year) 15$p * Commerdal 1c5Oi(wib (Per Year 15.3p * Commercial 50-350 KwJh (Per Vearl i29p * Commercial 350 Kw/h-5MW (Per Veart &5p Ibese are the tariffs currently paid by the Distribution Network operators to Renewable Energy (ompan es s.ipnlyt g "lectr c ty ro the Natora Grid This schecue and business process ailong with the application of the enewabie Energy Sharecropping Meter" essentially atoposes the breaking up on an acounting basis (Not PhsicaH these Iarge C nrrrnal ncte iahons, adding to exst rig mstaiatmns where noss ble or bL IQ rig new ones into sinali privately owned iots within a larger installation applying a Sharecropping philosophy to a manageable commercial instaflatior. Hence, attributing a feed n tariff rate of 24pence / kw/h yooutect threctlv tot e nthvlduel miector not the pevwus crimnie nal ate being ebtamed by the Renewable nergy Geneat ngcotnpdnv PJASE SEE APPENDIX Sm The eact nurrbers at ths parr are u retevent but the above c presented to b ctrate the operauona ctivcnes of comn'erca u'stalMttons ovr and aboe,mall donwstc p vate ristails The reeut s that aftei the change in the feed n tarifffiom 43p to Lip and a:contmg for the 3 1 perie paid on the 0% asunied to be expoted bach tithe g id msta latlons ct4 KW h systems are now priced somewhere in the region of £12,000 including VAT, The real economic question here is really one of jut how much electrical output capabtht could be achieed hon each ir" esUlent ci tl,000 directly into one of these believe we can take it as a given that it will be substantially more.

:1 Thu most inherent and socially uhcceptable applications of the Microgeneration Certificatian Scheme at present is the fact that the entry level into the scheme is set at the instaliahon costofa 1KW solar system wfr c-h at present s a £4500 Su"ely t would be a far better sheme f the barqer to entry was simply the cost of purchasing and regIstering and having installed your Renewabie Energy Sbarerroppng Swttchng Meter poening yot..r account? reginung wtn vow chosen erewa* Energ Sno ten who sends you rip:ho and pin card rid bcymg sharec in the conipan aroind some more acr-essble lower level entry po n' say perhaps £1000 ith muectnient hr Is o as to distribute the output from this technology in a fare and ethical manner. Again but beyond the scope of this application is the creation of secondary markets linked to the underpinning.output of the Solar fnn' themselves with possibilities such as the use of those srie shares for the purpose of security on such things as purchasing a house.

:1 scheme wuid bring together regulation from three bodies, the REA. the MCS and the FSA fachtatng a sezure It or<eplacc for Inveslincit wan to igte oerefit directly cc $umaO,e by tie individual investor. The ead pric.e of individual shares on first issue will be set by the Renewable Ersergy CompanIes themselves in inc w Ut the r own fnarc,al rodels regutated by tie Goverirner,t Energy Department and the Fin#riciai Services Authority. However, secondary markets will be dictated by the norml market, supply and demand characteristics of open trade but with the overall result of ultimately finding a realistic equilibrium between government intervention and all other energy price levels 5(flfl of this nature also facilitates the overcoming of a number of the biggest obstacles present with regard to the investment aensir maang process of individuals consider rig na% ng a M tr> gene'afing installation, NB Facilitating full portability with the chip and pin card, full transfrabiiity.

Immediate saleability etc. However, in 1Th/ o:pinion most importantly this scheme is impiementable and marketable at such a rapid rate the possibilities become rnirtdboggling for Renewable Energy Sharecropping.

S

n fact cMth useof the co.rr&t eMp and pn reading c:evie theørt'tkay the care holder could use We kw/Ws to purchase anything whera the product cost had been converted into Renewable nergv KW/h's as a transactabe currency Mppendx A Ke\ rot the tRpnewebks Fnev Sh;ecoppErg M&er SwdcPing Cuct' S moo Hamblett NY83Th1QA 1, Nudear Power.Statkns.

FosU fuel power staUons.

3: Wind Turbine Power Stations: *t SSar Power Parrning ie)ds, 5. Other Renewable Energy Cornpanies b Lect city roauce s 5e rlect oW o Ke}evant Distrmjucm 4etwo'1< Opeatc.rs 7. Central Database Storing Information of individu& Sharecropper account details. These will ndude the manber of shares held in the enewabe Energy Company: Allocated units of kW/ns of etectncity attached to thoa sharas and the terms and Coocquont, of use as to when the chip and pin card in conjunodon with the Renewabk Energy Switchng meter k able to use the balance held in the account on the database. For Example Daily Usage Llmits Maxhnum Power Limits and times at which the card may he used possibly dictated by the nature cit its production. For Example Sc tar cards may have constraints that Is can only be used during dehght hours Th s database wdi ke managed by the 0istnhibon Network Operators in conjunction with the relevant Renewable Energy Company.. When the 11W/h balance of the shereholdar account reaches zero the Distribution Network Operator meter will start running as norm. t there is a surplus cit KW/n's at the end of tee accountmg C\J period then the Distribution Network Operator will issue a purchase payn ent to the Account holder and the balance will be reset to it star level.

B: Communications Unks from Dhtdhution Network Operators and Renewable Electricity o Generating Companies to the central database.

. Distribution Network Operators.

10. National Grid.

C\I 11. Eiectricity Supply frprn the Distribution Netwvik Orserator v:a the National Grid into the hnuserokl 4Mete* Swtdimg Urrrt repsnented by rtrnher 16 12. Distribution Network Operator Meter with the Internal card within the unit being repecented by stem nLmber Jt co meoted to the m tc mothercard ann the external aew of the meter within the "Switching Unir itself represented by number $6.

13 Seem ity Keypad on 5çjng Unit" to in tidise the chip ano pm crd connected to the units mothetboat by tern 20 and represented or The external wew of the unit by number 24 14. Renewable Energy Meter Switching Unit Chip and Pin Authentication Card. Issued to the i dvuual rwestor acing wth he icter tself after thwes have been purchaseJ irom a kenced erawabte Enrgv Company This arti is inserted into the chip and pm ard eeade..

revesened en the nterna vew o toe Sw tting Ut' t" by number V1 ar d on the external unit by number 25.

15, Household Of investor with Renewable Energy Sharecropping Meter Switciong Unit Installed, 16. Renewabl:e Energy Meter Switching Unit' Internal Schematic, 17, <Renewable Energy Meter Switching Unit" internal Motherboard.

ilL Renewabie Energy Meter Switching Unir internal Database Card.

19. <Renewable Enery Meter Switching Unit" Internal Chip and Pin Card Reader card.

20. <Renewable Energy Meter Switching Unit" hiternal Security keypad card.

21. NRenewabe Er-ergy Meter Switching Univ uiternai Distribution Network Operator CY(L 22. °Renewabe Energy Meter Switchiag Unity nternai communications Card with Secure Eri:cryptec Connection badc to the cenUai database.

1 hM na vet of +e Senwabe F ery Mtt't SvMrtr Urt" 24. Re:newabe Energy Meter Switching Unit External keypad component houset within the unit 3S. RtIewabe Energy Meter Switching Unir ExterS Chip and Pth card adercomponent housed within the unit 26. flenwabe Energy Meter Switching Unit" ExternS Distribution Network Operator meter, 27. Mpan 1D tag at the meter.

22. flecthcity Suppy to househoki intern Main Consumer Unit, 29 1ousehodc Marn Eectnc fln t-1er Umt 30. Communications connection back to the centrat database.

31. Electricity F iow bypassing the Distribution Network Operators meter represented by the red coloured hnes within the fltenewable Energy Meter.SSitcbing Unir c"J r Ct) C\J Appendix I Key. For the "Renewabe Energy Sharecropping Meter Switching Circu.it'and Cost / øeneflt anlyss of Option land Option 2 configuration Simon Hanbert NY83781OA) 1. SoarPVPanei.

2. Domestic capacity AC to DC inverter with m:Smum capacity of a 4kw SOlar PV array.

3. internal Household consumer unit.

4, Solar PV PaneL Co nmerr al cak C to DC everte' (si conñgured to matco high W output of up to 5MW from commerdal scale fieId.

5. nciependem community stjbstation 7 a 1011 aM 12 are afl mdw oua households consumer uruts ecetvng Sola PV elactrict ja their own substation.

The Limitations and inefficiencies of Option I are as follows: 1, High instaftation costs.

2. Output efficiency flmitat.ions due to installations not rece:Mng sunlight for the maximum capabie time dunngthe day dictated by roof angles, 3 Maxrtium power uutputs hrmtGd v seres Cu m&bons °4B Use of transformers reqmred to produce maximum anipage output of &1O amps depending on inverters.

C\J The Senefits of Option 2 SmaR Scale toOperetive Farming are as foUows: 1. Economies Of Scale, . Sedes and Paralid Combination.s of Wiring aftawing higher ampages..

0 3 Rftg.e maintenance costs etc. 4. Paneis arranged in a fiekl space for optlmum sun coUecticin, Drawbacks specific to feed in tariff administration, If not stand alone system.

Appenthx B Opto.n 3 Key: For the &Renewabe Energy Sharecroppftt Meter Switchg CErctht and Cost f eneflt an&ysk of Ophon 3. Simon Hambett (N?87SWA 1. So'ar PV Plot owned by inthviduai tousshdd represented bynumber S on the diagram.

3. Opthnum configuration of peis mid.inveners Feedng directly into the national grid in conjunction with the distribution network operators DNO'S).

3 4 5 5 and t ft thdoal kcal sthtaUons 8. 9.W1ii2.13i4i5. and 16 lndMdual housea.

aenefit: ndMdua households owning a plot in the commercial field now earning Ztp/kw/h generation + export 24p/kw/h direct to investor, eplacing the commerciai farming rate. Design, Performance, Maintenance ec000nies of scale etc. Drawbacks: None However currently Renewable energy tarms lack kwetment due to the world economic odsis.

Solution: Hybrid Solar Farms as outhned above incorporating sharecropping through ownership of shares r directly linkS to allowance outnutof KW/Ws determined within the limIts of the Government Ct) Energy Act of 2005 which benefit from appropriate tarifft also set by the Government. Please see o Appendix Bill for a current forecast of earnings/savings achievable frnm a domestic 4:kw System nstal ad on a Pojsenold rook C'J Appendix C Key For the Renewable Energy Sb ecropping Meter Switching Orcuit. Simon HemMett 1. Client Card issued when johiing the scheme. For Example cienewabie Energy iSA, issued by Solar PowercO. PLC inc dine infonnatianof client name, account number, start and expiry dMa.

2 Chip on client card Lor use with chip anti pin authen.ttion 3. Central Database Storing information of Individual Sharecropper account details. These wfll ndude the number of sbaes held m the Renewabc Energy Company Allocated unrts or kWtWs of electdctty attached to those shate and the Tems and Conditions of use as. to wten the chip and pin ard?n: eOflJUOtOn with the Renewable Eney Switching meter is able to use the balance in the account. For Example Daily Usage Limits. Maximum Power Limits and times at which the card may be used possibly dictated by the nature of its production. For xampie Solar cards may haw constraints that is can only be used dubng daylight hours. This database will be managed by the Distribution Network Operators in conjunction with the r&evarxRenewable Energy Company. When the KW/h balance of the sharcnolaet account tedche zero the bstnbuton Network Operator meter w StaEt runnIng as normal. If there is a surpia of KW/hs at the end of the accounting period then the Distribution Network Operator will issue a purchase payment to the Account hoMer and the. batance will be reset to Its start leveL 4. Communitation.s link from the meter switching unit back to the central databeac over a secure encrypted line.

Y) 5. Externei Casing of the Renewable Fnergy Sharecropping meter switching unit provided by o the licenceti Renewable Energy company.

6. Electricity Live su:puiy cable.

, siec.tricity Neutrat suppiy cable.

C\I B Keypao toy nip era pn -"umber entry wm' the mternal card represented by number 22 9. Card reader slot for chant chip and pin cMd with the internal card represented by number twod Oparat neter fr recording usage of &ectricity in excess of that pmduceo rid usea from the chants renewabe sharecroppuig plut LI. rnPanlDnurnberofthemeter, tZ Elecb city Uve suppl cable gmng to the households main consumer unit 13 Uectncty tveutral suoply cable org to toe househoios n'an consumer unrt 4 tlectnSy L"e Supply mto the miami View of the Renewable Energy Sharectoppng meter kwkhing.

Electuty eutia. Supply u'to the 1"ern? 1⁄4iew of the Renewab a Ueg Sharetopping n*ter swrtcfltrg unit 16 pternal vew at ve meter sw thi ig u 17 Cornmuncat'ons rn from the -eter satc} unit back to the central database over a ecure enci ypted Irno 15. Meter Switching Unit Motherboard, 13 Meter Sw4L"ing Un t Co'nntn ca'uons Card 10, Meter Switching Urilt Management Database Card.

2.2. Meter Switching Unit chip and pin card reader card, 22. Meter Switcffln Unft keypad card.

23. Dstrthuton Network Operator meter card.

24. ESctriciy Uve aupp cabi going to the housed3 main consumer unit, Rectricitv Neutrai wppty cable gohg to the housemds main consumer unit 26. Visuai Representatioc of tre Renewable Energy Shareccopphig Meter Switching Unit in an Opei Stch postor and the lxtrct ve uppy Lyp?tng the Dttlbut'ur Net*crk Oprator Meter.

27. Visual Representation of the Renewable Energy Sharecropping Meter Switching Unit in an Open Swtch poston and the Electr'ct neutifil supply eypassmg the stubuuon Network Operators Meter. C"

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