MicroGrid Platform SmartGrid Benefits
October 11, 2012
CABA Forum
Derek Cowburn, Founder
dcowburn@lumencache.com
317-222-1314
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
15 min
1
LEDs have changed the power requirements for residential and
commercial lighting. Lighting has now joined the other native DC
electronic devices and some motorized devices are changing to DC to
maximize efficiency. With all these devices using DC internally, it seems
logical to distribute DC power in a controlled microgrid then only use
AC to satisfy the long distance and high current required to reach the
microgrid from the Utility. Local DC storage (batteries) do not require
further conversion and SmartGrid demand control over the utility
consumption does not need to affect the occupants thanks to the battery
buffer. Finally, renewable sources can directly charge the battery storage
and send any excess to the utility. Hear how new microgrid platforms
will change the infrastructure wiring of buildings and bring benefits to
system owners, designers, and utilities.
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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LEDs have changed the power requirements for residential and
commercial lighting
65W Incandescent light output is achieved in only 11-9W
2 years from now will be only 3W
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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LEDs are a DC Electronics Device – not a raw power consumer.
Incandescent lights benefited from dimmers (longer life, less energy
consumed) but AC LED drivers are damaged by AC dimming (wave
chopping). Incompatibilities between driver circuits and dimmers
cause flickering, dimming problems, and shorten the life of the driver
(not the LED chips which are protected from the AC via the driver)
Brushless DC motors are highly efficient but need DC power to the
motor driver.
Electronics Devices require DC as their input. All those transformers
and switching power supplies generally produce 12V DC that the
internal power supplies condition further into the power the circuits
require.
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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BEST DC POWERED
 Lights
 Phones
 Intercoms
 TVs
 Audio Systems
 Computers
 Printer/Fax
 Modem/Router/LAN
 Motorized Shades
 Automation Controls
 Cameras/Security
BEST AC POWERED
 Vacuum Cleaners
 Electric Heaters
 Electric Ovens/Stoves
 Electric Furnace
 Air Conditioning*
 Refrigerator/Freezer*
 Water Heaters**
* Can be DC/Other
** Can be solar
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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Great color LEDs
AC Drivers built
into lights
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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Why are we still running high power AC throughout
buildings to low power (mostly data) devices that use a
tiny fraction of the power they used to?
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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The distributed MicroGrid allows high power AC to be sent from
Utility to local MicroGrids where power & data can be distributed to
the field devices.
Variations in these devices can be addressed by making the
distribution highly modular (per device) and help keep costs down.
An ideal distribution medium is Cat5 wire, capable of multiple and
simultaneous power options and also data.
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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The native DC MicroGrid can support energy storage in several
forms ranging from simple batteries to other efficient buffering
storage.
Having local storage maintains delivery of the lighting or device
power during utility outages.
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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Optional Solar Panels
Lights
Lights
Inexpensive LowVoltage, low-copper wire
including Cat5/Cat6
Table Lamps
Power & Data
Utility Power
Electronics
Control/Power
Distribution
Module
TVs
Charge Controller
Battery Storage
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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Data such as occupancy becomes very accurate because every fixture
or switch location can contain low cost sensors.
Shed unneeded loads or conversely improve safety and convenience
by having lighting increase when an area becomes occupied.
Data does not need to be Ethernet speeds. Just like the grid Is
distributed, so can information derived from the raw sensor arrays in
each MicroGrid.
Information is rolled up and can be shared with the Utility because it
obfuscates the detail within the building, yet still exposes valuable
information needed by the utility grid.
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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Simple automation rules can be applied to change the behavior of the
system given various stimulus.
The Utility can request a more aggressive energy saving behavior
from the MicroGrid or can simply shed load by turning off the
supply to the MicroGrid. This does not affect the occupants thanks
to the battery storage.
Off-grid systems can treat their battery storage as the Utility and
change behaviors based on available capacity and expected
renewable supply.
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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LumenCache is designed as a Highly Modular MicroGrid Platform.
Production partners can create LumenCache compatibile devices.
SmartPucks allow data integration over a standard protocol.
Brain-Level communications protocols are published and extensible
sections of the protocol allow proprietary communications if desired.
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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Legacy
Simple switch and
dimming control. Just like
plain-old AC systems but
with benefits above.
 Keypad/Touchpads.
 Dimming capable.
 Flexible fixture grouping
and switch pairing.
 Easy Automation Upgrade
by adding Brain Modules.
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(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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Epoch
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Highly intelligent, learning control and dimming system. Many
sensor options.
Adds automated/controlled dimming per fixture. Perfect
dimming using both PWM and current modulation.
Unlimited fixture pairing, individual fixture dimming,
occupancy/light harvesting, 3rd party interfaces,...
Temperature and performance monitoring of LED fixtures using
SIBs.
Smart SIB compatible. Color Temperature adjustment SIBs, RGB
SIBs, Sensor SIBs,...
Automatic demand management and battery charge monitoring.
Supports Legacy keypads and driver cubes in addition to EPOCH
Smart Cubes.
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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Ascend
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Retrofit product.
Works over existing power wires. Requires
disconnection from AC breakers.
Enables LumenCache in existing homes without the
need for re-wiring.
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
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MicroGrid Platform SmartGrid Benefits
October 11, 2012
CABA Forum
Derek Cowburn, Founder
dcowburn@lumencache.com
317-222-1314
(C) 2012 Lumen Cache Inc.
15 min
20