A&E's product division Energy Security, Inc. delivers it first packaged micro-grid system
Energy Security’s Interactive Energy Grid™system being delivered to the client’s remote off-grid site, a complete “micro-grid in a box” solution at the forefront of the distributed energy revolution.
On Tuesday Automation and Entertainment’s Energy Security, Inc. division delivered it’s industry leading Interactive Energy Grid™, a complete “micro-grid in a box” with innovative Power Blender™ technology to a customer's residence in the La Honda area. The A&E team has begun the system's installation which will power the remote off-grid residence using (2) 60kW generators, a 30kW solar array and 150kWh of Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries. Two generators are used for redundancy and load balancing, only one will run at a time. The entire property is now powered full-time by the solar charged Battery Energy Storage System using state-of-the-art inverters to provide clean, uninterrupted AC electrical power. Should the demand be higher than the solar and batteries can sustain one of the back-up generators are called upon to recharge the batteries. Should the demand be higher than the solar and batteries can sustain one of the back-up generators are called upon to charge the batteries. This has resulted in a 90% reduction of generator runtime substantially lowering the property’s operating costs and environmental impact.
The Interactive Energy Grid™ (IEG™) system Energy Security designed and built to meet this particular client's requirements for uninterrupted, clean, and reliable power is a new chapter in residential micro-grid implementation. The property’s entire electrical system other than the various electrical sub-panels is contained in the cabinet. Every circuit and function of the IEG™ is remotely monitored and controlled. For the owners convenience, should there be a problem, an easy to operate manual bypass will switch the property over to the back-up generator system. In the past, micro-grid systems with equivalent capacity and capability required many bulky inverters and individual components that are then integrated into a system on-site. These "old school" inverters where about the size of 2 carry-on suitcases. Their installation required lots of complicated wiring, conduit and many man-hours of skilled labor to install. Energy Security’s innovative Power Blender™ tech uses Data Center proven, mission critical inverter technology with 2.5kW capacity per module, each in a package about the size of a pound of butter. Power Blender™ technology allows the IEG™ to utilize almost any electric power source. If a better/more efficient/economical/compact or environmentally friendly way to make electricity becomes available in the future, regardless if it’s AC or DC, 12V or 1000V, Power Blender™ can incorporate it for use in your system making it virtually “future proof”.
One of our “Old school” micro-grid systems using SMA Inverters installed in an underground utility room. This very clean and professional installation required months of on-site labor time to accomplish. The system is an implementation of our Interactive Energy Grid™ technology providing both electrical and thermal energy. This IEG sources energy from a solar array, a 10kW micro-cogen system (on the left), a battery ESS and the public grid. Using A&E’s CARB approved micro-cogeneration system to efficiently and economically generate kW’s and BTU’s. The IEG provides the large estate residence with energy security and autonomy, freeing the it from relying on the public grid and PG&E’s ever increasing electric rates.
This is the entire 92kW inverter section in Energy Security’s packaged Interactive Energy Grid™ system. 12 compact solid state inverter modules covert the Battery Energy Storage System’s DC output to supply clean AC power to this large estate property. The 6 inverter modules on the bottom are for the property’s Uninterruptable Power Supply to support the control loads and the property’s electronic systems in the event of a power failure. The blank red plates are simply covering empty slots in the inverter’s backplane These are available for future expansion if necessary. In the photograph below you can see just how compact the inverter system is, occupying only the top half of the second cabinet bay.
These advanced solid-state inverters, being used for the first time in a residential system, are "plug and play" while offering automatic redundancy capability. Unlike “old school” hard wired inverters, these inverters simply plug into a backplane, can be “hot swapped” without interrupting the power. We also design the system with built in redundancy installing an extra inverter (N+1) in the rack. That extra (“+1”) inverter automatically takes over in the event an active inverter fails with no interruption to the property’s power. The system’s remote monitoring capabilities will automatically notify us so we can swap out the faulty inverter, all without ever interrupting the residence's power. If an "old school" inverter fails replacement results in long downtimes and inconvenience. That is why Automation and Entertainment’s product division is aptly named "Energy Security". Energy Security Inc. designs and builds IEG™ systems that deliver dependable uninterrupted power, providing your family or business with the security of knowing the power will always be on no matter the situation.
Energy Security’s IEG™ system, while being technologically advanced is built using proven components from Tier 1 suppliers and is fully UL approved.
We’re excited to be at the forefront of the distributed energy revolution. Whether you have an on-grid or off grid property, if you are interested in taking control of your property’s energy, we’d be happy to show you why ESI’s Interactive Energy Grid™ is a better solution.
Energy Security, Inc.’s Interactive Energy Grid™ system, a complete “micro-grid in a box” installed and running.