Abstract: An inverter includes a battery pack connection for supplying energy to or receiving energy from a photovoltaic string, a battery pack, an AC grid connection for supplying power to or receiving power from an AC grid, a connection for supplying power to a home back-up load, an electric vehicle connection for supplying to and receiving power from an electric vehicle (EV) battery, and a control input configured to receive one or more control signals for controlling the flow of power within the inverter. The inverter, under the control of the one or more control signals, converts power received from one of different power sources and provides the converted power to charge a battery of the EV.

Abstract: An indicator device includes a housing configured to be coupled to positive and negative DC wire lines that supply power from an energy generation source to an inverter. The indicator device further includes a current sensor for measuring a current level on the positive and negative DC wire lines, and voltage sensors for measuring a first voltage across the positive and negative DC wire lines, a second voltage across the positive DC wire line and a ground terminal, and a third voltage across the negative DC wireline and the ground terminal. A circuit block compares the measured current level to one or more threshold current levels, and further compares the measured first, second and third voltages to one or more threshold voltage levels, and in response provides an output signal. A visual indicator receives the output signal from the circuit block, and in response provides a visual indication of whether voltage and current levels on the positive and negative DC wire lines are at levels that may harm humans.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling an energy-generation device may be provided. Sockets of the device may be configured to electrically couple to respective energy-generation modules. In some examples, the device may include a connector, memory, and a processor configured to execute instructions for managing the electrical configuration of the sockets.

Abstract: A method of monitoring state of health for an energy generation system includes receiving a measurement of a parameter of an electrical component in the PV energy generation system at an instance in time, referencing a look-up table containing several values of the parameter representing an expected degradation trend across a progression of time for the electrical component, comparing the measurement to an expected value of the expected degradation trend for a period of time corresponding to the instance in time, and initiating a preventative measure based upon the comparison between the measurement and the expected value of the expected degradation trend.

Abstract: A manually controlled coupling mechanism for onsite energy generation and storage systems includes a first contact portion having a first electrical contact for coupling to an utility grid and a second electrical contact for coupling to an on-grid AC terminal of an inverter, a second contact portion having a third electrical contact for coupling to an off-grid output terminal of the inverter, and a manually activated multi-position switch, wherein in a first position, only the first contact portion is activated to allow power transfer between the utility grid, the on-grid AC terminal of the inverter and a main electrical panel, and in the second position, only the second contact portion is activated to allow power transfer from the off-grid output terminal of the inverter to the main electrical panel.

Abstract: Embodiments disclose an energy generation system including a photovoltaic (PV) array including a plurality of PV modules for generating direct current (DC) power, a plurality of power converter pairs coupled to the plurality of PV modules and configured to convert the generated DC power to alternating current (AC) power, and a plurality of battery packs coupled to the plurality of power converter pairs. Each power converter pair of the plurality of power converter pairs includes a DC-to-DC converter coupled to a DC-to-AC inverter, where the DC-to-DC converter is directly coupled to a respective PV module. Furthermore, each battery pack is directly coupled to a respective DC-to-DC converter and configured to store DC power from the respective PV module and output stored DC power to the respective power converter pair.

Abstract: A string inverter for use with a photovoltaic array includes at least one string-level DC input channel for receiving DC power from the photovoltaic array, and at least one input-output channel for connecting the string inverter to a battery pack. The string inverter also includes a DC to AC inverter having an AC output, and a switch configured to control a flow of power through the string inverter. When the switch is in a first state, AC power can flow from the string inverter to a load side of a customer utility meter and one or more back-up loads, in a second state, power can flow from the load side of a customer utility meter to the one or more back-up loads bypassing the string inverter, and in a third state, all circuits coupled to the output of the string inverter are electrically disconnected from the string inverter.

Abstract: Embodiments disclose solar energy generation systems with automatic smart transfer switches. An energy generation system, including an energy generation device, an energy generation inverter coupled to the energy generation device and configured to convert direct current (DC) power from the energy generation device to alternating current (AC) power, a battery pack, a storage inverter coupled to the battery pack, where the storage inverter is configured to convert DC power from the battery pack to AC power and to convert AC power into DC power for storing energy into the battery pack, and a smart main electrical panel coupled to receive AC power from at least one of the energy generation inverter, the storage inverter, and a utility grid, where the smart main electrical panel includes one or more motorized circuit breakers configured to be remotely controlled to manage the power flow to one or more loads.

Abstract: Embodiments disclose solar energy generation systems with automatic smart transfer switches. An energy generation system includes an array of PV modules, a PV inverter coupled to the array of PV modules, and a battery pack configured to store DC power from the PV modules and output the stored DC power. The energy generation system can further include a storage inverter/hybrid inverter PCS coupled to the battery pack, and an automatic smart transfer switch configured to select between an AC grid and the storage inverter/hybrid inverter PCS for outputting to a main electrical panel, where the automatic smart transfer switch is configured so that in a first position, the AC grid is coupled to the main electrical panel, and in a second position, both the storage inverter is coupled to the main electrical panel.

Abstract: Embodiments disclose an energy generation system including a photovoltaic (PV) array having a plurality of PV modules for generating direct current (DC) power, a plurality of Opti-battery packs coupled to the PV array, where each Opti-battery pack is coupled to a respective PV module and configured to receive DC power from the respective PV module, and an inverter configured to receive DC power from the plurality of Opti-battery packs and to convert the DC power to alternating current (AC) power.

Abstract: An inverter includes a battery pack connection for supplying energy to or receiving energy from a photovoltaic string, a battery pack, an AC grid connection for supplying power to or receiving power from an AC grid, a connection for supplying power to a home back-up load, an electric vehicle connection for supplying to and receiving power from an electric vehicle (EV) battery, and a control input configured to receive one or more control signals for controlling the flow of power within the inverter. The inverter, under the control of the one or more control signals, converts power received from one of different power sources and provides the converted power to charge a battery of the EV.

Abstract: A programmable microcontroller and a non-volatile memory are coupled to monitor and store operating parameters associated with operation of a power control system for a power generation system. The microcontroller is programmed to respond to a fault event (i.e., an anomalous condition that exceeds a threshold value) by storing the operating parameters before, during and after the fault event in the non-volatile memory.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe an energy generation system including a rapid shutdown mechanism configured to prevent a flow of power from a photovoltaic (PV) array when activated, a battery pack comprising one or more power storage devices, and an inverter coupled to the rapid shutdown mechanism and the battery pack. The inverter includes anti-islanding relays configured to electrically disconnect the inverter from a utility grid when activated transfer relays configured to electrically disconnect the inverter from a load when activated, and a detection and initiation circuit coupled to the rapid shutdown mechanism, battery pack, anti-islanding relays, and transfer relays, where the detection and initiation circuit is configured to detect a triggering event and to activate the rapid shutdown mechanism, disable the battery pack, activate the anti-islanding relays, and activate the transfer relays in response to the detection of the triggering event.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe an energy generation system including a rapid shutdown mechanism configured to prevent a flow of power from a photovoltaic (PV) array when activated, a battery pack comprising one or more power storage devices, and an inverter coupled to the rapid shutdown mechanism and the battery pack. The inverter includes anti-islanding relays configured to electrically disconnect the inverter from a utility grid when activated transfer relays configured to electrically disconnect the inverter from a load when activated, and a detection and initiation circuit coupled to the rapid shutdown mechanism, battery pack, anti-islanding relays, and transfer relays, where the detection and initiation circuit is configured to detect a triggering event and to activate the rapid shutdown mechanism, disable the battery pack, activate the anti-islanding relays, and activate the transfer relays in response to the detection of the triggering event.

Abstract: A high-voltage battery pack for an onsite power generation system includes battery modules configured to provide a voltage of at least 170V. High-speed switches and a high-speed current detection circuit are serially coupled between the battery modules and the positive and negative output terminals of the battery pack. A control circuit is operatively coupled to the current detection circuit so that when the current detection circuit detects a fault condition, the control circuit opens one or more of the switches to thereby electrically isolate the battery modules from the positive and negative output terminals of the battery pack. The battery pack is configured so that the at least 170V provided by the battery modules can be provided to an AC stage of the onsite power generation system without an intervening DC/DC converter and/or a transformer.

Abstract: A high-voltage battery pack for an onsite power generation system includes battery modules configured to provide a voltage of at least 170V. High-speed switches and a high-speed current detection circuit are serially coupled between the battery modules and the positive and negative output terminals of the battery pack. A control circuit is operatively coupled to the current detection circuit so that when the current detection circuit detects a fault condition, the control circuit opens one or more of the switches to thereby electrically isolate the battery modules from the positive and negative output terminals of the battery pack. The battery pack is configured so that the at least 170V provided by the battery modules can be provided to an AC stage of the onsite power generation system without an intervening DC/DC converter and/or a transformer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling an interconnection device may be provided. Sockets of the interconnection device may be configured to electrically couple to respective energy-generation modules. In some examples, the interconnection device may include a connector, memory, and a processor configured to execute instructions for managing the electrical configuration of the sockets.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling an energy-generation device may be provided. Sockets of the device may be configured to electrically couple to respective energy-generation modules. In some examples, the device may include a connector, memory, and a processor configured to execute instructions for managing the electrical configuration of the sockets.

Abstract: A power control system includes a first inverter power control system and a second inverter power control system coupled in a parallel configuration with the first inverter power control system. Both first and second inverter power control systems may each include an input configured to receive direct current (DC) power; a DC to alternating current (AC) inverter stage configured to receive the DC power input; an anti-islanding relay coupled to the output of the DC/AC inverter stage; and a transition relay coupled to the anti-islanding relay. The transition relay may be configured to route an output of the inverter power control system between one or more onsite back-up loads and an AC grid. The first inverter power control system may be designated as a master that is configured to control the operation of the second inverter power control system designated as a slave.

Abstract: An energy generation system includes a plurality of energy generation devices for generating DC power, a plurality of energy storage devices for storing the generated DC power and discharging stored DC power, a plurality of single-phase inverters coupled to respective energy generation devices and energy storage devices. Each single-phase inverter of the plurality of single-phase inverters is configured to convert generated DC power or stored DC power to AC power so that the converted AC power of each single-phase inverter is offset by a phase from one another.