Industrial Power Management
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Multi-Flex™ Industrial Power Management Technology
Reduce Demand Charges
Utility bills can often be reduced and operations improved with energy storage. Demand charges are often a material portion of a utility bill, and demand charges can be reduced by integrating energy storage to shave the peak off of energy use. For example, if a manufacturing firm has a system start-up procedure that requires a large surge of electricity, the cost of that start-up can increase the electric bill by anywhere from 25% to 50% or more, depending on the spike in use and the prevailing demand charge rate. Energy storage can smooth peak energy use by storing energy at its lowest cost and using it to supplement the utility grid in times of peak demand.
Smooth Power
Energy storage can also act as a “shock absorber” for both energy supply and energy demand. Often, motors and electronics require a steady target range of power before they automatically disconnect, or worse, overheat. If a system shuts down during a critical process, it can take many hours to restart production. Worse, a motor may require replacement, adding hard cost to production losses incurred during the time it takes to replace the motor. Power factor can be corrected through storage as well.
Integrate Alternative Energy
In some circumstances, alternative energy makes sense. For example wind and solar energy are clean energy systems with a marginal cost of energy production (after installation costs) approaching zero. Depending on energy pricing and incentives for alternative energy, these systems can be viable. However, wind and solar are highly variable, and energy storage can smooth their production. Wind energy can be stored at night for use the next day while solar energy can be stored during the morning and used during the afternoon peak demand.
Optimize Microgrids
Indy Power Systems had developed the Energy Router™ than can blend and optimize the flow of energy. For example, if a generator is more efficient at a target RPM or power output, that generator can be run only at that target output, with excess energy stored and stored energy used when demand is above production. The wind often blows at night when demand is lowest and clouds sometimes obscure the sky during the day when Photovoltaic power is desired. The Energy Router can blend wind, solar, and battery storage to smooth power so that it is more reliable regardless of changing winds or cloud conditions. The Multi-Flex can also shift load demand so that off-peak energy can be stored and used during peak demand.
Microgrids utilizing Multi-Flex energy controllers and an Energy Router are both scalable and upgradeable. Scalability allows as many wind turbines, batteries, or solar panels to be installed as desired. Flexibility allows changes in the system to be made after installation. Often changes can be made with only a software upgrade, such as adding battery storage or alternative energy capability. If changes to the total power output are desired, additional modules can be added along with a software upgrade. For example, if a vehicle charging station or wind turbine is added, an additional module would be added, along with a software upgrade. If an existing technology was traded for a new technology, only a software upgrade would be needed.
