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GoogleGranted patentBatteries & energyInterest 6/10

Google patents method to detect home solar panels on power grid

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

The patent describes a system that analyzes electrical load data from power substations to detect when a distributed energy resource, such as a solar panel, is connected to a specific location. By comparing real-time signals to baseline load profiles, the system estimates the capacity of the new energy source and uses this information to balance the electrical load on the grid feeders.

Why it mattersThis helps utility companies automatically track and manage the growing number of small-scale energy sources like rooftop solar panels, improving grid stability without manual checks.

In the filing’s own words

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a storage device, for determining whether a distributed energy resource is connected at a location. Electrical load data is obtained for a location over a time period. The electrical load data is analyzed to determine one or more signals from the electrical load data. The signals are compared to one or more load profiles for the location. Each load profile can indicate one or more baseline electrical patterns for the location. A likelihood that at least one distributed energy resource is in use at the location is determined based on the comparison. In response to determining that the likelihood is more than a threshold, one or more actions are performed.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A computer-implemented method for determining whether a distributed energy resource is connected at a location, comprising: obtaining electrical load data for a portion of an electric power grid over a time period, wherein the portion of the electric power grid comprises at least one substation and at least one electrical feeder; analyzing the electrical load data to determine at least one signal from the electrical load data; comparing the at least one signal to at least one load profile for the location, wherein each load profile indicates one or more baseline electrical patterns for the location; determining a likelihood that at least one distributed energy resource is in use at the location based on the comparison; and in response to determining that the likelihood is more than a threshold: generating distributed energy resource capacity information for the at least one distributed energy resource based on the comparison; and balancing one or more feeders based on the distributed energy resource capacity information.

Facts

Company
Google (X Development LLC)
Official title
Automatic detection of grid-connected distributed energy resources
Patent number
US12756198B2
Application number
18197574
Filed
May 15, 2023
Granted
Oct 6, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
23

Classified under

H02J 3/381 Electricity & electronicsH02J 3/003 Electricity & electronicsH02J 3/322 Electricity & electronicsH02J 2101/22 Electricity & electronicsH02J 2101/28 Electricity & electronicsH02J 2103/35 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.