SurePower – Counsellor in an Utility Crisis

SureXpect   

Who are affected:
All citizens who are using electricity as a source of energy, in situations where their Power Utility company does not have eternal reserve electricity capacity margins.

Of the 9 billion inhabitants on earth, at least six billion are afforded electricity to improve their lifestyle.

Three billion account holders with their four billion dependants pay to have electricity, made available from an energy source that is presented free to the earth.

SureXpect (SX) is a simple electronic warning device that will “call to action” Electricity Users (EU), by advising them of the probability of a change in style of electricity distribution.

SX serves all people, be it electricity account holders or casual travelling users visiting an area, where electricity is fed by a Circuit Breaker (CB) controlled by a Power Distributor (PD).

SX was also invented by Pieter Henning, who designed SurePower, an advisory service, providing power distribution notices to users by a Mobile device application.

Where are they located:
SX is based on a similar product SurePower, that is defined at

http://www.netsquared.org/projects/surepower-utilising-mobile-communications-optimise-utility-distribution

and was offered to the USAID Development Challenge as a mobile device application; with the difference that SX is attached permanently to an Electrical Supply point or plugged in at a functioning electrical outlet, where the user is affected.

The device advises EUs normally when they are present at the location where they are using electricity, but a complementary add-on will be provided where the similar alerts are provided by a mobile chipset to a programmed mobile device end-user.

Although the practice of pushing alert information to EUs is defined with this service; the PD may also implement a premium eMail client service operating on a similar Power Line Communication (PLC) pull technology; that will receive location based information from the client from a user point of view.

Why does the problem exist:

Owing to the present lack of alerts and communication between PDs and EUs in a specific area of electricity use, unnecessary consequential problems with effective electricity supply are created, that can be minimized with information at the disposal of PDs that can be planned to be shared with EUs.

In South Africa, the country of residence of the innovator, Pieter Henning, the practice exists where the PD publishes expected Load Shedding rosters in the media.   This practice to advise defined geographical areas, is meant to act as information for EUs to expect load shedding to be effected in their precinct.  Owing to grave power supply deficiencies envisaged in South Africa, this is a measure expected to be offered until 2030, when major new investments in power generation plants will be available.  With the planned blackouts, punitive and increased tariffs, quota rationing and utilization of alternative energy sources the country will have to make do.

Similar procedures are followed globally, owing to the current phenomenon of lower electricity supply margins and ineffective application of resources, but almost all solutions proved extremely unsatisfactory.

With basic predictive analytical techniques the PD in association with the Electricity Generation Utility company can handsomely forecast electricity reserve margin problems in a specific area.

Although few countries have the practice of users claiming financial damages for delinquent services, the institution of a similar service where the PD resolves to forecast with information available to them, will be seen as fair practice.

What type of solution is needed:
The EU requires a simple prediction whether a published Load Shedding Roster might be effected similar to a weather forecast.

SX provides the following counseling solutions:

The advice alerts would be valid for all Electrical Outlets fed by the Circuit Breaker at the local area sub-station.

The device will have the following components to provide an effective solution:

1. Low power lights to indicate various alert probabilities.

The visual indicator (multi-colored LEDs) will give an indication of an expected state of electricity supply

Yellow from Green:  the existing supply of electricity is moving into a problem situation, with an alert request to the user, to reduce electricity consumption to a minimum.

Red from Yellow:  the PD expects to load shed the electricity supply affected by the Circuit Breaker within a given period.  This alarm will enable the EU to prepare to use alternative energy sources, reschedule operational plans in order to attempt to arrange the least disruption in lifestyle and avoid major consequential losses.

In the power outage period that follows, all electrical outlets must be regarded as potentially live.

Yellow from Red:  the electricity reserve power has improved and the PD expects power to be reinstated, but .the EU should use electricity as sparingly as possible.

Green from Yellow:  the delivery point is provided with electricity and secondary appliances may be activated.

2. An audio alarm that will attract the attention of the user that a change in status has occurred.

3. Touch-sensitive switches that will operate the device.

4. Dimmed steering lights will allow users to find their way in the event of a power break, and when it is dark.

All components of the device can be solid-state with a small backup or rechargeable battery and should be able to be produced for less than $10.00.  The cost is so insignificant, that at least one device may be provided gratis to all users, to obtain good public relations with the users.

The information signal is injected by the PD in a similar manner at a sub-station or at the remote control desk, as when Smart-metering or Ripple geyser control is applied by the PD.   Power Line Communication (PLC) is already accepted technology used by PDs to conduct SCADA communications on Powerlines.

The IEEE should endorse the product concept that can either be a plugin or a fixed addition to an approved supply outlet plug.

When is a solution needed:
The device must inform an EU, if possible, before the anticipated switch in electricity supply occurs.

With this application the PD can involve an EU, to make alternative plans.   This interaction with the EU will vastly improve the effective usage of available electricity, especially during the daily the peak demand periods.

This interaction also provides better public relations with the EUs in order that improved Demand Side Practices can be instituted and maintained.

When the EU travels, the mobile user that needs to plan their operations that is critically affected by the status of electricity supply, may receive similar alerts with the SurePower Mobile Device application on a cellphone at http://www.iwe.param.mobi/, whilst away from home or their place of work and be made aware of alerts applicable to a location that they plan to visit.

Tags: Forecast, electricity, supply, outage, crisis, management, alternative, energy, source, power distribution, solution, power outlet, reserve margin, savings, consequential losses

Innovator: Pieter Henning hennings@mweb.co.za

© Henning 2009 Submitted to IEEE; Reliable Electricity Challenge on 30 Dec’08