Methods and systems for controlling a reactive power contribution to reactive power flowing in an electricity distribution network, so as to optimize this reactive power flow are described. A reactive power characteristic of electrical power flowing in the electricity distribution network is detecte
Methods and systems for controlling a reactive power contribution to reactive power flowing in an electricity distribution network, so as to optimize this reactive power flow are described. A reactive power characteristic of electrical power flowing in the electricity distribution network is detected at a power device. The reactive power characteristic relates to a reactive power component of electricity flowing in the network. On the basis of the detected reactive power characteristic a reactive power contribution to the electricity distribution network is controlled so as to adjust a value of the detected reactive power characteristic. This enables individual power consumption and/or provision devices to react autonomously to local variations in the electricity distribution network, and to provide a reactive power contribution, to drive the detected reactive power characteristic towards a desired value.
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1. A reactive power control device for use with a power device, the power device being for consuming power from, or providing power to, an electricity distribution network when connected thereto, the reactive power control device comprising: a detector for detecting, at a location of the power devic
1. A reactive power control device for use with a power device, the power device being for consuming power from, or providing power to, an electricity distribution network when connected thereto, the reactive power control device comprising: a detector for detecting, at a location of the power device, a reactive power characteristic of electrical power flowing in the electric power distribution network;a processor configured to determine whether said reactive power characteristic of electricity flowing in said electricity distribution network is more inductive than a first predefined value or whether it is more capacitive than a second predefined value; anda controller configured to: control said power device to change, in response to a determination that said reactive power characteristic is more inductive than the first predefined value, a reactive power contribution of the power device to the reactive power flowing in the electricity distribution network from a first contribution value to a second contribution value, the second contribution value being more capacitive than the first contribution value; andcontrol said power device to change, in response to a determination that said reactive power characteristic is more capacitive than the second predefined value, a reactive power contribution of the power device to the reactive power flowing in the electricity distribution network from a third contribution value to a fourth contribution value, the fourth contribution value being more inductive than the third contribution value. 2. The reactive power control device of claim 1, wherein the first predefined value and the second predefined value are the same. 3. The reactive power control device of claim 1, wherein the first contribution value and the third contribution value are the same. 4. The reactive power control device of claim 1, wherein said reactive power characteristic relates to a phase difference between voltage and current of electricity flowing in the electricity distribution network, the first predefined value comprises a predefined phase difference value, and the second predefined value comprises a predefined phase difference value. 5. The reactive power control device of claim 1, wherein the first predefined value is more inductive than the second predefined value. 6. The reactive power control device of claim 1, wherein the first contribution value and the second contribution value are both inductive, the second contribution value being less inductive than the first contribution value. 7. The reactive power control device of claim 1, wherein the third contribution value and the fourth contribution value are both capacitive, the fourth contribution value being less capacitive than the third contribution value. 8. The reactive power control device claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to change said reactive power contribution in response to a predetermined time period elapsing after said processor determines said reactive power characteristic of electricity flowing in said electricity distribution network is more inductive than the first predefined value or more capacitive than the second predefined value. 9. The reactive power control device claim 1, wherein the electricity flowing in the electricity distribution network comprises an alternating current electricity flow having a predetermined period, and the controller is configured to control a switch to selectively interrupt provision of power to and/or from the power device during one or more portions of the predetermined period. 10. The reactive power control device of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a current modulator. 11. The reactive power control device of claim 10, wherein the controller comprises a pulse width modulator, the power device comprises a power consumption device for consuming power from the electricity distribution network, and the controller is configured to control a duty cycle characteristic of the power consumption of the power consumption device. 12. The reactive power control device of claim 1, wherein the power device comprises a power provision device for providing electric power to the electricity distribution network, the power provision device being configured to provide a direct current, and the controller is configured to control a direct current to alternating current converter. 13. The reactive power control device of claim 1, further comprising a quality characteristic detector for detecting one or more electricity quality characteristics of electricity flowing in the electricity distribution network, wherein said controller is configured to control a characteristic of power provided and/or consumed by the power device so as to alter said detected electricity quality characteristic, the detected one or more electricity quality characteristic comprising at least one of; harmonics in the electricity flow; random or repetitive variations in voltage; network imbalance; oscillations in power flow; transients in the power flow. 14. The reactive power control device of claim 1, wherein the power device comprises a power provision device for providing electric power to the electricity distribution network, the power provision device comprising at least one of: a photovoltaic generation device, a personal electric vehicle, a personal electric bicycle and a domestic renewable energy source. 15. The reactive power control device of claim 1, wherein the electricity distribution network comprises a transmission grid and a distribution grid, the transmission grid being connected to the distribution grid via one or more transformers and providing electric power thereto, and the distribution grid providing power to a plurality of domestic and/or industrial users, wherein the power device is for consuming power from, or providing power to, said distribution grid. 16. The reactive power control device of claim 1, comprising a communications interface for receiving an activation signal from a control center, wherein said controller is configured to perform said control of said reactive power contribution of the power device to the reactive power flowing in the electricity distribution network in response to receipt of said activation signal at said communications interface. 17. A system for use in controlling reactive power flow in an electricity distribution network, the system comprising: a distributed plurality of reactive power control devices, each controlling a respective power device connected to the electricity distribution network, wherein each of the distributed plurality of reactive power control devices comprises: a detector for detecting, at a location of the power device, a reactive power characteristic of electrical power flowing in the electric power distribution network;a processor configured to determine whether said reactive power characteristic of electricity flowing in said electricity distribution network is more inductive than a first predefined value or whether it is more capacitive than a second predefined value;a controller configured to:control said power device to change, in response to a determination that said reactive power characteristic is more inductive than the first predefined value, a reactive power contribution of the power device to the reactive power flowing in the electricity distribution network from a first contribution value to a second contribution value, the second contribution value being more capacitive than the first contribution value; andcontrol said power device to change, in response to a determination that said reactive power characteristic is more capacitive than the second predefined value, a reactive power contribution of the power device to the reactive power flowing in the electricity distribution network from a third contribution value to a fourth contribution value, the fourth contribution value being more inductive than the third contribution value; anda communications interface for receiving an activation signal from a control center, wherein said controller is configured to perform said control of said reactive power contribution of the power device to the reactive power flowing in the electricity distribution network in response to receipt of said activation signal at said communications interface; anda control center for sending an activation signal to each of the distributed plurality of reactive power control devices. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein different ones of the plurality of reactive power control devices are configured to initiate performance of said control at different intervals after receiving said activation signal. 19. A method for use in controlling reactive power flow in an electricity distribution network connected to one or more power devices, the one or more power devices being configured to consume power from, and/or provide power to, the electricity distribution network when connected thereto, the method comprising: detecting, at a location of a said power device, a reactive power characteristic of electrical power flowing in the electricity distribution network;determining whether said reactive power characteristic of electricity flowing in said electricity distribution network is more inductive than a first predefined value or whether it is more capacitive than a second predefined value;controlling said power device to change, in response to a determination that said reactive power characteristic is more inductive than the first predefined value, a reactive power contribution of the power device to the reactive power flowing in the electricity distribution network from a first contribution value to a second contribution value, the second contribution value being more capacitive than the first contribution value; andcontrolling said power device to change, in response to a determination that said reactive power characteristic is more capacitive than the second predefined value, a reactive power contribution of the power device to the reactive power flowing in the electricity distribution network from a third contribution value to a fourth contribution value, the fourth contribution value being more inductive than the third contribution value. 20. The method of claim 19, comprising: generating a threshold value according to a random value generation process;detecting a change in said reactive power characteristic; andchanging said reactive power contribution of the power device to the reactive power flowing in the electricity distribution network in response to a detected transition of a value of said reactive power characteristic across the threshold value. 21. The method of claim 20, comprising: determining a time period value according to a random time period value generation process; andchanging said reactive power contribution of the power device to the reactive power flowing in the electricity distribution network in response to a predetermined time period elapsing after detecting said change in said reactive power characteristic. 22. A power device for consuming power from, or providing power to, an electricity distribution network when connected thereto, the power device comprising a reactive power control device, the reactive power control device comprising: a detector for detecting, at a location of the power device, a reactive power characteristic, the reactive power characteristic being a characteristic of electrical power flowing in the electricity distribution network;a processor configured to determine whether said reactive power characteristic of electricity flowing in said electricity distribution network is more inductive than a first predefined value or whether it is more capacitive than a second predefined value; anda controller configured to: control the power device to change, in response to a determination that said reactive power characteristic is more inductive than the first predefined value, a reactive power contribution of the power device to the reactive power flowing in the electricity distribution network from a first contribution value to a second contribution value, the second contribution value being more capacitive than the first contribution value; andcontrol the power device to change, in response to a determination that said reactive power characteristic is more capacitive than the second predefined value, a reactive power contribution of the power device to the reactive power flowing in the electricity distribution network from a third contribution value to a fourth contribution value, the fourth contribution value being more inductive than the third contribution value.
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Hatta Yasunori (Kanagawa JPX) Eguchi Naoya (Kanagawa JPX), Control circuit for an inverter operable in an individual mode and an interconnection mode.
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