PowerBoss

A radical energy management invention from one of the UK's leading inventors can keep Britain's lights on despite the power cuts predicted to spread across the UK from 2016.

Ultra Green's award-winning British inventor, Alexander Bushell, has created the "PowerBoss" - a compact energy management unit for the home, roughly the size of a large shoe box - that traps solar energy from photovoltaic panels, powering bright energy efficient lights or SpriteLites - when the mains fails.

When power cuts out from the national grid, the PowerBoss automatically takes energy from a battery that is charged by one or several solar panels ranging from 100W to 1kW. The stored energy can light a home for the entire evening, and the battery is recharged by any renewable energy source available, such as wind or solar power.

The PowerBoss prioritises the use of free renewable energy over power from the grid, effectively reducing homeowners' ever-rising electricity bills.

Ultra Green has used the PowerBoss abroad in countries where power cuts are common. In Brazil, the PowerBoss has successfully kept buildings lit and street lights on when other energy sources have failed. The product has also been demonstrated in the Maldives. While these countries have more sunshine, even Britain can muster the five hours of sunshine needed by PowerBoss to power home lighting.

Ultra Green is further developing the PowerBoss so that homeowners can scale up their renewable energy input, so that energy efficient laptops, fridges and televisions, can be used when traditional sources of energy cut out.

Ultra Green's Powerboss has been on display at this year's British Innovation Show at Alexandra Palace, London, where it won a gold medal.

The Technology

The PowerBoss has been designed around the SEC 12TSG 100 amp to SEC 12TSG 210 amp range.

The PowerBoss MI240 has three Input Ports and will accept a wide range of power input options. The unit can be connected to two DC power sources, whether they be photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, any other regulated DC source or a combination of all of these. The unit can also be connected to the mains (either 120V or 240V AC) and will derive its charging power from either source depending on the user specified settings.

DC (direct current) Charge Input:
For an external charging source to be valid its voltage must be a diode voltage greater than the battery voltage. When a valid charging source is detected, the LCD display will show the battery voltage and the status of the battery charger. In the full charge state the battery is connected directly to the charging source (a solar cell for example).

Solar:
Any number or configuration of photovoltaic panels can be used as long as the combined power rating does not exceed 120 watts on either input port.

Wind:
Once again, any configuration of wind turbine can be used as long as the rated output coming into either input port does not exceed 100 watts. The power output from the turbine must be DC.

Other:
The two separate input ports allow any configuration of charge input device and other sources of power such micro hydroelectric generators can be used as long as the output is DC and the power input does not exceed 120 watts on either input port.

Breakthrough Technology

• Gold-winning power management system
• In-built intelligence identifies renewable energy sources and prioritises over grid power
• Robust enough to be airdropped
• Removes the problem of intermittent power
• Intelligent charge sourcing, to energy storage
• Battery conditioning and delivery of high power outputs
• PowerBoss is scalable

Ultra Green's next-generation LED lighting systems plug directly into any PowerBoss unit providing a flexible, effective and long-term low-energy lighting solution, for use in the home, as street lighting and for all other functional lighting requirements.