GB2625261A - A system for distributing electrical power - Google Patents

Abstract

A system 10 for distributing electrical power comprises a power source 12 and a primary distribution panel 14 electrically connected to the power source 12. The primary distribution panel 14 is electrically connected to at least one electricity consumer 16, and is configured to supply and distribute the received electrical power thereto. A master controller 18 is communicatively connected to the primary distribution panel 14 and is configured to control the primary distribution panel 14 to turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer 16. The master controller 18 is further configured to receive user settings, and optionally signals from a number of sensors 48, and to control the primary distribution panel 14 to turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer 16 based on the received user settings and sensor signals. A slave load controller 46 may be interposed between the primary distribution panel 14 and the at least one electricity consumer 16.

Description

A System For Distributing Electrical Power The present invention relates to a system for distributing electrical power.

In embodiments, the present invention relates to a system for selectively distributing electrical power from a central power source, such as mains electricity supply from a power grid, a standalone power generator, or other forms of power supply, to electrical devices or electrical equipment connected to a local electrical network.

In a conventional electrical network, mains power is typically provided to an electrical grid by a power station. The power station may be a fossil fuel power plant, a hydroelectric power plant, powered by renewal energy sources, or powered by other forms of energy sources. The electrical grid may include sub-stations for receiving the power supply from the power station and distributing the mains power supply to different geographical areas. A geographical area may be sub-divided into local areas, each comprising roads or streets of houses, commercial buildings, or industrial sites, and each served by a distribution box. In turn, each house, building, or site may include a number of power outlets to which electrical devices such as lights, home entertainment devices, tools, or office devices may be connected. Such an electrical grid system has little to no feedback of information, especially at the level of individual electrical devices connected to the system at mains power outlets. This means that any electrical device connected to a mains outlet and switched on would consume electricity indefinitely until it is disconnected or switched off.

Leaving electrical devices switched on for no useful purpose is not only inefficient and costly, it is also a well-established environmental issue. In domestic settings, individuals may be more conscientious in switching off lights, devices, or appliances that are not required to be switched on. However, in office or industrial settings, personnel come and go in any given building or site and individuals are often preoccupied with other jobs or tasks to monitor collective energy consumption.

In many industrial sites, access to electricity supply from the main electrical grid is often limited. For example, construction sites, mines, or on-shore oil exploration sites may have permanent or temporary buildings erected in remote areas that have limited to no access to the main electrical grid. At these sites, it is common to have an "off-grid" electrical network, often referred as a mini-grid, that is supplied by a single connection -2 -to the main electrical grid or by an entirely independent supply of electrical power, such as a generator, wind turbines, or other sources of electrical power, with no other connection to the main electrical grid. In a typical construction site, the mini-grid may include distribution boards distributing power generated from various sources, such as a power generator, to electrical equipment and machinery, such as concrete batching plants, and multiple portable buildings each with multiple power outlet sockets. It is important to reduce the environmental impact and running costs of operating a construction site. Combining the use of renewal energy with traditional fossil fuels as energy sources goes some way to make operating a construction site greener and cheaper. However, the most effective way of reducing the carbon footprint and running costs is to reduce energy consumption. For example, a construction site may have drying rooms for drying clothing and may need to be powered overnight during weekdays but may be turned off over weekends. However, construction sites are often vacated gradually at the end of the working week on Fridays with no single individual being assigned the responsibility of turning off all unnecessary equipment or devices at the end of a Friday, thereby leaving equipment or devices powered on unnecessarily over the weekend. On the other hand, some equipment such as security cameras and outdoor lights may need to be left powered on overnight even at weekends. With a variety of devices and equipment, each having different electricity consumption needs, all connected to the same mini-grid, the task of monitoring which device or equipment needs to be turned on or off, and when, is typically more that any one individual can manage efficiently and effectively. There is therefore a need for a system for monitoring and managing electricity consumption of devices and equipment in a mini-grid.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for distributing electrical power, comprising a power source for supplying electrical power; a primary distribution panel, electrically connected to the power source to receive electrical power therefrom, configured to be electrically connected to at least one electricity consumer, and configured to supply and distribute the received electrical power thereto; a master controller, communicatively connected to the primary distribution panel, and configured to control the primary distribution panel to turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer; wherein the master controller is further configured to receive user settings and to control the primary distribution panel to turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer based on the received user settings. -3 -

The system of the present invention enables efficient distribution of electrical power to various electricity-consuming devices or equipment within a mini-grid, and allows a user to specify conditions under which electrical power is to be distributed to specific points of the mini-grid. The system also includes feedback loops to self-monitor electricity consumption within the mini-grid and adjusts distribution of electrical power to optimize electricity consumption, thereby eliminating waste of electricity.

In embodiments, the at least one electricity consumer includes at least one of an electrical equipment, device, hub, or power outlet.

In embodiments, the system further comprises one or more first sensors communicatively coupled to the master controller, wherein the master controller is further configured to receive one or more respective first sensor signals from the one or more first sensors and to control the primary distribution panel to turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer based on the received first sensor signals.

In embodiments, the master controller is configured to control the primary distribution panel to turn off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer for a predetermined period of time based on the received user settings.

In embodiments, the system further comprises at least one slave load controller electrically and communicatively interposed between the primary distribution panel and the at least one electricity consumer, the slave load controller being configured to receive electrical power from the primary distribution panel and to distribute the received electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer. Preferably, the slave load controller is electrically and communicatively connected to the at least one electricity consumer via a power line cable, wherein at least one of the slave load controller and the at least one electricity consumer includes a power line communication device to enable data communication between the slave load controller and the at least one electricity consumer over the power line cable. Additionally or alternatively, the slave load controller is further configured to receive control signals from the master controller and to selectively turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer based on the control signals, the control signals being derived from the received user settings. -4 -

I n embodiments, the system further comprises one or more second sensors communicatively coupled to one of the at least one slave load controller, wherein the one of the at least one slave load controller is further configured to receive one or more respective second sensor signals from the one or more second sensors and to selectively turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer based on the received first sensor signals. Additionally or alternatively, the system further comprises at least one relay switch configured to conned the slave load controller to the at least one electricity consumer, wherein the slave load controller is configured to selectively turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer by actuating the at least one relay switch.

In some embodiments, at least one electricity consumer is a consumer hub having a plurality of power outlets and the slave load controller is configured to selectively turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to one or more of the plurality of power outlets.

Preferably, the slave load controller is configured to control the consumer hub to turn off supply of electrical power to the at least one of the power outlets for a predetermined period of time based on the received user settings.

In embodiments, the power source includes at least one of a mains power supply, a power generator, and a renewable energy source.

In embodiments, the master controller is electrically and communicatively connected to the primary distribution panel via a power line cable, wherein at least one of the master controller and the primary distribution panel includes a power line communication device to enable data communication between the master controller and the primary distribution panel over the power line cable.

In embodiments, the master controller includes a network interface configured to communicate with remote user devices to receive user settings over a network.

Embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described by way of examples, with references to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a system for distributing electrical power; -s -Figure 2 is a schematical illustration of a master controller of a system for distributing electrical power; Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of another system for distributing electrical power; 5 and Figure 4 is a schematical illustration of a slave load controller of a system for distributing electrical power.

In the embodiments described hereinbelow, various controllers, units, and panels may comprise hardware, software, or a combination of both. Hardware may include electronic components such as integrated circuits, micro-controllers, or other processors, and may be programmable and/or reprogrammable. Implementation will be apparent to the skilled person upon reading this disclosure.

The system for distributing electrical power of the present invention is generally a form of mini-grid and includes a master controller that is configured to receive and store user settings relating to electricity usage of electrical equipment, devices, hubs, and outlets in a mini-grid, and to control the distribution of electrical power from a main electrical power source to these electrical equipment, devices, hubs, and outlets based on the user settings. The master controller may receive user settings locally or over a network, thereby enabling a user to configure the system on-site or remotely. The system of the present invention may also include a slave load controller that connects a distribution panel of the mini-grid to the electrical equipment, devices, hubs, and outlets of the mini-grid, and to selectively control the distribution of electrical power to these electrical equipment, devices, hubs, and outlets based on signals received from the master controller. The system may also include various sensors coupled to the master controller and/or the slave load controller, and selective distribution of electrical power to electrical equipment, devices, hubs, and outlets of the mini-grid may also be based on signals received from the sensors.

Referring to figure 1, an embodiment of a system 10 for distributing electrical power is shown. As shown, this embodiment of the system 10 includes a main electrical power source 12 for generating the electricity that is to be distributed over the mini-grid. The power source 12 may be a conventional power plant connected via the main electricity grid, a standalone electricity generator such as a diesel power generator, one or more -6 -solar panels, one or more wind turbines, one or more hydroelectric turbines, or a combination thereof. The power source 12 generates electricity, from fuel such as fossil fuel or sustainable resources such as solar or wind, that is then distributed across the connected mini-grid as will be described further in more detail. In embodiments in which the power source 12 includes more than one type of power plant, for example where a combination of solar panels and a diesel generator is used, the system 10 may regulate the proportion of power drawn from the diesel generator based on the total power consumption of the whole mini-grid at any given time so as to make the most use of power generated by the solar panels.

As shown in the embodiment of figure 1, the system 10 further includes a primary distribution panel 14 that is connected to the power source 12. The primary distribution panel 14 is electrically connected to the power source 12 so as to receive electricity generated by the power source 12. The primary distribution panel 14 includes circuitry, and other suitable hardware generally known to the skilled person, for dividing the electrical power received from the power source 12 into one or more outputs. In some embodiments, the primary distribution panel 14 also includes switches and other relevant circuitry that may be controlled to selectively turn on or off supply of electrical power to its outputs, thereby controlling the distribution of electrical power to other parts of the mini-grid. In some embodiments, the primary distribution panel 14 includes one or more relay switches that may be controlled electronically and/or manually for switching on or off supply of electrical power to its outputs. The outputs of the primary distribution panel 14 allows one or more electricity consumers 16 to be electrically connected thereto to receive electricity. In the context of the present disclosure, the term "electricity consumer" refers to any electrical equipment, devices, hubs, or individual power outlets. Electrical equipment and devices may be any known to the skilled person that requires electricity for operation, may include large or small appliances, and may include industrial, office, or domestic electrical equipment. A "hub" refers, in one embodiment, to a location or site with a collection of power outlets, such as a permanent or portable building. A "power outlet" refers, in one embodiment, to a commonly known electrical socket.

Referring still to figure 1, the system 10 further includes a master controller 18. The master controller 18 is communicatively connected to the primary distribution panel 14 and is configured, in any suitable hardware and/or software known to the skilled person, to generate and communicate control signals to the primary distribution panel 14. Correspondingly, the primary distribution panel 14 is configured, in any suitable hardware and/or software known to the skilled person, to receive control signals from the master controller 18 and to selectively turn on or off supply of electrical power to its outputs based on the received control signals. To facilitate the receiving of user settings, the master controller 18 of some embodiments includes a user interface 30 as shown schematically in figure 2, such as a keyboard or keypad, to enable a user 20 to input desired settings into the master controller 18. As shown in figure 2, the master controller 18 of this embodiment also includes a processor 32 for processing the user settings received by the user interface 30 and to generate suitable control signals based on the received user settings. A database 34 is provided to store the user settings received by the master controller 18 and optionally to store the control signals generated by the processor 32. To further facilitate the user 20 to input user settings, the master controller 18 may further include a display 36 for displaying information, such as energy consumption over time or other information on the status of the system 10. A transceiver 38 is provided to transmit the control signals generated by the processor 32 to the primary distribution panel 14. In some embodiments, the transceiver 38 is also configured to receive feedback signals from the mini-grid, for example from any "smart devices" connected to the system 10, and to communicate the feedback signals to the processor 32. In these embodiments, the processor 32 is further configured to process the feedback signals and to adjust the control signals based on the feedback signals. In some embodiments, the master controller 18 further includes a network interface 40. The network interface 40 may be any suitable hardware and/or software known to the skilled person, and is configured to provide network connectivity to allow a user 20, using any suitable communication device such as a computer, a smart phone, or other suitable devices, to connect to the master controller 18 and to communicate user settings to the master controller 18 remotely.

Communication between the primary distribution panel 14 and the master controller 18 may be via a wired or a wireless connection, and via any suitable communications protocol known to the skilled person. For example, in one embodiment, the primary distribution panel 14 is provided with network capabilities, and communication between the primary distribution panel 14 and the master controller 18 may be through the internet, a local area network, or other suitable forms of network. In another embodiment, the master controller 18, and similarly the primary distribution panel 14 includes a power line communications unit 48. The power line communications unit 48 converts network signals that are usually communicated along network cables into -8 -signals that can travel along electric cables that electrically connect the primary distribution panel 14 and the master controller 18. Such an arrangement provides the reliability and robustness of a conventional wired network connection, whilst eliminating the need for a separate network of cables for communications.

The master controller 18 of some embodiments further includes a sensor unit 42. The sensor unit 42 is provided to enable the master controller 18 to connect to one or more sensors 44, including but not limited to a light sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, motion sensor, pressure sensor, and any other suitable sensor. The sensor unit 42 is configured to receive sensor signals from the one or more sensors 44 and to communicate the received sensor signals to the processor 32; the sensor signals being indicative of measurements that the sensors 44 take, for example a temperature sensor measures the temperature of the environment in which the temperature sensor is located. Correspondingly, the processor 32 is configured to process the received sensor signals and adjust the control signals communicated to the primary distribution panel 14 based on the received control signals together with the received user settings. In some embodiments, sensors 44 may be placed in the vicinity of the master controller 18 to measure the environment in which the master controller 18 is located. In some embodiments, sensors 44 may be further provided elsewhere in the mini-grid, for example at the power source 12 to measure fuel level. In some embodiments, the master controller 18 is further configured to convey information derived from the received sensor signals to the user 20 by displaying information on the display 36 and/or communicating the information to a user device via the network interface 40.

A user 20 may input, as an example of user settings, the precise time for which a electricity consumer 16 connected to the primary distribution panel 14 is to be supplied with electricity. The user 20 may also specify optionally, as part of the user settings, conditions in which the electricity consumer 16 is to be switched on. For example, a user 20 may specify that an outdoor heater connected to the primary distribution panel 14 is to be switched on only between 3pm to 5pm and only if a temperature sensor located in the vicinity of the heater drops below an initial threshold. Based on these user settings and optionally on the measurements from the temperature sensor, the master controller 18 generates and communicates control signals to the primary distribution panel 14 to control circuitry to deliver electricity to the outdoor heater when conditions (i.e. time and measured temperature) meet the user settings, i.e. between -9 - 3pm to 5pm for example, and to turn off supply of electricity to the outdoor heater at other times.

Although the master controller 18 is shown in figure 2 as having a processor, various components, and various units, it will be appreciated by the skilled person this is only one implementation and other implementations may also be suitable. For example, the master controller 18 of some embodiments may be configured as a system-on-a-chip.

Figure 3 shows another embodiment of a system 10 for distributing electrical power.

This embodiment of the system 10 is similar to the embodiment shown in figure 1, with the addition of one or more slave load controllers 46. As shown in figure 2, a slave load controller 46 is interposed between the primary distribution panel 14 and one or more electricity consumers 16, thereby electrically connecting the primary distribution panel 14 to the electricity consumers 16. The slave load controller 46 is configured, in any suitable hardware and/or software known to the skilled person, to receive electrical power from the primary distribution panel 14 and to selectively redistribute that received electrical power to the electricity consumers 16. In particular, the slave load controller 46 is configured to receive either user settings that have been entered into the master controller 18 or control signals derived from the user settings, from the master controller 18, and to selectively redistribute electrical power received from the primary distribution panel 14 to one or more electricity consumers 16 connected to it based on the user settings and/or control signals. In some embodiments, the slave load controller 46 is optionally configured to allow one or more sensors 48 to connect to it, to receive sensor signals indicative of measurements made by the sensors 48, and to selectively redistribute the received electrical power to the one or more electricity consumers 16 based on the sensor signals as well as on the user settings and/or control signals.

Referring to figure 4, details of the slave load controller 46 of an embodiment is shown schematically. As shown in figure 4, the slave load controller 46 of this embodiment includes a power inlet 50 for receiving electrical power from the primary distribution panel 14. The power inlet 50 is electrically connected to circuitry within the slave load controller 46 that splits the received electrical power. In the embodiment shown in figure 4, the power inlet 50 is electrically connected to a number of switches 52, such as relay switches, each providing an output for an electricity consumer 16 to connect to it to receive electricity. The slave load controller 46 also includes a processor 54 and a -10 -communications interface 56 connected to the processor 54. The switches 52 are connected to the processor 54, and the processor 54 is configured to control each switch 52 to connect or disconnect the power input 50 from the respective output. The communications interface 56 is configured to receive user settings, or control signals derived from the user settings, from the master controller 18. The processor 54 processes the received user settings or control signals, and controls the switches 52 based on these received user settings or control signals. The communications interface 56 may be communicatively connected to the master controller 18 via a wired or a wireless connection, and communicate via any suitable communications protocol known to the skilled person. For example, in one embodiment, the communications interface 56 of the slave load controller 46 is configured to be network enabled and communication between the slave load controller 46 and the master controller 18 may be through the internet, a local area network, or other suitable forms of network. In other embodiments, in which the master controller 18 includes the power line communications unit 48 such as that shown in figure 2, the slave load controller 46 also includes a power line communications unit 60, enabling communication between the master controller 18 and the slave load controller 46 along electrical connections. More generally, in particular embodiments of the system 10, one or more power lines communications units are provided in the mini-grid to allow any network-enabled device or equipment to communicate, via any electric cable, with each other and with the master controller 18 and/or the slave load controller 46. For example, the communications interface 56 with the power line communications unit 60 may be configured to allow two-way communications via electric cables with any network-enabled electricity consumer 16 connected to it.

The slave load controller 46 of some embodiments further includes a sensor unit 62. The sensor unit 62 is provided to enable the slave load controller 46 to connect to one or more sensors 48 as shown in figure 3, including but not limited to a light sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, motion sensor, pressure sensor, and any other suitable sensor. The sensor unit 62 is configured to receive sensor signals from the one or more sensors 48 and to communicate the received sensor signals to the processor 54 and optionally to the master controller 18; the sensor signals being indicative of measurements that the sensors 48 take. These sensor signals are then processed by the process 54 of the slave load controller 46 or the processor 32 of the master controller 18. Control signals generated by the process 54 of the slave load controller 46 or by the processor 32 of the master controller 18 may then be adjusted based on the received control signals. The sensors 48 connected to the slave load controller 46 may be placed in any suitable location to measure the environment in which the system 10 is deployed.

In some embodiments, an electricity consumer 16 connected to the slave load controller 46 may be a portable or permanent building having multiple power outlets, which may be wired individually or wired as one or more groups. In this embodiment, the slave load controller 46 is configured to selectively turn on or off supply of electricity to one or more individual power outlets or one or more groups of outlets based on user settings and/or sensor signals as described above.

In some embodiments, the slave load controller 46 further includes an interposing switch 64 for providing a high power output. The interposing switch 64 is connected to the power input 50 separately to the other switches 52. A slave switch 66 is provided, controlled by the processor 54 and connected to the interposing switch 64 to control the actuation of the interposing switch 64. In operation, the processor 54 is configured to send control signals to the slave switch 66, based on received user settings and/or control signals from the master controller 18 and/or sensor signals received from the sensors 48, to turn the slave switch 66 on or off, which in turn actuates the interposing switch 64 to connect or disconnect the high power output.

Although the slave load controller 46 is shown in figure 4 as having a processor, various components, switches, and units, it will be appreciated by the skilled person this is only one implementation and other implementations may also be suitable. For example, the slave load controller 46 of some embodiments may be configured as a system-on-a-chip.

In a practical implementation, although not limited thereto, the system 10 of the embodiments described herein may be deployed in a construction site without any access to a main electricity grid. In this implementation, the power source 12 of the system 10 may be a combination of solar panels and diesel generators. The primary distribution panel 14 may be situated in a machine yard for example to avoid obstructing the operation of the construction site. The master controller 18 may be situated for example in a site office to facilitate ease of control and to provide easy access for monitoring. The master controller 18 may also be connected to the internet to allow a user 20 who is not physically present at the construction site to monitor and -12 -input user settings to configure the system 10. The primary distribution panel 14 may be connected directly to an electricity consumer 16 that does not need precise monitoring of its energy consumption, such as a refrigerator, which needs a constant supply of electricity. The primary distribution panel 14 may also be connected directly to electricity consumers 16 that requires simple controls and monitoring only, such as site-wide security lights that need to be switched on everyday when light level drops below a certain threshold, which may be monitored by light sensors connected to the master controller 18. The construction site may have other electricity consumers 16, such a portable building, with multiple power outlets (i.e. mains sockets). The portable building may be connected to the primary distribution panel 14 via a slave load controller 46, which may be provided as an add-on device or built into the portable building. The portable building may also have sensors 48 such as motion sensors to detect presence or movement of people in the portable building. The sensors 48 may be connected to the slave load controller 46 and trigger the slave load controller 46 to turn on supply of electricity to the power outlets when presence of people in the portable building is detected.

Embodiments of the present invention have been described with particular reference to the examples illustrated. However, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made to the examples described within the scope of the appending claims.

Claims (14)

1. -13 -Claims: 1. A system (10) for distributing electrical power, comprising: a power source (12) for supplying electrical power; a primary distribution panel (14), electrically connected to the power source (12) to receive electrical power therefrom, configured to be electrically connected to at least one electricity consumer (16), and configured to supply and distribute the received electrical power thereto; a master controller (18), communicatively connected to the primary distribution panel (14), and configured to control the primary distribution panel (14) to turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer (16); wherein the master controller (18) is further configured to receive user settings and to control the primary distribution panel (14) to turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer (16) based on the received user settings.
2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electricity consumer (16) includes at least one of an electrical equipment, device, hub, or power outlet.
3. 3. The system of claim 1 or 2, further comprising one or more first sensors (14) communicatively coupled to the master controller (18), wherein the master controller (18) is further configured to receive one or more respective first sensor signals from the one or more first sensors (14) and to control the primary distribution panel (14) to turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer (16) based on the received first sensor signals.
4. 4. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the master controller (18) is configured to control the primary distribution panel (14) to turn off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer (16) for a predetermined period of time based on the received user settings.
5. 5. The system of any preceding claim, further comprising at least one slave load controller (46) electrically and communicatively interposed between the primary distribution panel (14) and the at least one electricity consumer (16), the slave load controller (46) being configured to receive electrical power from the primary distribution -14 -panel (14) and to distribute the received electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer (16)
6. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the slave load controller (46) is electrically and communicatively connected to the at least one electricity consumer (16) via a power line cable, wherein at least one of the slave load controller (46) and the at least one electricity consumer (16) includes a power line communication device to enable data communication between the slave load controller (46) and the at least one electricity consumer (16) over the power line cable.
7. 7. The system of claim 5 or 6, wherein the slave load controller (46) is further configured to receive control signals from the master controller (18) and to selectively turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer (16) based on the control signals, the control signals being derived from the received user settings.
8. 8. The system of claim 7, further comprising one or more second sensors (48) communicatively coupled to one of the at least one slave load controller (46), wherein the one of the at least one slave load controller (46) is further configured to receive one or more respective second sensor signals from the one or more second sensors (48) and to selectively turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer (16) based on the received first sensor signals.
9. 9. The system of claim 7 or 8, further comprising at least one relay switch (52) configured to connect the slave load controller (46) to the at least one electricity consumer (16), wherein the slave load controller (46) is configured to selectively turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to the at least one electricity consumer (16) by actuating the at least one relay switch (52).
10. 10. The system of any of claims 7 to 9, wherein at least one electricity consumer (16) is a consumer hub having a plurality of power outlets and the slave load controller (46) is configured to selectively turn on and/or off supply of electrical power to one or more of the plurality of power outlets.-15 -
11. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the slave load controller (46) is configured to control the consumer hub to turn off supply of electrical power to the at least one of the power outlets for a predetermined period of time based on the received user settings.
12. 12. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the power source (12) includes at least one of a mains power supply, a power generator, and a renewable energy source.
13. 13. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the master controller (18) is electrically and communicatively connected to the primary distribution panel (14) via a power line cable, wherein at least one of the master controller (18) and the primary distribution panel (14) includes a power line communication device to enable data communication between the master controller (18) and the primary distribution panel (14) over the power line cable.
14. 14. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the master controller (18) includes a network interface (30) configured to communicate with remote user devices to receive user settings over a network.