FI128448B

FI128448B - An apparatus and a method for managing residential electrical loads

Info

Publication number: FI128448B
Application number: FI20195394A
Authority: FI
Inventors: Hannu Järvensivu; Pasi Santikko
Original assignee: Sandy Beach Oy
Priority date: 2019-05-13
Filing date: 2019-05-13
Publication date: 2020-05-15
Also published as: FI20195394A1

Abstract

An apparatus (100) and a method for managing residential electrical loads are disclosed. A residential electrical current usage is monitored to prevent the peak usage from exceeding the limit. The electrical loads are grouped, and groups are prioritized. The group may have only one electrical load or multiple electrical loads. If the electrical current usage exceeds a predefined limit, the apparatus (100) prioritizes the electrical loads and provides less electrical current to low-priority load. The priority list may be schedule and dynamic. As one example, during late evenings electrical loads providing residential comfort such as the water heater or sauna heater is prioritized over charging an electric vehicle. If the electric vehicle is scheduled to drive in the morning, early hours are prioritized for charging the electric vehicle.

Description

AN APPARATUS AND A METHOD FOR MANAGING RESIDENTIAL

ELECTRICAL LOADS

20195394 prh 13 -05- 2019

BACKGROUND

Electrification of vehicles, appliances and devices increases residential electricity consumption. The electric energy suppliers usually have the peak load capacity available at all times, supported by various flexibility solutions such as load management. Electricity tariffs may be used to control residential consumption by charging customers based on their individual peak demand.

An electric vehicle must be periodically charged within the residential network, thus increasing the peak consumption. The peak consumption may be limited by a main fuse. If the residence needs increase in the peak consumption, the main fuse size must be increased, and the tariff may increase accordingly.

The limited peak consumption may cause problems when the electric vehicle should be charged at the same time as other residential high-power applications are being used. Common example in Finland is a sauna heater that in a detached house may require 10 kW of electrical power. The combination of domestic appliances and electric vehicle charger may lead to a situation where the electric vehicle does not charge properly, or the residents may have to bathe with cool water.

Electric vehicle charging stations may comprise controllers that schedule the power consumption to off-peak hours. Still, in the domestic use, when the residents would unexpectedly like to use hot water, sauna heater or other highpower applications, the scheduling may fail. Some appliances require continuous power, for example a freezer. The residential building itself may be heated by electrical power; wherein certain amount of heating power may always be required.

EP2785557A2 discloses an electric vehicle charging system. The system encompasses a load center having one or more electrical loads coupled thereto, electric vehicle supply equipment to charge an electric vehicle, and a monitoring and limiting device to monitor power or current usage of at least the 5 one or more loads coupled to the load center, and adjust a charging level setting of the electric vehicle supply equipment based upon the level of the usage.

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SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure.

An apparatus and a method for managing residential electrical loads are disclosed. A residential electrical current usage is monitored to prevent a peak 20 power usage from exceeding a current limit. The electrical loads are grouped, and groups are prioritized. The group may have only one electrical load or multiple loads.

If the electrical current usage exceeds a predefined limit, the apparatus prioritizes the electrical loads and provides less electrical current to low-priority 25 loads. The priority list may be scheduled and dynamic. As one example, during late evenings electrical loads providing residential comfort such as the water heater or sauna heater is prioritized over charging an electric vehicle. If the electric vehicle is scheduled to drive in the morning, early hours are prioritized for charging the electric vehicle. External information may be used to improve 30 the priority list, such as information of electricity tariffs, SPOT electricity prices or weather forecasts.

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The apparatus may be coupled to a residential distribution board. In one example the apparatus controls a circuit breaker of the water heater to prevent heating water in a water boiler simultaneously with charging the electric vehicle.

The apparatus may also limit the electrical current provided to the electric vehicle charging station.

Many of the attendant features will be more readily appreciated as they become better understood by reference to the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below are not limited to implementations which solve any or all the disadvantages of known residential electrical power management systems or methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present description will be better understood from the following detailed description read in light of the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 illustrates schematically one exemplary embodiment of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 illustrates schematically one embodiment of a measurement phase and a management phase;

FIG. 3a illustrates schematically one exemplary embodiment of the apparatus for vehicle heating and electric vehicle charging stations;

FIG. 3b illustrates schematically one exemplary embodiment of the apparatus for vehicle heating and electric vehicle charging stations;

FIG. 4a illustrates schematically one exemplary embodiment of the apparatus 25 for vehicle heating and electric vehicle charging stations;

FIG. 4b illustrates schematically one exemplary embodiment of the apparatus for vehicle heating and electric vehicle charging stations; and

FIG. 5 illustrates schematically one exemplary embodiment of the apparatus for residential power network.

Like reference numerals are used to designate like parts in the accompanying drawings.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description provided below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the present examples and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present example may be constructed or utilized. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different examples.

Although the present examples are described and illustrated herein as being implemented in domestic residential environment, the apparatus and the method described are provided as an example and not a limitation. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the present examples are suitable for application in a variety of different types of residential, industrial or commercial power management applications.

FIG. 1 illustrates schematically one exemplary embodiment of the apparatus 100. The apparatus 100 comprises an interface 101 for receiving information of residential electrical current usage, for example an electrical interface for receiving electrical quantities. The distribution circuit 103 enters the residential network via current measurement unit 102 providing information to the electrical interface 101. The current measurement unit 102 is for example an ammeter, a shunt unit or any meter configured to measure the amount of electrical current flowing in an electric cable. The current measurement unit 102 may provide the information to the electrical interface 101 as an analog signal or as a digital signal. The interface 101 is also connected to a first electrical load Ki_, 111 and to multiple electrical loads Κι, K2, ...Kn, wherein one of the multiple electrical loads is assigned as a second electrical load 112. Examples of multiple electrical loads Κι, K2, ...K_nare domestic HVAC systems, heaters, appliances, fridges, freezers or multipurpose socket outlets. In this example the first electrical load 111 is an electric vehicle charging station 120. According to one

20195394 prh 13 -05- 2019 embodiment, the apparatus 100 comprises a transceiver 105 configured to communicate with the electric vehicle charging station 120.

The multiple electrical loads Κι, K2, ... Kn and the first electrical load 111 are coupled to a distribution board 108 that distributes the electric power received 5 from the distribution network 103 to the residential network. In one embodiment the apparatus 100 is mounted to the distribution board 108. The apparatus 100 may be mounted to a mounting bar on the distribution board 108. In one embodiment, the apparatus 100 comprises a controller arranged at the electrical interface 101. The controller is configured to control a circuit breaker 10 of the first electrical load 111 and/or the second electrical load 112. The residential electrical current usage may be limited by switching off one or more electrical loads with the circuit breaker.

A user interface 104 enables a user to view and/or change the parameters of the apparatus 100. The user interface 104 may comprise a display and buttons.

In one example the user interface 104 is configured to communicate with a smartphone or a computer, wherein the monitoring and parameter adjustments may be executed via the smartphone or the computer connected to the user interface 104. The apparatus 100 comprises at least one processor 106 and a memory 107 for storing instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to perform the function described herein. In one embodiment the processor 106 and the memory 107 consists of a programmable logic device.

The electric vehicle charging station 120 comprises, according to one example, an all-purpose Schuko outlet 125 and a dedicated electric vehicle charging outlet 124, for example a Type 2 outlet. A charging controller 121 is connected 25 to a control unit 122 that is configured to receive information of the electrical current usage from a current measurement unit 123. In one embodiment the apparatus 100 is configured to communicate with the electric vehicle charging station 120. The control unit 122 may be configured to communicate with the apparatus 100. In one embodiment, the apparatus 100 may send to the electric 30 vehicle charging station 120 a command for adjusting a charging level setting in response to a change in the electrical power capacity.

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FIG. 2 illustrates schematically a measurement phase and a management phase of the apparatus 100. By using the user interface 104 or connecting to the user interface with another device, the user may provide information to the apparatus 100. In a setup phase the apparatus 100 defines a residential current upper limit and a residential current lower limit. These limits may be predefined or modified according to tariffs received from the electricity provider. In one embodiment the residential current upper limit and a residential current lower limit are modified dynamically to respond to peak load information from the electricity provider and/or pricing received via the user interface 104.

The multiple electrical loads Κι, K2, ...K_nare defined as multiple groups of electrical loads. One group may have one electrical load or multiple electrical loads. For example, a first group 111 of electrical loads may comprise the electric vehicle charging station, a second 112 group of electrical loads may comprise residential HVAC systems or HCAV components, and a third group of electrical loads may comprise various appliances such as washing machines. The grouping may be arranged by assembling various loads under the same circuit breaker, wherein the group may be controlled by controlling the circuit breaker. In one embodiment each electrical load is connected to the apparatus 100, wherein the apparatus 100 may change the grouping by software.

For each group of electrical loads, a load current upper limit and a load current lower limit are defined. The definition may be received from the user interface 104 or the apparatus 100 may adjust the values according to other information received. The groups of electrical loads are prioritized to a priority list according to information received via the user interface 104 or by the apparatus 100 modifying the priority list with artificial intelligence. The priority list may be stored on the memory 107. The setup phase may be a one-time operation, predefined to the apparatus 100, or it may be a repeated process to reflect various changes in the electrical loads. The priority list may be used to ensure that all electrical loads are not used for load management. For example, fridges and freezers must be powered at all times, therefore the prioritizing recognizes such electrical loads having electrical power always on, without interruptions.

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The priority list may be optimized according to information received via the user interface 104, for example weather data, electricity tariff variations or SPOT electricity pricings. The user interface 104 may be connected to an external system for fetching the information. Alternatively, or in addition, the apparatus 100 may detect a trend from the history log file, wherein the priority list may be optimized using artificial intelligence as the apparatus 100 learns typical residential consumption and schedules for each electrical load.

During a measurement phase the apparatus 100 is configured to detect if the residential electrical current usage is between the residential current upper limit and the residential current lower limit, as illustrated by box 210. The periodical measurements are repeated until the value is exceeded as illustrated in box 220. Looking at the timeline 200, the first period of time 201 has current values within the defined limits.

During a measurement phase the apparatus 100 is configured to detect if the first group’s current usage is between a first group load current upper limit and a first group load current lower limit. The second period of time 202 detects that the first group’s current usage has current values within the defined limits.

During a measurement phase the apparatus 100 is configured to detect if the second group’s current usage is between a second group load current upper limit and a second group load current lower limit. The third period of time 203 detects that the second group’s current usage has current values above the defined limits, as in box 220. If any of the current usages 201,202, 203 is outside said lower or upper limit, the apparatus 100 starts a management phase. In the management phase the box 203 is divided into multiple steps, wherein the apparatus manages the electrical current supplied to the first electrical load 111; changes the electrical current supplied to the at least one group of electrical loads according to the priority list; and returns to the measurement phase. In step 231 the apparatus 100 runs measurements from all adjustable electrical loads. Step 232 comprises adjusting the electrical loads according to the priority list. In step 233 the effect of the adjustment is verified by measuring if the residential electrical current usage is between the residential current upper limit and the residential current lower limit. If yes, then

20195394 prh 13 -05- 2019 the apparatus 100 continues back to the measurement phase on the timeline 200.

In one embodiment one example of managing the electrical loads is to stop the electrical current supplied to the at least one group of electrical loads according 5 to the priority list. The circuit breakers may be used to prevent power consumption entirely from selected electrical loads. Alternatively, or in addition, a current limiter may be applied to limit the electrical current provided to the group of electrical loads. For example, water heater may be prioritized lower during the night-time as the residents may not need hot water while they are 10 sleeping. If the electric vehicle charging station 120 would require additional electrical current and the apparatus 100 detects available capacity or possible capacity by prioritizing the electrical loads, some lower priority electrical loads may be shut off.

In one embodiment the apparatus 100 may receive information about an electric 15 vehicle that is connected or will be connected to the electric vehicle charging station 120. The electric vehicle battery status may be sent to the apparatus 100, wherein the processor 106 may calculate the required charging time in the context of prioritized electric loads in the residential network. The information may comprise driving schedule, distance to be driven or other information that 20 affects the calculations for optimizing the charging session in the residential network. The information may be sent via the user interface 104 or by using the smartphone, the computer or any device connected to the user interface 104. In one embodiment the priority list comprises a schedule for changing the priorities of the groups of electrical loads according to date or time of day.

Some electrical loads may be prioritized over others for assignable hours. In one use case the residents unexpectedly wish, in the evening, to use the sauna heater during early morning hours. The user enters the information via the user interface 104 to the apparatus 100. The apparatus 100 calculates the appropriate charging period for the electric vehicle based on the vehicle information and the sauna heater’s required electrical current. The apparatus

100 may return to regular schedules after the morning sauna session has completed.

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The load current lower limit and/or the residential current lower limit may be used to restore all electrical loads having full capacity. If the measurement phase detects that the residential current is below the lower limit, the apparatus

100 may allow the group of electrical loads Ki, K₂, ... Kn to receive full electrical current. If the load management has been performed by switching off the circuit breaker of the group of electrical loads, the apparatus 100 switches the circuit breaker back on when the lower current limit has been met. The lower current limit in this case may be the residential current or current to single, high priority group of electrical load.

FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b illustrate schematically exemplary embodiments of the apparatus for vehicle heating and electric vehicle charging stations. The residential network is in these examples a parking lot having multiple heating and charging stations. Many parking lots have been built before the concept of charging electric vehicles at the parking lot was conceived. The residential network at the parking lot may be insufficient to provide charging power for multiple electric vehicles simultaneously. The apparatus 100 is suitable for managing the electrical loads for multiple electric vehicles and vehicles requiring only heating. The parking lot configuration may be quickly rearranged via the user interface 104.

The solution according to FIG. 3a may be based only on measuring the residential current. The Schuko outlet 125 has the higher priority for receiving electrical current, wherein only the electric current for the electric vehicle charging station 124 is limited. The charging controller 121 receives information from the apparatus 100 about the maximum charging current. As one example, when a 16Afuse is used, the maximum charging current is 16A without any simultaneous heating power. When a timer 301 switches the heating power on, the requirement for combined electrical current increases, wherein the apparatus 100 controls the maximum charging current. The heating load is entitled to full power for the short period of time defined by the timer 301. In the example of FIG. 3b multiple Schuko outlets 125 are entitled to full heating capacity, leaving the electric vehicle charging station 124 without electrical power.

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The user interface 104 may be used to input the electric vehicle data, such as battery capacity, charging efficiency or departure schedule. The apparatus 100 may calculate sufficient time slots for charging the electric vehicle. If the current measurement is not available, the system may rely to default values. In this example the apparatus 100 may limit the charging current during the default heating period, even if the vehicles are not being heated.

FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b illustrate schematically exemplary embodiments of the apparatus for vehicle heating and electric vehicle charging stations. The embodiment according to FIG. 4a may be used both for the user-defined and cumulative electrical power consumption. The embodiment allows using extended transfer capacity during the switching of electrical loads. The capacity is shared equally for both electrical loads when both users have needs for immediate electrical current. If one electrical load would still use the available capacity only partially, the remaining portion is shared to the other party.

The embodiment of FIG 4b measures the current used by both user’s electrical loads separately. In this alternative the Schuko outlet 125 has higher priority. The solution follows the priority model of FIG. 3a.

FIG. 5 illustrates schematically one exemplary embodiment of the apparatus for residential power network. In this example, the apparatus 100 may comprise predefined parameters for three single-phased settings for each phase and two three-phased settings. The electrical current consumption is defined by the residential power network 103 mains fuse. Each electrical load used for load balancing must be defined individually. For each electrical load the upper current limit and the lower current limit is defined. The limits may be used to analyse the most vulnerable electric load in terms of safety or convenience.

The smartphone may be used via the user interface 104 to enter electric vehicle battery capacity and the charging power of the vehicle charger. Based on this information the apparatus calculates a primary timeslot for charging the vehicle. As one use example, when the vehicle arrives to the charging station, the current battery charge level (for example 35%) is informed to the apparatus via the smartphone.

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The total residential electric current is measured and used as one parameter when balancing the electrical current between various electrical loads.

An example discloses an apparatus comprising: an interface for receiving information of residential electrical current usage and information of multiple electrical loads, comprising a first electrical load and a second electrical load; a user interface; at least one processor and a memory for storing instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to: manage the electrical current supplied to the first electrical load; during a setup phase: define a residential current upper limit and a residential current lower limit; define multiple groups of electrical loads, comprising a first group having the first electrical load and a second group having the second electrical load; define a load current upper limit and a load current lower limit for each group of electrical loads; and prioritize to a priority list the groups of electrical loads according to information received via the user interface; wherein during a measurement phase: detect if the residential electrical current usage is between the residential current upper limit and the residential current lower limit; detect if the first group’s current usage is between a first group load current upper limit and a first group load current lower limit; detect if the second group’s current usage is between a second group load current upper limit and a second group load current lower limit; and if any of said current usages is outside said lower or upper limit, start a management phase to: change the electrical current supplied to the at least one group of electrical loads according to the priority list; and return to the measurement phase. In one embodiment, the instructions cause the apparatus, during the management phase, to stop the electrical current supplied to the at least one group of electrical loads according to the priority list. In one embodiment, the first electrical load is an electric vehicle charging station. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a transceiver for communicating with the electric vehicle charging station and that the instructions cause the apparatus, during the management phase, to send to the electric vehicle charging station a command for adjusting a charging level setting. In one embodiment, the apparatus is configured to receive, via the user interface, information about an electric vehicle connectable to the electric vehicle charging station and to adjust the priority list according to said information. In one

20195394 prh 13 -05- 2019 embodiment, the apparatus is mounted to a distribution board and, for limiting the residential electrical current usage, comprises controller for a circuit breaker of the first electrical load and/or the second electrical load. In one embodiment, the priority list comprises a schedule for changing the priorities of the groups of electrical loads according to date or time of day.

Alternatively, or in addition, an example discloses a method for an apparatus comprising: an interface for receiving information of residential electrical current usage and information of multiple electrical loads, comprising a first electrical load and a second electrical load; and a user interface; wherein the method 10 comprises: managing the electrical current supplied to the first electrical load;

during a setup phase: defining a residential current upper limit and a residential current lower limit; defining multiple groups of electrical loads, comprising a first group having the first electrical load and a second group having the second electrical load; defining a load current upper limit and a load current lower limit 15 for each group of electrical loads; and prioritizing to a priority list the groups of electrical loads according to information received via the user interface; wherein during a measurement phase: detecting if the residential electrical current usage is between the residential current upper limit and the residential current lower limit; detecting if the first group’s current usage is between a first group 20 load current upper limit and a first group load current lower limit; detecting if the second group’s current usage is between a second group load current upper limit and a second group load current lower limit; and if any of said current usages is outside said lower or upper limit, starting a management phase to: changing the electrical current supplied to the at least one group of electrical 25 loads according to the priority list; and returning to the measurement phase. In one embodiment, the method comprises, during the management phase, stopping the electrical current supplied to the at least one group of electrical loads according to the priority list. In one embodiment, the first electrical load is an electric vehicle charging station; and the method comprises communicating, 30 by a transceiver, with the electric vehicle charging station; and during the management phase, sending to the electric vehicle charging station a command for adjusting a charging level setting. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving, via the user interface, information about an electric vehicle

20195394 prh 13 -05- 2019 connectable to the electric vehicle charging station and adjusting the priority list according to said information. In one embodiment, the method comprises limiting the residential electrical current usage by controlling a circuit breaker of the first electrical load and/or the second electrical load. In one embodiment, the 5 the priority list comprises a schedule for changing the priorities of the groups of electrical loads according to date or time of day.

Alternatively, or in addition, the controlling functionality described herein can be performed, at least in part, by one or more hardware components or hardware logic components. An example of the control system described hereinbefore is 10 a computing-based device comprising one or more processors which may be microprocessors, controllers or any other suitable type of processors for processing computer-executable instructions to control the operation of the apparatus to edit, display and/or transmit the document or provide connection to other apparatuses. The computer-executable instructions may be provided 15 using any computer-readable media that is accessible by a computing-based device. Computer-readable media may include, for example, computer storage media, such as memory and communications media. Computer storage media, such as memory, includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and nonremovable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of 20 information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage 25 devices, or any other non-transmission medium that can be used to store information for access by a computing device. In contrast, communication media may embody computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave, or other transport mechanism. As defined herein, computer storage media does 30 not include communication media. Therefore, a computer storage medium should not be interpreted to be a propagating signal per se. Propagated signals may be present in a computer storage media, but propagated signals per se are not examples of computer storage media. Although the computer storage media

20195394 prh 13 -05- 2019 is shown within the computing-based device, it will be appreciated that the storage may be distributed or located remotely and accessed via a network or other communication link, for example, by using a communication interface.

The methods described herein may be performed by software in machine5 readable form on a tangible storage medium, e.g. in the form of a computer program comprising computer program code means adapted to perform all the steps of any of the methods described herein when the program is run on a computer and where the computer program may be embodied on a computerreadable medium. Examples of tangible storage media include computer storage devices comprising computer-readable media, such as disks, thumb drives, memory etc., and do not only include propagated signals. Propagated signals may be present in a tangible storage media, but propagated signals per se are not examples of tangible storage media. The software can be suitable for execution on a parallel processor or a serial processor such that the method steps may be carried out in any suitable order, or simultaneously.

Any range or device value given herein may be extended or altered without losing the effect sought.

Although at least a portion of the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or acts, it is to be understood that the subject 20 matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as examples of implementing the claims and other equivalent features and acts are intended to be within the scope of the claims.

It will be understood that the benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or may relate to several embodiments. The embodiments are not limited to those that solve any or all of the stated problems or those that have any or all of the stated benefits and advantages. It will further be understood that reference to ‘an’ item refers to one or more of those items.

The term ‘comprising’ is used herein to mean including the method blocks or elements identified, but that such blocks or elements do not comprise an exclusive list and a method or apparatus may contain additional blocks or elements.

It will be understood that the above description is given by way of example only and that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art. The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplary embodiments. Although various embodiments have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, or with reference to one or more individual embodiments, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this specification.

Claims

20195394 prh 17-12-2019

STANDARD A device (100) comprising: an interface (101) for information on the use of electricity in the dwelling; and 5 for receiving a plurality of electrical loads of information, comprising a first electrical load (111) and a second electrical load (112); user interface (104); at least one processor (106) and memory (107) for storing instructions which, when executed, cause the device (100) to: 10 to manage the electric current supplied to the first electric load (111), characterized in that the instructions cause the device (100), during the setting phase: to determine the upper limit of the electric current of the dwelling house and the lower limit of the electric current of the dwelling house; 15 determining a plurality of groups of electric loads, comprising a first group having a first electric load (111) and a second group having a second electric load (112); determine an upper load current limit and a lower load current limit for each group of electrical loads; and 20 prioritize the groups of electrical loads in the priority list according to the information received through the user interface (104); and during the measurement phase: to detect whether the use of the electric current in the dwelling is between the upper limit of the electric current in the dwelling and the lower limit of the electric current in the dwelling; 25 detecting whether the use of the first group current is between the upper limit of the first group load current and the lower limit of the first group load current; detecting whether the use of the current of the second group is between the upper limit of the load current of the second group and the lower limit of the load current of the second group; and 30 if any of these current uses is outside these lower or upper limits, a control phase is initiated in which:

20195394 prh 17-12-2019 the electric current supplied to at least one group of electrical loads is changed according to the priority list; and return to the measurement step.

5

Device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the instructions cause the device (100), during the control phase, to stop the electrical current supplied to at least one group of electrical loads according to the priority list.

10

Device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first electric load (111) is a charging station (120) for an electric vehicle.

Device (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the device (100)

15 comprises a transceiver for communicating with an electric vehicle charging station (120), and that the instructions cause the device (100), during the management phase, to send a command to the electric vehicle charging station (120) to adjust the charging level.

Device (100) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the device (100) is arranged to receive via the user interface (104) information about the electric vehicle which can be connected to the electric vehicle charging station (120) and adjust the phoquet list according to said information.

Method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the first electric load (111) is a charging station (120) for an electric vehicle; and communicating via a transceiver with the electric vehicle charging station (120); and

Device (100) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the device (100) is mounted in a distribution center and, in order to limit the use of electricity in a residential building, comprises a controller for a first electrical load (111) and / or a second electrical load (112).

Device (100) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the priority list contains a schedule for changing the priorities of the groups of electrical loads according to the date or time.

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A method for an apparatus (100) comprising: an interface (101) for receiving electrical power usage information of the residential building and a plurality of electrical load information, comprising a first electrical load (111) and a second electrical load (112); and 5 user interface (104); wherein the method comprises that: managing the electric current supplied to the first electric load (111), characterized in that the method comprises that; during the setup phase: 10 determining the upper limit of the electric current of the dwelling house and the lower limit of the electric current of the dwelling house; determining a plurality of groups of electric loads, comprising a first group having a first electric load (111) and a second group having a second electric load (112); 15 determining an upper load current limit and a lower load current limit for each group of electrical loads; and prioritizing groups of electrical loads in the priority list according to information received through the user interface (104); when during the measurement phase: 20 detecting whether the use of electric current in the dwelling is between the upper limit of the electric current in the dwelling and the lower limit of the electric current in the dwelling; detecting whether the use of the first group current is between the upper limit of the first group load current and the lower limit of the first group load current; 25 detecting whether the use of the current of the second group is between the upper limit of the load current of the second group and the lower limit of the load current of the second group; and if any of these current uses is outside these lower or upper limits, a control phase is initiated in which: change the input to at least one group of electrical loads 30 electric current according to the phority list; and return to the measurement step.

Method according to Claim 8, characterized in that the electric current supplied to the at least one group of electrical loads is stopped during the control phase in accordance with the phosphority list.

During the 10 control steps, a command is sent to the electric vehicle charging station (120) to adjust the charging level.

Method according to Claim 10, characterized in that information about the electric vehicle is received via the user interface (104),

15 which can be connected to the charging station (120) of the electric vehicle and to adjust the priority list according to said information.

Method according to one of Claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the use of the electric current in the residential building is limited by controlling the first

20 circuit breakers for the electrical load (111) and / or the second electrical load (112).

Method according to one of Claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the priority list comprises a schedule for changing the priorities of the groups of electrical loads according to the date or time.