Pika Energy* of Westbrook, Maine has developed an innovative way to look at how we use electrical energy in our homes, businesses and commercial facilities. It is anxious to get the word out that its REbus DC microgrid technology is cost effective and uses electrical energy more efficiently. It has generously sponsored this post to spread its message.
The story of electricity goes back to the 188o’s and two titans of industry — Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse. In what came to be known as The Battle of the Currents, Edison was the champion of using direct current, also known as DC. Westinghouse, on the other hand, had invested in the patents of Nikola Tesla, one of the pioneers of electricity. Tesla’s work used alternating current, otherwise known as AC. Tesla’s fame eventually led to Elon Musk naming his electric car company after him.
Direct current generators were cheaper to manufacture but DC hit a major snag when it came time to send it over transmission wires to customers. At low voltages, DC current requires very thick cables to send it over long distances. AC current, on the other hand, can be boosted up to very high voltages and transmitted great distances over relatively thin wires. In the end, the lower costs for distributing AC power won the day and alternating current became the standard in America just as it was in Europe and most other parts of the world.
REbus™ DC Microgrid Technology
The key to Pika Energy’s microgrid systems is its proprietary REbus DC Microgrid Technology, which is capable of managing inputs from both DC and AC sources and supply power to both AC and DC devices. It’s as if Pika Energy has gone back in time and resolved the long standing dispute between Edison and Westinghouse, giving its customers the best of both worlds.
All computers and other digital devices operate on DC power. Even some appliances like electric motors and heating elements prefer DC power. All solar panels and wind turbines generate direct current, while the power coming in from the electrical grid is alternating current. Every time electricity is converted from one form to another, some losses occur. Because the REbus system is capable of operating in both modes, the number of those conversions is reduced, which helps customer use electricity more efficiently.
The REbus system also does away with all control and monitoring functions via wireless connectivity. Instead, it operates by sending signals along the same wires connected to the supply and demand sides of the system. A hard wired connection eliminates problems caused when a wireless outage occurs, as it inevitably does.
Savings and Security
For homeowners, the benefits of the Pika Energy REbus microgrid system are the savings and security it provides. The system gives homeowners unprecedented control over their own personal microgrid. With a battery storage component, the system will automatically manage the available electrical power, drawing from the best available source at the best possible time, maximizing savings and giving homeowners a new found sense of security.
For businesses and commercial users, the REbus microgrid system is fully scalable, which allows full control over all electrical management issues regardless of how much energy is required. REbus enables smarter buildings that generate their own power, store and deliver energy to avoid demand charges, ride through blackouts, and prioritize power to the most critical functions.
Designed for Microgrids
The way we generate and use electricity is changing more today than it has for during the past 100 years. The Pika Energy REbus system is designed to let homeowners and building managers control how they get their electricity and how they use it. Microgrids not only enable local control, they reduce the amount of grid infrastructure traditional utility companies will need to build in the future. Some industry observers estimate the cost of grid upgrades could approach 2 trillion dollars if utility companies continue to operate the way they always have. Microgrids can eliminate much of that expense.
The REbus system is an open source design that allows it to grow and adapt to changes in the future through cooperation between company engineers and end users. Pika Energy brings the future of electricity to customers today in an affordable, efficient package. For more information, contact Pika Energy through their website.
*Full Disclosure: Pika Energy kindly sponsored this article.
