Smart Charging Technologies for Portable Electronic Devices

TL;DR

This paper explores smart charging control for portable electronic devices, using local grid frequency measurements to optimize charging, which could enhance grid stability and reduce reliance on traditional power plants.

Contribution

It introduces a novel prototype of a smart laptop charger that adjusts charging based on local grid frequency, extending demand-side control to portable devices.

Findings

Prototype successfully controls charging based on grid frequency

Potential to improve grid stability with widespread device adoption

Reduces need for conventional standby power plants

Abstract

In this article we describe our efforts of extending demand-side control concepts to the application in portable electronic devices, such as laptop computers, mobile phones and tablet computers. As these devices feature built-in energy storage (in the form of batteries) and the ability to run complex control routines, they are ideal for the implementation of smart charging concepts. We developed a prototype of a smart laptop charger that controls the charging process depending on the locally measured frequency of the electricity grid. If this technique is incorporated into millions of devices in UK households, this will contribute significantly to the stability of the electricity grid, help to mitigate the power production fluctuations from renewable energy sources and avoid the high cost of building and maintaining conventional power plants as standby reserve.