How EMMA works

EMMA (Energy and Micro-generator Manager)‏ is an "intelligent energy management controller". A small unit that sits alongside your existing ESB meter, EMMA controls electrical power consumption in the home by adjusting the amount of energy stored in heating and cooling devices and EV battery packs

By doing this, EMMA maximizes the value of electricity generated on site and minimizes the cost of electricity imported from the grid.

EMMA is becoming an essential component in every household fitted with a smart meter and/or micro-generator.

It can be used alone, with solar PV or any other grid-connected micro-generator (including micro-CHP units and wind or water turbines) - and/or with an ESB smart meter.

Results

EMMA will

• Reduce your energy bills and CO2 emissions
• Reduce your overall electricity consumption
• Minimise the amount of energy imported from the grid
• Minimise the cost of energy imported from the grid (where ESB smart meters are present)
• Maximise your income from Ireland's REFIT tariff for the electricity you export
• Or - should you want to prevent double handling of electricity (explained at end of page) - maximise onsite usage of energy produced by your micro-generator, rather than exporting the surplus.

Functions

Using the most advantageous electricity import and export tariffs

EMMA's basic function is to automatically adjust the amount of power delivered to electric immersion heaters, underfloor heating systems, electric storage heaters, electric space heaters, kettles, fridges, freezers and battery chargers and thereby avail of the most advantageous import and export tariffs. This function will become essential for those wishing to avail of time based variable tariffs following the introduction of smart meters in Ireland.

Intelligently managing how electricity is used in your building

EMMA's secondary function is to bring full BMS (Building Management System) functionality into the home. This will, for example, automatically power down non-essential loads when the household is empty or when the occupants are asleep. For instance, EMMA can use inputs from alarm systems, proximity detectors, current sensors etc., to determine when a building/room is in use. EMMA can then control circuits and components intelligently - switching off or minimizing any stand-by and non-essential electrical loads whenever possible. Electricity consumption is minimised.

EMMA's third, and possibly most important, function is to provide grid operators and central generators with the ability to directly and seamlessly control a major proportion of the load served by their grid and/or generators.

This is becoming a critically important issue as more and more wind and wave powered generators connect to the grid because of the uncontrollable nature of their output. EMMA provides the ability to absorb pulses of power generated during storms in large numbers of individual household appliances and to minimize power consumption during calm conditions.

EMMA functionality. Click for larger diagram.

About "Double-handling" of electricity.

Your solar PV or other micro-generator system will sometimes generate more electricity than you are using. Without EMMA, this surplus energy is automatically exported to the grid (you may be paid for it under the REFIT scheme). At other times, you will be importing energy from the grid. Energy losses occur during the "double handing" of export and import, making this an inefficient and therefore emissions unfriendly process. If you want, EMMA will prevent double-handling by maximising the onsite usage of energy. It does this by monitoring and comparing, in real-time, energy generation with energy consumption and directing all your surplus energy to local energy storage devices - hot water cylinders, storage heaters, heat pumps, fridges, freezers, battery banks, electric vehicles etc.. If no electricity is exported, you maximise the energy and emissions savings from your solar PV system.

Patents: All rights to the design of this device are protected under Irish Short Term Patent S85,091and S85,092 and PCT applications PCT 054695 and PCT 054696.