ConnectDER Granted U.S. Patent for Leading Plug & Play Distributed Energy Resource Connection

ConnectDER, the innovative company that enables utilities and homeowners to expand access to distributed energy resources, has received a patent for innovations to their ‘plug and play’ solutions for distributed energy resources (DER’s). The patent is for a reinvention of the standard utility power meter; one that combines the ubiquitous metering and communications of a “smart meter” with a plug and socket interface for solar power, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems. The new meter will benefit homeowners and utilities alike by cutting installation costs, providing seamless communication between the DER and the grid operator, and ensuring DERs are metered and compensated accurately for their contribution to grid stability – allowing for significantly more clean energy on the grid.  The collar received U.S. Pat. No. 10,830,802 on November 10, 2020 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

“ConnectDER is dedicated to increasing the accessibility and economic feasibility of clean, distributed sources of power. This latest update to our technology will make connecting DER’s as easy as plugging in an appliance for every building,” said Whit Fulton, CEO of ConnectDER. “This new meter will meet or exceed regulatory compliance in regard to accuracy, safety, power quality, and automatic disconnection capabilities. More importantly, by making the interconnection both safer and more familiar to customers, we can accelerate the maturation of the DER market from a niche to the mainstream.”

U.S. homeowners are increasingly embracing distributed energy resources — from electric vehicles to rooftop solar and home energy storage. A recent report by consultancy Wood Mackenzie forecasts that 387 gigawatts of DER could be added to U.S. power grids by 2025.