Berkeley Labs

"Local Power Distribution" does for electricity what the Internet did to the old phone system - move to a completely different technology basis that is much better - and can do things that with the prior technology was impossible. The model of success is the Internet Protocol which is applicable to all application contexts and any business model. LPD is intended for all building types in all countries, from commercial businesses in industrialized countries to people in developing countries who today have no electricity at all. LPD organizes power from the bottom-up (not top-down), on a network model. All power distribution is digitally mediated (as it is today with USB and Ethernet) just like on the Internet all communications are digital. Electricity is organized into "nanogrids" as data is organized into "subnets" on the Internet as are formed by an Ethernet switch or Wi-Fi access point. These provide power to end-use devices, and can be connected in arbitrary topologies to each other, to local generation, and (if present) to a utility grid. Or electric vehicles. LPD will start with small power capacities (just as the Internet did with low data rates) and then scale up. LPD will make electricity generation and storage "plug-and-play" to get the convenience and interoperability that we expect from electronics. It will provide cost savings and energy efficiencies not otherwise possible, and bring high levels of electricity services to people with the least resources (who most need it). We need a 'fundamental mechanism' for managing power distribution locally. LPD does this. For further information see: nordman.lbl.gov Thank you