Node manager in an energy distribution system and related methods, devices, and systems

1 - 22 . (canceled)

23 . A method for operating a solar tracker having a tracker assembly, one or more motors coupled to the assembly, and tracker electronics operably coupled to the motors, the method comprising:

providing control signals to the motors to control an orientation of a photovoltaic array;

receiving status information form one or more sensors configured to measure at least one of ambient, operating, and performance conditions local to the tracker electronics; and

modifying the control signals based, at least in part, on the status information; and

communicating, via the tracker electronics, at least a portion of the status information over a cellular communication via a cellular link.

24 . The method of claim 23 wherein the tracker electronics are configured to modify the control signals without intervention from a remote computer device.

25 . The method of claim 23 wherein the status information is a first status information, and wherein the method further comprises:

locally storing the first status information;

receiving second status information form the sensors; and

comparing the second status information to at least the first status information;

further modifying the control signals based, at least in part, on the comparison of the second status information to the first status information.

26 . The method of claim 25 wherein the tracker electronics:

compare the second status information to the first status information without intervention from a remote computer device; and

modify the control signals without intervention from the remote computer device.

27 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

communicating the status information to a remote computer device via the cellular link; and

modifying the control signals in response to at least one instruction from the remote computer device, wherein the instruction from the remote computer device is based, at least in part, on the status information.

28 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising deriving global positioning information and time stamp information from the cellular communication.

29 . A method for operating a node manager device, comprising:

applying one or more rules that dictate, at least in part, operation of a controller device operably coupled to a node in a power distribution network;

acquiring information associated with at least one of ambient, operating, and performance conditions at the node;

deriving analytics based on the acquired information; and

modifying at least one of the rules based on the derived analytics.

30 . The method of claim 29 wherein the acquired information includes a geographical location of the solar tracker and a time stamp.

31 . The method of claim 29 wherein:

the controller device is operably coupled to a solar tracker at the node;

the solar tracker is configured to dynamically orient one or more photovoltaic arrays based on the modified rules.

32 . The method of claim 31 wherein:

the rules identify an initial orientation of the solar tracker;

the modified rules correspond to a modification in orientation of the solar tracker; and

the method further comprises applying the modifying rules to further control the operation of the controller device.

33 . The method of claim 32 wherein:

the node manager device is coupled between a solar tracker at the node and at least one power line in a power distribution grid; and

the acquired information includes information corresponding to one or more signal conditions at the power line.

34 . The method of claim 33 wherein the acquired information further includes a time stamp corresponding to the signal conditions at a discrete time.

35 . The method of claim 33 wherein the analytics correspond to whether the solar tracker is to disconnect from the power line.

36 . The method of claim 29 wherein:

the node manager device is coupled between a solar tracker at the node and at least one energy storage component;

the acquired information includes information corresponding to an output power of the solar tracker; and

the modified rules correspond to at least one of—

whether a portion of the output power is to be diverted to charge the energy storage component, and

whether the energy storage component is to provide at least a portion of the output power.

37 . A node manager device, comprising a processor and a memory storing instructions that are executable by the processor, wherein the instructions direct the processor to:

provide status information wirelessly over a cellular link to a remote computing device, wherein the status information is produced by nodal equipment coupled to a node in a power distribution grid, wherein the nodal equipment is configured to generate power and/or store power; and

provide control information over the cellular link to the node manager device that directs, at least in part, the operation of the nodal equipment.

38 . The node manager device of claim 37 wherein:

the nodal equipment includes one or more solar panels operably coupled to a tracker assembly; and

the instructions further direct the processor to control an orientation of the solar panel arrays based, at least in part, on the control information.

39 . The node manager device of claim 37 wherein the nodal equipment includes energy storage component, and wherein the instructions further direct the processor to store power from the distribution grid at the energy storage component based, at least in part, on the control information.

40 . The node manager device of claim 37 wherein the instructions further direct the processor to isolate the nodal equipment from the distribution grid based, at least in part, on the control information.

41 . The node manager device of claim 37 wherein the instructions further direct the processor to balance an electrical load at the node via the nodal equipment based, at least in part, on the control information.

42 . The node manager device of claim 37 wherein the instructions further direct the processor to operate the node manager autonomously from the remote computing device.