Intelligent renewable energy at 100 Watt scale
Restep meaning: In mountain climbing, the rest step is an energy saving technique where the supporting leg is locked, resting the body weight on the skeleton, rather than needlessly burning energy in the muscles. By the same philosophy, the Restep power system uses data to optimize energy use. Energy is spent when it’s useful and stored when it’s not.
In the past, intelligent power monitoring and control were reserved for high power and high cost systems. Today’s technology offers powerful functionality in relatively low-cost integrated circuits. The LTC4015 is the crux of the Restep renewable energy power system, providing battery charge control, maximum power-point tracking, system control and telemetry. The next generation incorporates the LT8705, which will allow simultaneous maximum power point control from various sources in a MISO (Multiple Input Single Output) scheme.