System and method for managing distributed renewable energy systems and service providers

• US 10,069,454 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2013
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solar Chief, LLC
• Original Assignee: Solar Chief, LLC
• Inventors: Prengler, Randall William, Chazanow, Mark Myles, Uhrick, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert E
• Application Number:
  US13/847,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20140288717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,995 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2201/00 Prediction; Simulation
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 90/00 Solar heat systems not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/05 Electrical interconnection means between PV cells inside the PV module, e.g. series connection of PV cells electrodes H01L31/0224; electrical interconnection of thin film solar cells formed on a common substrate H01L31/046; particular structures for electrical interconnecting of adjacent thin film solar cells in the module H01L31/0465; electrical interconnection means specially adapted for electrically connecting two or more PV modules H02S40/36
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/00 PV power plants; Combinations of PV energy systems with other systems for the generation of electric power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A method for managing distributed renewable energy systems comprising receiving first meter data for a plurality of first meters, each of the plurality of first meters associated with a renewable energy power generation component at an institution and measuring an amount of power generated by each associated renewable energy power generation component over a first period of time. Receiving second meter data for a plurality of second meters, each of the plurality of second meters associated with an institution having a renewable energy power generation component and measuring an amount of power consumed by each associated institution over a period of second time. Determining a difference between the amount of power measured by each of the first meters and the amount of power measured by a corresponding one of each of the second meters at each institution.

Claims

1. A system for managing distributed renewable energy systems comprising:

one or more solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems coupled to an electric power grid and each configured to generate service data and first meter data defining an amount of energy generated by the solar photovoltaic electricity generation system over a period of time;

a first institution coupled to one or more of the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems through the electric power grid and configured to receive electric power from one or more of the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems and to generate second meter data defining an amount of electric power received from the electric power grid;

a photovoltaic electricity generation system service provider system configured to receive maintenance and repair service schedule data for the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems;

a renewable energy services provider system coupled to the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems, the first institution and the photovoltaic electricity generation system service provider system, the renewable energy services provider system configured to electronically receive the first meter data, the second meter data and the service data, to allocate an amount of energy from the first meter data to the first institution and to generate the maintenance and repair service schedule data as a function of the service data; and

a service provider management system for receiving the service data and for selecting one of a plurality of service providers as a function of a type of routine maintenance, a type of repair, and a location of a renewable energy component.

2. A system for managing distributed renewable energy systems comprising:

one or more wind turbine electricity generation systems coupled to an electric power grid and each configured to generate service data and first meter data defining an amount of energy generated by the wind turbine electricity generation system over a period of time;

a first institution coupled to one or more of the wind turbine electricity generation systems through the electric power grid and configured to receive electric power from one or more of the wind turbine electricity generation systems and to generate second meter data defining an amount of electric power received from the electric power grid;

a wind turbine electricity generation system service provider system configured to receive maintenance and repair service schedule data for the wind turbine electricity generation systems;

a renewable energy services provider system coupled to the wind turbine electricity generation systems, the first institution and the wind turbine electricity generation system service provider system, the renewable energy services provider system configured to electronically receive the first meter data, the second meter data and the service data, to allocate an amount of energy from the first meter data to the first institution and to generate the maintenance and repair service schedule data as a function of the service data; and

a service provider management system for receiving the service data and for selecting one of a plurality of service providers as a function of a type of routine maintenance, a type of repair, and a location of a renewable energy component.

3. A system for managing distributed renewable energy systems comprising:

one or more non-combustion turbine electricity generation systems coupled to an electric power grid and each configured to generate service data and first meter data defining an amount of energy generated by the non-combustion turbine electricity generation system over a period of time;

a first institution coupled to one or more of the non-combustion turbine electricity generation systems through the electric power grid and configured to receive electric power from one or more of the non-combustion turbine electricity generation systems and to generate second meter data defining an amount of electric power received from the electric power grid;

a non-combustion turbine electricity generation system service provider system configured to receive maintenance and repair service schedule data for the non-combustion turbine electricity generation systems;

a renewable energy services provider system coupled to the non-combustion turbine electricity generation systems, the first institution and the non-combustion turbine electricity generation system service provider system, the renewable energy services provider system configured to electronically receive the first meter data, the second meter data and the service data, to allocate an amount of energy from the first meter data to the first institution and to generate the maintenance and repair service schedule data as a function of the service data; and

a service provider management system for receiving the service data and for selecting one of a plurality of service providers as a function of a type of routine maintenance, a type of repair, and a location of a renewable energy component.