Systems and methods for advanced energy settlements, network-based messaging, and applications supporting the same

• US 10,311,416 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2015
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Causam Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Causam Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Forbes, Jr., Joseph W., Brockman, Nathaniel Taylor
• Primary Examiner(s): Stamber, Eric W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ullah, Arif
• Application Number:
  US14/918,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20160117657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 705310, 705 34, 700286, 700291, 700295, 700296
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/128 involving the use of Internet protocol

Abstract

Systems and methods for electric power messaging and settlements including advanced energy settlements, messaging, and applications for electric power supply, load, and/or curtailment and data analytics associated with the same. Systems and methods for providing data analytics and customer or consumer guidance and controls are provided, and coupled with graphic user interfaces for interactive control and command of grid elements, design, specification, construction, management and financial settlement for data centers and/or microgrids, business and residential power consumption, control, management, messaging and settlements, mobile applications, websites, marketing offers, optimal pricing for comparable energy plans, retail electric provider and direct consumer alternatives, network of power architecture, EnergyNet applications, software development kit, and application web-based storefronts.

Claims

1. A method for advanced energy settlements in an electric power grid, comprising:

providing an advanced energy settlement platform comprising at least one server computer operable for communication over a network with a multiplicity of distributed computing devices, a multiplicity of power consuming devices of at least one energy customer, a multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators, and a multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators;

the advanced energy settlement platform aggregating power consumption data from the multiplicity of power consuming devices of the at least one energy customer;

the advanced energy settlement platform aggregating revenue grade power supply data from the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators;

the advanced energy settlement platform aggregating revenue grade equivalent power supply data from the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators, wherein the revenue grade equivalent power supply data is data within less than 10% variation from revenue grade metrology as required by a utility or a governing entity for management and settlement on the electric power grid;

the advanced energy settlement platform creating real-time settlement blocks based on the power consumption data, the revenue grade power supply data, and the revenue grade equivalent power supply data received via Internet Protocol (IP)-based metering in real time or near real time, wherein the real-time settlement blocks are further based on energy power purchase agreements between the multiplicity of power consuming devices and the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators and the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators, wherein the real-time settlement blocks are revenue grade settlement blocks;

aggregating and settling distributed energy charges with the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators and the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators for the multiplicity of power consuming devices from the at least one energy customer based on the real-time settlement blocks during a billing period through a clearing house;

aggregating and settling fixed energy charges with the energy retailer or retail energy provider for the at least one energy customer during the billing period;

the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators and the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators altering power supply patterns based on the real-time settlement blocks;

the multiplicity of power consuming devices updating power consumption patterns based on the real-time settlement blocks; and

wherein the step of aggregating and settling distributed energy charges is initiated via a graphical user interface (GUI) by any of the at least one energy customer, the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators, and the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power consumption data is measured through sub-metering technology in real-time or near real-time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the advanced energy settlement platform underpinning a settlement process for the billing period based on the real-time settlement blocks.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the advanced energy settlement platform mapping the real-time settlement blocks to corresponding energy power purchase agreements.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising generating a cost for each of the real-time settlement blocks and a customer balance from all the real-time settlement blocks during the billing period.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically collecting payments from the at least one energy customer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a cost for each of the real-time settlement blocks based upon a Time of Use (TOU), a demand, taxes, access fees, and/or the distributed energy charges.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising integrating the advanced energy settlement platform with an energy market exchange, wherein the energy market exchange provides prices on distributed generation.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a real-time energy purchasing solution matching real energy consumption of the at least one energy customer against energy currently available with an energy market exchange.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing and organizing packet level information for forecasting, data mining, revenue extraction, event detection, sophisticated energy management, and enterprise integration.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising managing and/or distributing and/or allocating a customer payment for the billing period among multiple distributed generators and an existing energy retailer of the at least one energy customer.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing intelligent analytics for the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators and the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators by capturing and transforming market data for trending, forecasting, planning and maximizing revenue and/or investment opportunities.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing intelligent analytics for the multiplicity of power consuming devices at the at least one energy customer by capturing and transforming energy data for energy management, forecasting, procurement, profiling, bill optimization, and/or recommendations.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one energy customer has a generation capability, an exportable generation capability, and/or function as at least one of the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an interactive graphical user interface for different participants in the advanced energy settlement.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a mobile application program for the advanced energy settlement.

17. A system for advanced energy settlements in electric power grid, comprising:

an advanced energy settlement platform in network communication with a multiplicity of power consuming devices of at least one energy customer, a multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators, and a multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators;

wherein the advanced energy settlement platform comprises interactive graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and at least one server computer communicatively connected via a network with distributed computing devices, wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is operable to;

aggregate power consumption data from the multiplicity of power consuming devices of the at least one energy customer;

aggregate revenue grade power supply data from the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators;

aggregate revenue grade equivalent power supply data from the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators, wherein the revenue grade equivalent power supply data is data within less than 10% variation from revenue grade metrology as required by a utility or a governing entity for the electric power grid management and settlement;

create real-time settlement blocks based on the power consumption data, the revenue grade power supply data, and the revenue grade equivalent power supply data received via Internet Protocol (IP)-based metering in real time or near real time, wherein the real-time settlement blocks are further based on energy power purchase agreements between the multiplicity of power consuming devices and the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators and the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators, wherein the real-time settlement blocks are revenue grade settlement blocks;

aggregate for settlement distributed energy charges with the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators and the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators for the multiplicity of power consuming devices of the at least one energy customer based on the real-time settlement blocks during a billing period through a clearinghouse; and

aggregate for settlement fixed energy charges with an energy retailer or a retail energy provider for the at least one energy customer during the billing period;

wherein the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators and the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators are operable to alter power supply patterns based on the real-time settlement blocks;

wherein the multiplicity of power consuming devices is operable to update power consumption patterns based on the real-time settlement blocks; and

wherein aggregation for settlement of distributed energy charges is initiated via the interactive GUIs by any of the at least one energy customer, the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators, and the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the power consumption data is measured through sub metering technology in real-time or near real-time and communicated to the advanced energy settlement platform.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is communicatively coupled with at least one energy management system (EMS), and wherein interconnection points and/or geodetic attachment points determine price and order for the advanced energy settlement.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the interactive GUIs provide for engagement with the advanced energy settlement platform for the at least one energy customer, the retail electric provider, the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators and/or the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the advanced energy settlement platform further comprises a settlement process for the billing period based on the real-time settlement blocks.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is further operable to map the real-time settlement blocks to corresponding energy power purchase agreements;

to calculate a cost or pricing of each of the real-time settlement blocks; and

to summate at least one customer balance from the real-time settlement blocks during the billing period.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the cost of each real-time settlement block includes a Time of Use (TOU), a demand, taxes, a geodetic location, an attachment point, access fees, and/or energy charges.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is integrated with an existing distributed energy market exchange that provides prices on distributed generation of electric power.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is operable to provide a real-time energy purchasing solution matching an actual energy consumption of the at least one energy customer against energy currently available with the existing distributed energy market exchange.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is operable to store and organize packet level information for forecasting, data mining, revenue extraction, event detection, sophisticated energy management, and/or enterprise integration.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein customer payment for the billing period for the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators, the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators and the energy retailer is managed in a single energy bill.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is operable to provide intelligent analytics for the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators and the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators by capturing and transforming market data for trending, forecasting, planning, and/or maximizing revenue or investment opportunities.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is further operable to provide intelligent analytics for the multiplicity of power consuming devices of the at least one energy customer by capturing and transforming energy data for energy management, forecasting, procurement, profiling, bill optimization and/or recommendation.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one energy customer has a generation capability and an exportable generation capacity, and wherein the at least one energy customer acts as an electric power generator for compensation at a market rate for a time corresponding to its activity to supply power to the electric power grid and/or a microgrid.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is operable to provide at least one participant-oriented interactive GUI for participants in the advanced energy settlement, the participants selected from the group consisting of:

the at least one energy customer, the energy retailer, the retail energy provider, the multiplicity of revenue grade distributed generators, and the multiplicity of non-revenue grade distributed generators.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is operable to provide a mobile application program for the advanced energy settlement.