Automated new energy technology consulting and demand aggregation system and method

• US 20020040356A1
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Published: 04/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel S. Gluck, Ronald Kamen Jr
• Original Assignee: Daniel S. Gluck, Ronald Kamen Jr
• Inventors: Kamen, Ronald Jr., Gluck, Daniel S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,512,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/20 using renewable energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/16 Energy services, e.g. dispersed generation or demand or load or energy savings aggregation

Abstract

An automated energy consulting system and method is provided comprising an interactive input system linked to calculation algorithms and databases of energy-related products and services, affiliated service providers, and climate, financing and regulatory criteria. The system generates proposals of available energy-related products, services and financing options, and obtains and aggregates customer commitments to allow discounted purchasing of the components. Customers can earn referral commissions to encourage customers and volunteers to virally disseminate the access information. For customers not eligible for beneficial products and services because of regulatory deficiencies, the system automates the customer education process to encourage them to advocate politically for the changes that will make them eligible. The automation of the energy consulting and marketing process, mass customization, demand aggregation, and viral marketing reduce customer acquisition and component purchasing costs and reduce the price to consumers, creating new economically viable markets for environmentally friendly energy-related products and services.

Claims

1. A method for energy consulting, comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting data on energy usage from at least one customer and energy system supply data from a plurality of suppliers;

(b) calculating and reporting the availability and costs of energy systems which accommodate some or all of the energy usage expected by the customer;

(c) receiving a commitment from the customer to purchase at least one energy system; and

(d) arranging the purchase and installation of the purchased energy system.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the data on energy usage comprise data on historical or anticipated electric power usage, climate, site resources and energy generation preferences.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the energy supply data comprise data on energy generation systems available from a plurality of suppliers, and costs of installation, operation and maintenance of the systems.

4. The method of claim 2, in which the data on site resources comprise data on customer geographic location, orientation of structures, access to an electric power grid, availability of sunlight, availability of space for photovoltaic cells, availability of wind, availability of space for wind turbines, availability of hydrogen-based fuels, availability of space for fuel cells, applicable utility tariffs and applicable governmental regulations.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the costs are determined from the energy system supply data, the energy usage data and anticipated aggregated purchase commitments from a plurality of customers.

6. The method of claim 3, in which each energy generation system comprises at least one of the following technologies:

photovoltaic, wind turbine, fuel cell, batteries, geothermal, passive solar, biomass, and micro-hydro systems.

7. The method of claim 1, in which each customer comprises any one of the following:

private homeowner, multiple dwelling unit owner, business owner, government, governmental agency, refugee assistance project, disaster-relief project, economic development project and foundation.

8. The method of claim 2, in which each site comprises any one of the following:

private home, multiple dwelling unit, business structure, government structure, governmental agency structure, refugee assistance project, disaster-relief project, economic development project and foundation.

9. The method of claim 1, in which the data on energy usage is collected interactively from an Internet Web site.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the data on energy usage is collected interactively from a computer.

11. The method of claim 1, in which the steps of collecting and calculating are performed using at least one computer, and the data is collected in at least one database.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the customer is kept informed of changes or new developments in available energy systems, costs and financing options through automatic email alerts.

13. The method of claim 1, in which the need to visit the customer'"'"'s site is time-shifted until after the customer has committed to purchase an energy generation system.

14. The method of claim 1, in which calculating and reporting the availability and costs of energy systems is based on aggregating the demand for components across differently situated customers, e.g. residential, business, disaster-relief, refugee assistance, economic development.

15. The method of claim 1, in which arranging the purchase and installation of the purchased energy system includes automating the process of matching customers with trained specialists, such as specifiers, installers, and/or electricians.

16. The method of claim 1, in which energy consulting includes the marketing of non-polluting energy generation systems.

17. The method of claim 1, in which the costs of energy systems are reduced by organizing customers in the database or environmental organizations to advocate politically for regulatory changes.

18. The method of claim 1, in which the number of potential customers is increased by organizing customers in the database or environmental organizations to advocate politically for regulatory changes which reduce the cost of energy systems.

19. The method of claim 1, in which the number of potential customers is increased by using the benefits to society of non-polluting energy systems to facilitate organizing customers, volunteers, politicians, and celebrities to generate unpaid publicity and advertising of the website.

20. The method of claim 1, in which the costs of energy systems are reduced by using the benefits to society of non-polluting energy systems to facilitate organizing customers, volunteers, politicians, and celebrities to generate unpaid publicity and advertising of the website.

21. The method of claim 1, in which the costs of energy systems are reduced by reducing the costs of customer acquisition by encouraging the customer to contribute contact information of others via the website in return for a commission on sales resulting from such others.

22. The method of claim 1, in which the costs of energy systems are reduced each time the underlying technologies (photovoltaic, fuel cells, wind turbines, etc.) undergo technological improvement and the newer more capable or less costly variations are added to the energy system supply data.

24. The system of claim 23, in which the data on energy usage comprise data on historical or anticipated electric power usage, climate, site resources and energy generation preferences.

25. The system of claim 23, in which the energy supply data comprise data on energy generation systems available from a plurality of suppliers, and costs of installation, operation and maintenance of the systems.

26. The system of claim 24, in which the data on site resources comprise data on customer geographic location, orientation of structures, access to an electric power grid, availability of sunlight, availability of space for photovoltaic cells, availability of wind, availability of space for wind turbines, availability of hydrogen-based fuels, availability of space for fuel cells, applicable utility tariffs and applicable governmental regulations.

27. The system of claim 23, in which the costs are determined from the energy system supply data, the energy usage data and anticipated aggregated purchase commitments from a plurality of customers.

28. The system of claim 25, in which each energy generation system comprises at least one of the following technologies:

photovoltaic, wind turbine, fuel cell, batteries, geothermal, passive solar, biomass, and micro-hydro systems.

29. The system of claim 23, in which each customer comprises any one of the following:

private homeowner, multiple dwelling unit owner, business owner, government, governmental agency, refugee assistance project, disaster-relief project, economic development project and foundation.

30. The system of claim 23, in which each site comprises any one of the following:

private home, multiple dwelling unit, business structure, government structure, governmental agency structure, refugee assistance project, disaster-relief project, economic development project and foundation.

31. The system of claim 23, in which the data on energy usage is collected interactively from an Internet Web site.

32. The system of claim 23, in which the data on energy usage is collected interactively from a programmed computer.

33. The system of claim 23, in which the steps of collecting and calculating are performed using at least one computer, and the data is collected in at least one database.

34. The system of claim 23, in which the customer is kept informed of changes or new developments in available energy systems, costs and financing options through automatic email alerts.

35. The system of claim 23, in which the need to visit the customer'"'"'s site is time-shifted until after the customer has committed to purchase an energy generation system.

36. The system of claim 23, in which calculating and reporting the availability and costs of energy systems is based on aggregating the demand for components across differently situated customers, e.g. residential, business, disaster-relief, refugee assistance, economic development.

37. The system of claim 23, in which arranging the purchase and installation of the purchased energy system includes automating the process of matching customers with trained specialists, such as specifiers, installers, and/or electricians.

38. The system of claim 23, in which energy consulting includes the marketing of non-polluting energy generation systems.

39. The system of claim 23, in which the costs of energy systems are reduced by organizing customers in the database or environmental organizations to advocate politically for regulatory changes.

40. The system of claim 23, in which the number of potential customers is increased by organizing customers in the database or environmental organizations to advocate politically for regulatory changes which reduce the cost of energy systems.

41. The system of claim 23, in which the number of potential customers is increased by using the benefits to society of non-polluting energy systems to facilitate organizing customers, volunteers, politicians, and celebrities to generate unpaid publicity and advertising of the website.

42. The system of claim 23, in which the costs of energy systems are reduced by using the benefits to society of non-polluting energy systems to facilitate organizing customers, volunteers, politicians, and celebrities to generate unpaid publicity and advertising of the website.

43. The system of claim 23, in which the costs of energy systems are reduced by reducing the costs of customer acquisition by encouraging the customer to contribute contact information of others via the website in return for a commission on sales resulting from such others.

44. The system of claim 23, in which the costs of energy systems are reduced each time the underlying technologies (photovoltaic, fuel cells, wind turbines, etc.) undergo technological improvement and the newer more capable or less costly variations are added to the energy system supply data.

23. A computer-assisted system for energy consulting, comprising:

(a) an interface configured to collect energy usage data from at least one customer;

(b) a database configured to collect energy system supply data from a plurality of suppliers;

(c) a computer-implemented system for calculating and reporting the availability and costs of energy systems that accommodate some or all of the energy usage expected by the customer;

(d) a system for receiving a commitment from the customer to purchase at least one energy system; and

(e) a system for arranging the purchase and installation of the purchased energy system.

45. A method for marketing energy-related products or services, comprising the steps of:

(a) using a Web site to collect data from at least one customer of energy-related products or services and to collect data from a plurality of suppliers of energy-related products or services;

(b) calculating and reporting the availability and costs of energy-related products or services; and

(c) encouraging the customer to contribute contact information of others via the Web site in return for a commission on sales resulting from such others.

46. A computer-assisted system for marketing energy-related products or, services, comprising the steps of:

(a) using a Web site to collect data from at least one customer of energy-related products or services and to collect data from a plurality of suppliers of energy-related products or services;

(b) calculating and reporting the availability and costs of energy-related products or services; and

(c) encouraging the customer to contribute contact information of others via the Web site in return for a commission on sales resulting from such others.

47. A method for creating markets for non-polluting energy generation technologies, comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting data on energy usage from at least one customer and energy system supply data from a plurality of suppliers;

(b) calculating and reporting the availability and costs of energy systems which accommodate some or all of the energy usage expected by the customer;

(c) receiving a commitment from the customer to purchase at least one energy system; and

(d) arranging the purchase and installation of the purchased energy system.

48. A computer-assisted system for creating markets for non-polluting energy generation technologies, comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting data on energy usage from at least one customer and energy system supply data from a plurality of suppliers;

(b) calculating and reporting the availability and costs of energy systems which accommodate some or all of the energy usage expected by the customer;

(c) receiving a commitment from the customer to purchase at least one energy system; and

(d) arranging the purchase and installation of the purchased energy system.

49. A method for marketing, consulting on, analyzing and implementing distributed, non-polluting electric power generation systems, comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting data from a plurality of suppliers on the availability and costs, at various levels of demand aggregated across multiple customers, of electric power generation systems;

(b) collecting data on historical electric power usage or projected electric demand, site resources, climate and electric power generation system preferences from at least one customer;

(c) developing specifications of available electric power generation systems appropriate for the customer from the usage, demand, site resources, climate, preference, supply and cost data;

(d) reporting at least one proposed installation of an electric power generation system to customer that is cost-effective and generates less pollution than customer'"'"'s current systems and soliciting approval of such proposal;

(e) receiving a commitment from the potential customer to purchase at least one electric power generation system;

(f) scheduling an energy specifier visit to the customer'"'"'s site for analysis, documentation, and confirmation of the proposed installation of the purchased electric power generation system.;

(g) receiving a confirmation from the specifier of the practicality and cost-effectiveness of the installation of the purchased electric power generation system; and

(h) scheduling installer and electrician visits to the customer'"'"'s site to complete installation, testing and activation of the purchased electric power generation system.