Information disclosure and contracting method for the demander of distributed power supply business

• US 20020128987A1
• Filed: 08/21/2001
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Namba, Shigeaki
• Application Number:
  US09/933,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20020128987A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

An information apparatus of a demander is connected via a communication line to an information apparatus of a power company or enterprise. When a power supply contract is signed between the enterprise and the demander, the enterprise presents information of contract (start) periods and information of a unit price of charge for each contract period. According to the information, the demander sets a customized pattern (load pattern) for each desired one of the periods and sends the pattern to the enterprise. The enterprise presents information of charge for the load pattern. The demander determines a power supply contract for the periods. In the operation, the demander collates the load pattern at a present time with a load pattern in a predetermined period in the past and re-sets values of the load pattern at the present time. The enterprise presents information of charge for the load pattern modified and set by the demander.

Claims

1. An information disclosure and contracting method for a demander of a power company or enterprise of distributed power supply business in which the enterprise operates a business by selling electric power to each power load demander via power transmission and distribution lines of existing power companies or dedicated lines dedicated to the business, comprising the steps of:

connecting an information apparatus of said demander via a communication line to an information apparatus of said enterprise of distributed power supply business;

presenting, from said enterprise, when a power supply contract is signed between said enterprise and said demander, information of contract (start) periods and information of a unit price of charge for each said contract period;

receiving, by said enterprise, a customized pattern (load pattern) set by said demander for each desired one of said periods according to the information and presenting, from said enterprise, information of charge for said load pattern to said demander; and

determining, by said demander, a power supply contract for said periods.

2. An information disclosure and contracting method for a demander of a power company or enterprise of distributed power supply business according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

collating, by said demander, a load pattern in a predetermined period in the past with actual results, receiving a load pattern set at a present time, and presenting information of charge for said load pattern modified and set to said demander.

3. An information disclosure and contracting method for a demander of a power company or enterprise of distributed power supply business according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, by said enterprise, a modified pattern created by modifying said load pattern to be set at a present time by said demander in which time zones or periods in which a large difference exists for a unit price of charge are modified; and

presenting, from said enterprise to said demander, information of charge according to the pattern modified as above, and supplying, to said demander, information of difference of charge with respect to a charge (assumed) according to a direct contract with an existing power company.

4. An information disclosure and contracting method for a demander of a power company or enterprise of distributed power supply business according to claim 1, wherein said load pattern set at a present time by the demander is sent to said enterprise before a pattern determination period or time limit earlier than said pattern contract (start) period.

5. An information disclosure and contracting method for a demander of a power company or enterprise of distributed power supply business according to claim 1, wherein before said information is presented from said enterprise to said demander, charge calculation software for which a validity expiration limit has been set is delivered.

6. An information disclosure and contracting method for a demander of a power company or enterprise of distributed power supply business according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of presenting, from said enterprise to said demander, a setting period and a unit price of charge for a fixed period in future in which power generating facilities under control of said enterprise have capacity margin in power generation and supply capacities thereof, and disclosing information indicating “

possibility of spot supply”

.

7. An information disclosure and contracting method for a demander of a power company or enterprise of distributed power supply business according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of, receiving, by said enterprise, a combination pattern, said combination pattern being produced by said demander by combining said load pattern set and determine, by said demander, according to the information indicating “

possibility of spot supply”

with said spot pattern.

8. An information disclosure and contracting method for a demander of a power company or enterprise of distributed power supply business according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selecting, by said enterprise, for said demander who does not sign said load pattern contract before the contract (start) period, an upper limit of capacity of power distribution facilities of said demander;

setting a most economical charge under condition of an actual result load pattern in an associated period of the last year;

presenting the charge to said demander; and

obtaining authentication of said demander.

9. An information disclosure and contracting method for a demander of a power company or enterprise of distributed power supply business according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of totaling, by said enterprise, contents of said load pattern including a spot demand from each demander having signed a power supply contract to generate accumulation data and displaying margin viewed from total power generating capacity.

10. An information disclosure and contracting method for a demander of a power company or enterprise of distributed power supply business according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of mutually using, when said enterprise carries on or joins hands with another public business and said power demander is also a demander of the public business, the information of charge therebetween and conducting a collective charging operation.

11. An information disclosure and contracting method for a demander of a power company or enterprise of distributed power supply business according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of, when measuring actual results of power utilization of said demander, optically and externally detecting contents of display of a watthourmeter, the contents being beforehand measured by the watthourmeter;

recognizing a pattern of changes in the display contents, and measuring power used by said demander.