PLATFORM / METHOD FOR EVALUATING, AGGREGATING AND PLACING OF RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATING ASSETS

• US 20090132360A1
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Solarcity, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Solarcity, Inc.
• Inventors: Chaleff, Norman, Arfin, David
• Application Number:
  US11/942,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20090132360A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.140
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

A computerized method and a system for evaluating, aggregating, and placing of renewable energy generating assets are provided. Example embodiments may include reallocating incentives from an investment entity to a property owner to install an energy system on a property associated with the property owner by procuring the energy system by the investment entity based on at least one privileged term; selecting one or more lease terms for a lease of the energy system, transferring the incentives to the property owner; and leasing the energy system by the investment entity to the property owner, using one or more lease terms.

Claims

1. A computerized method comprising:

reallocating incentives from an investment entity to a property owner to install an energy system on a property associated with the property owner by,

procuring the energy system by the investment entity based on at least one privileged term;

selecting at least one lease term for a lease of the energy system, then at least one lease term transferring the incentives to the property owner; and

leasing the energy system by the investment entity to the property owner, using the at least one lease term.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the incentives include at least one of tax credits, rebates, production-based incentives, feed-in tariffs, depreciation, or Renewable Energy Credits (REC).

3. The computerized method of claim 1, including reallocating of one or more incentives from the property owner to the investment entity.

4. The computerized method of claim 3, wherein the energy system is a renewable energy system including at least one of:

a solar energy conversion system,

a wind energy conversion system, or

a geothermal energy conversion system.

5. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the at least one privileged term is exclusively available to the investment entity.

6. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the at least one privileged term includes at least one of a special tax credit and an depreciation schedule.

7. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the selecting includes performing calculation of an at least one benefit to the property owner resulting from the reallocation of the incentives.

8. The computerized method of claim 1, including installing the leased energy system at the property.

9. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the leasing of the energy system includes a buyout option.

10. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the procuring includes bidding by the investment entity on an aggregate of energy systems using an auction.

11. The computerized method of claim 10, wherein the aggregate of energy systems includes energy systems to be leased to a group of property owners.

12. The computerized method of claim 1, including bidding by the property owner on a lease term using an auction.

13. A system comprising:

a server to facilitate a reallocation of incentives from an investment entity to a property owner to install an energy system on a property associated with the property owner, the server including;

a user interface to communicate with at least one of the investment entity or the property owner;

a procurement module to allow the investment entity to procure the energy system based on at least one privileged term;

a processor to select at least one lease term for a lease of the energy system, the at least one lease term using the incentives; and

a lease module to assist the investment entity in leasing the energy system to the property owner, based on the at least one lease term transferring the incentives.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the server is to facilitate the reallocation of the incentives including at least one of tax credits, rebates, depreciation or Renewable Energy Credits (REC).

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is to calculate an at least one benefit to the property owner resulting from the reallocation of the incentives.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the procurement module is to allow the investment entity to procure the energy system based on at least one privileged term, the at least one privileged term being exclusively available to the investment entity.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the procurement module is to allow the investment entity to procure the energy system based on at least one privileged term, the at least one privileged term including at least one of a special tax credit or an depreciation schedule.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the lease module is to provide for the property owner to lease the energy system using the at least one lease term, the at least one lease term including a buyout option.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the lease module is to provide for the property owner to lease the energy system using the at least one lease term, the at least one lease term including installing by the investment entity of the energy system at the property.

20. The system of claim 13, including an auction module to allow the investment entity to bid on an aggregate of energy systems.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the auction module is to allow the property owner to bid on a lease term.

22. A system comprising:

means for reallocating incentives from an investment entity to a property owner to install an energy system on a property associated with the property owner including;

means for procuring the energy system by the investment entity based on at least one privileged term;

means for selecting at least one lease term for a lease of the energy system, the at least one lease term transferring the incentives to the property owner; and

means for leasing the energy system by the investment entity to the property owner, based on the at least one lease term transferring the incentives.

23. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when implemented by one or more processors perform the following operations:

reallocating incentives from an investment entity to a property owner to install an energy system on a property associated with the property owner by,

procuring the energy system by the investment entity based on at least one privileged term;

selecting at least one lease term for a lease of the energy system, the at least one lease term transferring the incentives to the property owner; and

leasing the energy system by the investment entity to the property owner, based on the at least one lease term transferring the incentives.

24. A system comprising:

a Web server to host a Web site, the Web site including;

a first Web page to conduct a first auction, the first auction providing for a plurality of investment entities to participate in a bidding process to procure at least one energy system based on at least one privileged term,

a user interface to communicate to the investment entity at least one lease term for a lease of the at least one energy system, the at least one lease term using incentives, the incentives to be reallocated from the investment entity to the property owner; and

a second Web page to conduct a second auction, the second auction providing for a plurality of property owners to participate in a bidding process to lease the at least one energy system based on the at least one lease term transferring the incentives.

25. A system comprising:

a Web server to host a Web site, the Web site including;

a first Web page to conduct a first auction, the first auction providing for a plurality of investment entities to participate in a bidding process to procure at least one energy system based on at least one privileged term, the at least one privileged term including at least one of a special tax credit or depreciation schedule.

a user interface to communicate to the investment entity at least one lease term for a lease of the at least one energy system, the at least one lease term using incentives, the incentives to be reallocated from the investment entity to the property owner and including at least one of tax credits, rebates, or Renewable Energy Credits (REC); and

a second Web page to conduct a second auction, the second auction providing for a plurality of property owners to participate in a bidding process to lease at least one energy system, the at least one energy system using the at least one lease term, the at least one lease term including a buyout option.