FACILITATING THE OWNERSHIP OF SOLAR-POWERED ELECTRICITY-GENERATING SYSTEMS
First Claim
1. A method of facilitating, by a lender, a party'"'"'s purchase of an electricity-generating solar power system, the method comprising:
- lending, by the lender, funds to the party for the purchase and installation of the solar power system, wherein the party repays the funds to the lender with up to 100% of the electricity generated by the party'"'"'s solar power system after installation for a contract time period defined by a loan agreement between the party and the lender, wherein the party owns the solar power system; and
selling, by the lender, the up to 100% of the electricity generated by the solar power system after installation to the third party, wherein the selling comprises determining with a computer system the cost of the electricity delivered from the solar power system based on readings from a meter connected to the solar power system that measures electricity delivered by the solar power system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods of facilitating a party'"'"'s purchase of an electricity-generating solar power system are disclosed. The methods may comprise entering into, by the lender, an agreement with the party whereby, in exchange for a payment amount paid by the lender to a seller of the solar power system, the lender owns and is to sell up to 100% of the electricity generated by the party'"'"'s solar power system after installation for a contract time period defined by the agreement. The methods may also comprise paying, by the lender, the payment amount to the seller for the solar power system. The contract time period may extend, for example, until sales of the electricity by the lender after installation generate an aggregate payment amount that meets or exceeds a specified level. The contract time period or unit quantity might also be fixed. The lender may also receive renewable energy certificates and any other environmental attributes from the party.
110 Citations
64 Claims
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1. A method of facilitating, by a lender, a party'"'"'s purchase of an electricity-generating solar power system, the method comprising:
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lending, by the lender, funds to the party for the purchase and installation of the solar power system, wherein the party repays the funds to the lender with up to 100% of the electricity generated by the party'"'"'s solar power system after installation for a contract time period defined by a loan agreement between the party and the lender, wherein the party owns the solar power system; and selling, by the lender, the up to 100% of the electricity generated by the solar power system after installation to the third party, wherein the selling comprises determining with a computer system the cost of the electricity delivered from the solar power system based on readings from a meter connected to the solar power system that measures electricity delivered by the solar power system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for facilitating a party'"'"'s purchase of an electricity-generating solar power system, the system comprising:
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a processor; a communication device coupled to the processor and adapted to communicate via a communications network; a storage device in communication with the processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to; calculate a contract time period, wherein, in return for a payment amount funding all or a portion of a party'"'"'s purchase and installation of the solar power system, up to 100% of the electricity generated by the solar power system during the contract time period accrues to the lender, and wherein the party owns the solar power system; and determine the cost of electricity delivered from the solar power system and to be sold by the lender to a third party, wherein determining the cost of the electricity comprises considering readings from a meter connected to the solar power system that measures electricity delivered by the solar power system. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A method of facilitating, by a lender, a party'"'"'s purchase of an electricity-generating solar power system, the method comprising:
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selling, by the lender, the solar power system to the party pursuant to an agreement, whereby, in exchange for the solar power system, the lender owns up to 100% of the electricity generated by the solar power system after installation for a contract time period defined by the agreement, wherein the party owns the solar power system upon the party'"'"'s purchase; and causing the solar power system to be installed at a property of the party. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A system for facilitating a party'"'"'s purchase of an electricity-generating solar power system, the system comprising:
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a processor; a communication device coupled to the processor and adapted to communicate via a communications network; a storage device in communication with the processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to; calculate a purchase price at which a lender will sell the solar power system to the party; calculate a contract time period, wherein, in return for a payment amount the solar power system to the party, up to 100% of the electricity generated by the solar power system during the contract time period accrues to the lender, and wherein the party owns the solar power system upon the party'"'"'s purchase; and determine the cost of electricity delivered from the solar power system and to be sold by the lender to a third party, wherein determining the cost of the electricity comprises considering readings from a meter connected to the solar power system that measures electricity delivered by the solar power system. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method comprising:
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financing, by a lender, the purchase by a plurality of parties of electricity-generating solar power systems wherein the parties own their respective solar power system, and wherein the lender owns and is to sell up to 100% of the electricity generated by the parties'"'"' solar power systems after installation for a contract time period defined by a financing agreement with each party respectively, and wherein, pursuant to the financing agreements, the parties are to transfer renewable energy environmental attributes earned by the parties to the lender; tracking, with a computer system, the creation of energy environmental attributes earned by the parties, wherein the tracking comprises, for each of the plurality of parties, determining with a computer system the energy environmental attributes derived from the respective solar power system based on readings from a meter connected to the respective solar power system; aggregating, by the lender, the renewable energy environmental attributes transferred by the parties; and by the lender, at least one of selling the aggregated renewable energy environmental attributes and using the aggregated renewable energy environmental attributes - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A system for facilitating a party'"'"'s purchase of an electricity-generating solar power system, the system comprising:
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a processor; a communication device coupled to the processor and adapted to communicate via a communications network; a storage device in communication with the processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to; for each of a plurality of parties, calculate a contract time period, wherein, in return for a payment amount funding all or a portion of the party'"'"'s purchase and installation of the solar power system, up to 100% of the electricity generated by the solar power system during the contract time period accrues to the lender, wherein the party owns the solar power system, and wherein the parties are obligated to transfer renewable energy environmental attributes earned by the parties to the lender; and aggregate the renewable energy environmental attributes transferred by the parties for sale. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. A method of facilitating, by a lender, a property owner'"'"'s purchase of an electricity-generating solar power system, the method comprising:
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entering into, by the lender, an agreement with the property owner, whereby in exchange for a payment amount paid by the lender for the solar power system, the lender owns and is to sell at least a portion of the electricity generated by the solar power system for a contract time period defined by the agreement, wherein the lender owns a first property interest in the solar power system; and selling, by the lender, at least the portion of the electricity generated by the solar power system to a third party for the contract time period, wherein the selling comprises determining with a computer system the cost of the electricity delivered from the solar power system based on readings from a meter connected to the solar power system that measures electricity delivered by the solar power system. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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Specification