GENERATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES FROM DISTRIBUTED PROCEDURES

• US 20100211812A1
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solar Components LLC
• Original Assignee: Solar Components LLC
• Inventors: SATTLER, C. WARREN, BULLEN, M. JAMES
• Granted Patent: US 8,629,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/340
• 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: H01L 31/02021 for solar cells electrical connection means, e.g. junction boxes, specially adapted for structural association with photovoltaic modules H02S40/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A system and method for recorded renewable energy certificates from power produced by small power generators is provided. An appliance can include a renewable energy source and electronics to monitor and control the charging of batteries in the appliance utilizing power from the renewable energy source. Power from the batteries can be utilized to power or charge external devices. The electronics also records the total power production from the renewable energy source and uploads transaction records to either an external device for transmission to a records server or uploads it directly to the records server itself. The records server compiles the transaction records and generates renewable energy certificates by aggregating the transaction records. Renewable energy certificates can be redeemed in exchange for real or virtual goods and services.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a renewable power source;

an electronic circuit coupled to the renewable power source that provides charging for a battery and distributes power to a connector when an external device is coupled to the connector; and

a control system coupled to the electronic circuit that controls the charging of the battery and the distribution of power to the external device,

wherein the control system compiles a transmission record of the amount of power produced by the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the renewable power source is a solar cell.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission record is updated and transmitted to the connector when an external device is coupled to the connector.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the transmission record is reset when a signal is received from the connector.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further including an interface to a network wherein the transmission record can be transmitted to a record server through the interface.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the apparatus clears the transmission record when a confirmation of receipt is received from the record server.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein communication with the record server is accomplished in a two-phase commit protocol interaction.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a global satellite system that provides geographical location data.

10. The smart phone of claim 8, further including a global positioning satellite system to provide geographical positioning data with the amount of power generated.

11. The smart phone of claim 8, wherein the software code includes steps for

Uploading data from the appliance through the connector;

Computing parameters; and

Displaying parameters on a display.

12. The smart phone of claim 11, wherein the parameters include at least one of a set including power production in the appliance;

total power produced by the appliance;

state of the battery; and

state of a smart phone battery.

13. The smart phone of claim 11, wherein the software code further includes steps for uploaded a REC transation to the REC server.

9. A smart phone, comprising:

a connector that couples to an appliance, the appliance including a renewable power source, a battery, electronics that distribute power between the renewable power source, the battery, and the connector, and a processor that monitors and compiles an amount of power generated by the appliance; and

a processor that executes a software code that monitors the appliance, receives a transmission record of the amount of power generated by the appliance, and transmits the amount of power generated to a REC server.

14. A server, comprising:

a database;

a network connection; and

a processor coupled to receive transmission records from a sender, the processor

recording individual transmission in the database; and

compiling the individual transmission records into a single renewable energy certificate once record of sufficient power generation to generate a renewable energy certificate is received.

15. The server of claim 15, wherein the database includes files including individual transmission RECs that are aggregated to form a REC.

16. The server of claim 15, wherein the processor communicates with the sender in a two-phase commit protocol.

17. A method of recording power generation, comprising:

receiving individual transmission records from one or more power generators;

recording each of the transmission records into a database;

monitoring the transmission records in the database until record of sufficient power generation to receive a renewable energy certificate is received;

closing the database to indicate one renewable energy certificate; and

opening a new database for receipt of further individual transmission records once a database is closed.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving individual transmission records includes communicating with individual senders utilizing a two-phase commit protocol.

19. The method of claim 17, further including providing individual files in the database corresponding to geographic locations and sorting the transmission records by geographic location for accumulation in corresponding individual files.

20. The method of claim 17, further including providing individual files in the database corresponding to ownership and sorting the transmission records by ownership for accumulation in the corresponding individual files.

21. The method of claim 20, further including compiling records associated with ownership for trade with any item or concept.

22. The, method of claim 21, wherein the records are transmitted to a social networking platform.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the records are traded for virtual items.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the virtual items include one or more of virtual energy, virtual currency, status, virtual commodities, and virtual concepts.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the records are traded for monetary value, merchandise, contest entries, or other commodity.