Method and System of Applying Environmental Incentives
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving information relating to usage of electrical energy at a site;
associating the received electrical energy usage information with a usage interval;
retrieving carbon impact information that corresponds to the usage interval; and
calculating a carbon credit based on the retrieved carbon impact information of the usage interval and the received electrical energy usage information associated with the usage interval.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Information relating to electrical energy usage for a given account is associated with a time segment that corresponds to a period when the electrical energy was received from an electrical energy distribution system. Electrical energy generation carbon impact information is retrieved for the corresponding time segment specifying when the electrical energy was received from an electrical energy distribution system. A carbon credit is calculated according to the retrieved electrical energy generation carbon impact information, and the retrieved electrical energy usage information associated with the time segment. The calculated carbon credit is then used to update a display of carbon credit related information, such as account balance, rate of carbon credit usage, currently applicable “cost” for carbon credit usage. Notifications can be provided to the consumer if any of this information crosses a threshold value. In addition, or alternatively, the carbon credit related information can be used to automatically control the operation of devices that consume electrical energy.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving information relating to usage of electrical energy at a site; associating the received electrical energy usage information with a usage interval; retrieving carbon impact information that corresponds to the usage interval; and calculating a carbon credit based on the retrieved carbon impact information of the usage interval and the received electrical energy usage information associated with the usage interval. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method, comprising:
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retrieving electrical energy usage information associated with a given account, the retrieved electrical energy usage information corresponding to a time segment, the time segment corresponding to a period when the electrical energy was received from an electrical energy distribution system; retrieving electrical energy generation carbon impact information, the retrieved electrical energy generation carbon impact information corresponding to the time segment specifying when the electrical energy was received from an electrical energy distribution system, the electrical energy generation carbon impact information corresponding to carbon released to generate the electrical energy associated with the electrical energy usage associated with a given account at the corresponding time segment; and calculating a carbon credit according to the retrieved electrical energy generation carbon impact information, and the retrieved electrical energy usage information associated with the time segment.
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5. A method, comprising:
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receiving electrical energy usage information associated with a given account, the electrical energy usage information including usage information corresponding to a plurality of time segments within a electrical billing period; receiving electrical energy generation information, the electrical energy generation information including usage information corresponding to a plurality of time segments within a electrical billing period; receiving carbon impact information; associating the received electrical energy usage information and the received electrical energy generation information by time segment; and calculating an incentive according to the received carbon impact information and the associated received electrical energy usage information and the received electrical energy generation.
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6. The method of 5, wherein the incentive is a carbon credit, and wherein net release of carbon according to the carbon impact information incurs the use of a carbon credit by the given account.
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7. The method of 5, wherein the time segments are hourly time segments, and wherein the receiving electrical energy usage information is read from a facility associated with the given account by a communications node associated with an electric unity meter, the communications node operating in a wireless utility network.
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8. A method, comprising:
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receiving electrical energy usage information, the electrical energy usage information including time of use information for a plurality of time segments; retrieving carbon impact information, the retrieved carbon impact information corresponding to the plurality of time segments; and calculating at least one a carbon credit based on multiple retrieved carbon impact information corresponding to a plurality of time segments and multiple received electrical energy usage information associated with the plurality of time segments, wherein the calculation includes applying the carbon impact information to the energy usage information of the corresponding time segment.
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9. A method, comprising:
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retrieving electrical energy usage information associated with a primary account, the retrieved electrical energy usage information corresponding to a time segment, the time segment corresponding to when the electrical energy was received from an electrical energy distribution system; retrieving electrical energy distribution system carbon impact information, the retrieved electrical energy distribution system carbon impact information corresponding to the time segment specifying when the electrical energy was received from an electrical energy distribution system, the electrical energy distribution system carbon impact information corresponding to the change in carbon release due to the electrical energy usage associated with a primary account at the corresponding time segment; retrieving electrical energy generation information associated with a secondary account, the retrieved electrical energy generation information associated with the secondary account corresponding to the time segment corresponding to when the electrical energy was received from an electrical energy distribution system; retrieving secondary account carbon credit factor information, the retrieved secondary account carbon credit factor information indicating the carbon credit calculation associated with the secondary account in the event of carbon usage or avoidance by a primary account; retrieving electrical energy generation carbon impact information, the retrieved electrical energy generation carbon impact information corresponding to the time segment specifying when the electrical energy was received from an electrical energy distribution system; and calculating a carbon credit associated with the secondary account according to the retrieved carbon impact information, retrieved electrical energy distribution system carbon impact information, retrieved electrical energy generation information, retrieving secondary account carbon credit factor information, and the retrieved electrical energy usage information associated with the time segment.
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10. A method, comprising:
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retrieving electrical energy usage information corresponding to a given account; retrieving electrical energy generation information, the electrical energy generation information including generation environmental impact information corresponding to energy used by the given account; and transmitting the retrieved electrical energy usage information and the retrieving electrical energy generation information to an incentive calculation entity. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method, comprising:
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retrieving electrical energy usage information corresponding to a given account, the electrical energy usage information including multiple usage intervals within a given billing period; retrieving electrical energy generation information, the electrical energy generation information including generation environmental impact information corresponding to energy used by the given account, the electrical energy generation information further including generation intervals within a given billing period; and calculating an environmental incentive based upon the retrieved electrical energy generation information and the electrical energy usage information, wherein the calculation of the environmental incentive includes correlating, for multiple time intervals within the billing period, the retrieved electrical energy generation information and the electrical energy usage information. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A graphical user interface, comprising:
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an environmental incentive indicator, the environmental incentive indicator presenting a environmental incentive value corresponding to an incentive based upon usage of electrical energy; and an electrical usage indicator.
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20. A graphical user interface, comprising:
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an environmental incentive indicator, the environmental incentive indicator presenting a environmental incentive value corresponding to an inventive based upon usage of electrical energy; and an environmental incentive balance indicator, environmental incentive balance indicator presenting a environmental incentive balance value corresponding to the balance of and environmental incentive in a account.
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21. A graphical user interface, comprising:
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a carbon credit indicator, the carbon credit indicator presenting a carbon credit usage value corresponding to carbon credits; and a carbon credit balance indicator, the carbon credit balance indicator presenting a carbon credit account. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 29)
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26. A graphical user interface, comprising:
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a carbon credit usage indicator, the carbon credit usage indicator presenting a carbon credit usage value corresponding to carbon credits; a carbon credit balance indicator, the carbon credit balance indicator presenting a carbon credit account; a carbon credit balance projection indicator, the carbon credit balance projection indicator including at least one carbon credit balance projection value corresponding to time until the carbon credit balance projection value reaches a given threshold; and a carbon impact indicator, the carbon impact indicator including at least one carbon impact value corresponding to the carbon emissions of the electrical energy source corresponding to the electrical energy used in connection with the carbon credit usage. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A graphical user interface, comprising:
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a carbon credit usage indicator, the carbon credit usage indicator presenting a carbon credit usage value corresponding to carbon credits; a carbon credit balance indicator, the carbon credit balance indicator presenting a carbon credit account; and a carbon credit usage trend indicator, the carbon credit usage trend indicator presenting an indication of whether the carbon credit usage value is above or below a given carbon credit usage trend, the carbon credit usage trend corresponding to the usage rate needed to not exceed a carbon credit balance projection value threshold; a carbon credit balance projection indicator, the carbon credit balance projection indicator including at least one carbon credit balance projection value corresponding to time until the carbon credit balance projection value reaches a given threshold; and a carbon impact indicator, the carbon impact indicator including at least one carbon impact value corresponding to the carbon emissions of the electrical energy source corresponding to the electrical energy used in connection with the carbon credit usage.
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30. A method, comprising:
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calculating a carbon credit according to electrical energy generation information and electrical energy usage information by matching the electrical energy generation information and electrical energy usage information across multiple time segments within a billing period; determining whether the number of carbon credits in an account balance is sufficient based upon carbon credit usage; and in the event the number of carbon credits in the account balance is determined to be insufficient, initiating a purchase to obtain additional carbon credits. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A method, comprising:
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calculating a carbon credit according to electrical energy generation information and electrical energy usage information by matching the electrical energy generation information and electrical energy usage information across multiple time segments within a billing period; determining whether the number of carbon credits in an account balance is sufficient based upon carbon credit usage; and in the event the number of carbon credits in the account balance is determined to be insufficient, providing a low carbon credit balance projection alert indicating an expected shortfall. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A method, comprising:
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calculating a carbon credit according to electrical energy generation information and electrical energy usage information; determining whether the number of carbon credits in an account balance is sufficient based upon carbon credit usage; and in the event the number of carbon credits in the account balance is determined to be insufficient, retrieving carbon credits from a second carbon credit account. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A method, comprising:
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receiving information relating to usage of electrical energy at a site; associating the received electrical energy usage information with a usage interval; retrieving carbon impact information that corresponds to the usage interval; calculating a value related to carbon credits, based on the retrieved carbon impact information of the usage interval and the received electrical energy usage information associated with the usage interval; and controlling the operation of at least one electricity-consuming device at said site, based upon said calculated value. - View Dependent Claims (39, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification