ENERGY SMART SYSTEM

• US 20120053740A1
• Filed: 09/01/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Venkatakrishnan, Natarajan, Nolan, Kevin Farrelly, Bingham, David C., Najewicz, David Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,133 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

Apparatus and method for managing energy of a home or other structure are disclosed. An energy management system for a home network comprises a central device controller configured to communicate with energy consuming devices, energy generation devices and storage devices at a home. Power/energy measuring devices provide consumption measurements for the home and each device to the controller. A user interface has a client application configured to provide information to a user/consumer and to an energy provider/utility about energy consumption, energy generation and storage. An energy profile and a carbon footprint of an individual'"'"'s home are generated along with recommendations for energy savings and/or possible addition of on site generation or energy storage.

Claims

1. A method of an energy smart management system for providing advice and recommendations to an energy consumer regarding energy use in a home that has a controller with at least one memory for storing data and executable instructions for the method comprising:

upon retrieving physical and demographic data that includes data about the home, past energy consumption characteristics, and on-site generation/storage data, storing the data in a home database;

determining an energy profile and carbon footprint of the home based on the physical usage data and demographic data of the home and utility generation mix characteristics;

compiling the energy profile and carbon footprint into an aggregate home database having home data for multiple homes respectively;

comparing the energy profile and carbon footprint of the home in relation to the multiple homes; and

presenting the comparison of the energy profile and a carbon footprint of the home in a web browser for the consumer via an IP connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy profile and the carbon footprint presented is based at least partially on geographical and construction data of the home collected over time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the home data includes meteorological data comprising local temperature, precipitation, solar insolation data, and wind trends, and construction data comprising geographical location, size, number of floors and/or rooms, age, and orientation of the home with respect to the sun.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the home database with consumer inputted home data including demographic information regarding the number, age, sex and income of residents as well as information regarding occupancy patterns and other personal preferences; and

providing recommendations to the consumer comprising cost savings, payback benefits, financing options, local suppliers, and on site home generation methods and/or devices for reducing cost, carbon and/or other emissions associated with the home.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein providing the recommendations are based on the comparison performed with other homes similar to the home and comprise home construction tips, appliance saving tips and/or upgrades, on-site generation methods, and storage methods for improving cost, efficiency and/or carbon offsetting.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a total energy consumption of the home including a natural resource consumption comprising gas, electricity, and water of the home, and an energy consumption of the energy consuming devices within the home, generation data for natural resources generated at the home, and storage data from energy storage devices at the home for the energy profile and carbon footprint presented.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the energy profile of the home comprises presenting products targeted to geographic and weather conditions of a location of the home for improving cost, efficiency and/or carbon offsetting.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy profile and the carbon footprint provides recommendations for creating a net zero energy consumption including power generation/storage at the home based on at least one of the comparison, age, geographical location, cost, home construction efficiency, resident demographic data, past utility billing information, total power/energy consumption of the home, power/energy consumption of individual energy consuming devices at the home, generation products available, storage products available.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon footprint comprises an amount of emissions caused by the home based on natural resources consumed including electricity, natural gas, oil, and/or water, energy consumption, an amount being generated on-site of the home, and an amount of emission offset endeavors being provided on-site of the home.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy profile and carbon footprint is presented in a consumer application in a mobile phone or a personal computer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy profile has a carbon footprint scheme presented to provide a current carbon footprint of the home and a comparison to a carbon footprint of the multiple homes that are similar to the home to provide the recommendations that comprise cost, benefits and efficiency for upgrading the home to home energy generation and/or storage means for reducing the carbon footprint of the home.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the home database with consumer inputted home data including demographic information regarding the number, age, sex and income of residents as well as information regarding occupancy patterns and other personal preferences; and

presenting recommendations to the consumer comprising cost savings, payback benefits, financing options, information about suppliers of home energy saving products, and on site home generation methods and/or devices for reducing cost, carbon and/or other emissions associated with the home.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the recommendations comprise providing suggestions for creating a net zero energy consumption including power generation/storage at the home based on at least one of the comparison, age, geographical location, cost, home construction efficiency, past utility billing information, total power/energy consumption of the home, residents demographic information, power/energy consumption of individual energy consuming devices at the home, generation products available, storage products available.

11. A method for an energy smart management system for providing advice and recommendations to an energy consumer regarding energy use in a home that has a controller with at least one memory for storing data and executable instructions for the method comprising:

upon retrieving physical and demographic data about the home, storing the data in a home database;

determining an energy profile and carbon footprint of the home based on the physical usage data and demographic data of the home and utility generation mix characteristics;

compiling the home database into an aggregate home database having home data for multiple homes respectively;

making a comparison with the home data of the home in relation to the multiple homes; and

presenting the comparison results of the home in a web browser for the consumer based on the comparison via an IP connection to a personal computer or a mobile phone;

presenting recommendations to the consumer for updating the home for improved energy cost savings, energy efficiency, on-site energy generation, and/or storage devices that are currently available based on a geographic location of the home and construction information.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the recommendations are based on the comparison performed with other homes similar to the home and the recommendations comprise home construction tips, appliance saving tips and/or upgrades, on-site generation methods, and storage methods for improving cost, efficiency and/or carbon offsetting.

16. An energy smart management system for a home network comprising managed energy consuming devices respectively drawing different amounts of power in a home, comprising:

a central controller with a memory in communication with the managed energy consuming devices;

a plurality of power/energy measuring devices in communication with the controller and the managed devices configured to provide a total energy/power consumption measurement for the home and an power/energy consumption measurement for each managed device; and

a user interface communicatively coupled to the controller for providing user information and receiving user commands thereat;

wherein the controller having a memory, a processor and at least one transceiver, is configured to receive and compile home data of similar homes in an aggregate home database, and the user interface comprises a web browser configured to present an energy profile of the home including cost and CO2 savings associated with the home, on-site power generation, an on-site storage device and other energy reduction recommendations for the home.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller comprises a home energy manager configured to compile information about construction details of the home, appliance, energy consumption based on past utility bills and power/energy meter readings at the home, and natural resources usage, generation and storage thereat.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the recommendations comprise on-site generation options, appliance upgrade options, lighting upgrade options, building shell improvements, energy storage options and/or energy audit services currently available based on the energy profile of the home, public and/or private residential data.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the energy profile comprises an amount of a natural resource consumption compared to similarly constructed homes to estimate cost, savings, and/or energy output associated with the recommendations.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the energy consuming devices comprise a demand response appliance configured to manage power consumption by responding to communication commands from the controller, and wherein the plurality of energy consuming devices comprises an HVAC, a refrigerator, a dishwasher, a dryer, electric vehicle charger and any other power consuming device configured to operate at power levels detected by a power/energy measuring device.