SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING DISTRIBUTED RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS

• US 20120103395A1
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solar Chief, LLC
• Original Assignee: Solar Chief, LLC
• Inventors: Prengler, Randall William, Chazanow, Mark Myles, Uhrick, Michael R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,401,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/10 including a supplementary source of electric power, e.g. hybrid diesel-PV energy systems combinations with gas-turbine plants F02C6/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A method for managing distributed renewable energy systems comprising receiving first meter data for a plurality of first meters, each of the plurality of first meters associated with a renewable energy power generation component at an institution and measuring an amount of power generated by each associated renewable energy power generation component over a first period of time. Receiving second meter data for a plurality of second meters, each of the plurality of second meters associated with an institution having a renewable energy power generation component and measuring an amount of power consumed by each associated institution over a period of second time. Determining a difference between the amount of power measured by each of the first meters and the amount of power measured by a corresponding one of each of the second meters at each institution. Assessing a first charge to each of the institutions based on the corresponding difference determined for each institution. Assessing a second charge to each of the institutions based on a finance charge for the renewable energy power generation component associated with the institution.

Claims

1. A system for managing distributed renewable energy systems comprising:

a plurality of distributed solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems coupled to an electric power grid, each solar photovoltaic electricity generation system for generating service data and first meter data defining an amount of energy generated by the solar photovoltaic electricity generation system over a period of time;

a plurality of first institutions directly coupled to one or more of the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems for receiving electric power from the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems and for generating second meter data defining an amount of electric power received from the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems;

a plurality of second institutions coupled to one or more of the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems through the electric power grid, the second institutions for receiving electric power from the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems and generating third meter data defining an amount of electric power received from the electric power grid;

a photovoltaic electricity generation system service provider system for receiving service requests and providing maintenance and repair services to the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems; and

a renewable energy services provider system coupled to the plurality of distributed solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems, the plurality of first institutions, the plurality of second institutions and the photovoltaic electricity generation system service provider system, the renewable energy services provider system for electronically receiving the first meter data, the second meter data, the third meter data and the service data, for allocating an amount of energy corresponding to an amount by which the first meter data exceeds the second meter data towards the third meter data, and for generating the service requests based on the service data and periodic maintenance data.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of distributed wind power generation systems coupled to the electric power grid, each wind power generation system for generating service data and fourth meter data defining an amount of energy generated by the wind power generation system over a period of time;

a wind power generation system service provider system for receiving service requests and providing maintenance and repair services to the wind power generation systems;

wherein the plurality of first institutions are directly coupled to one or more of the wind power generation systems and are for receiving electric power from the wind power generation systems and for generating fifth meter data defining an amount of electric power received from the wind power generation systems; and

wherein the renewable energy services provider system is coupled to the plurality of distributed wind power generation systems and the wind power generation system service provider system, the renewable energy services provider system for electronically receiving the fourth meter data, the fifth meter data and the service data generated by the plurality of distributed wind power generation systems, for allocating an amount of energy corresponding to an amount by which the fourth meter data exceeds the fifth meter data towards the third meter data, and for generating the service requests based on the service data generated by the plurality of distributed wind power generation systems and periodic wind power generation facility maintenance data.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of distributed fuel cell power generation systems coupled to the electric power grid, each fuel cell power generation system for generating service data and fourth meter data defining an amount of energy generated by the fuel cell power generation system over a period of time;

a fuel cell power generation system service provider system for receiving service requests and providing maintenance and repair services to the fuel cell power generation systems;

wherein the plurality of first institutions are directly coupled to one or more of the fuel cell power generation systems and are for receiving electric power from the fuel cell power generation systems and for generating fifth meter data defining an amount of electric power received from the fuel cell power generation systems; and

wherein the renewable energy services provider system is coupled to the plurality of distributed fuel cell power generation systems and the fuel cell power generation system service provider system, the renewable energy services provider system for electronically receiving the fourth meter data, the fifth meter data and the service data generated by the plurality of distributed fuel cell power generation systems, for allocating an amount of energy corresponding to an amount by which the fourth meter data exceeds the fifth meter data towards the third meter data, and for generating the service requests based on the service data generated by the plurality of distributed fuel cell power generation systems and periodic fuel cell power generation facility maintenance data.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising an institution account system for receiving meter data for each of the plurality of institutions and for generating periodic invoices for each institution based on the meter data.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising an infrastructure finance system for receiving renewable energy component finance data for each of the plurality of institutions and for generating periodic payment data for each of a plurality of financial institutions based on the renewable energy component finance data.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a service provider management system for receiving the service data and for selecting one of a plurality of service providers based on a type of routine maintenance, a type of repair, and a location of a renewable energy component.

7. A method for managing distributed renewable energy systems comprising:

receiving first meter data for a plurality of first meters, each of the plurality of first meters associated with a renewable energy power generation component at a first institution and measuring an amount of power generated by each associated renewable energy power generation component over a first period of time;

receiving second meter data for a plurality of second meters, each of the plurality of second meters associated with a second institution, and measuring an amount of power consumed by each associated second institution over a second period of time;

determining a difference between the amount of power measured by each of the first meters and the amount of power measured by a corresponding one of each of the second meters;

assessing a first charge to one or more of the second institutions based on the corresponding difference determined for each institution; and

assessing a second charge to one or more of the second institutions based on a finance charge for the renewable energy power generation component associated with one of the first institutions.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving service data for one of the renewable energy power generation components; and

generating service scheduling data based on the service data.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein receiving the first meter data for one of the first meters and receiving the second meter data for one of the second meters comprises receiving the first meter data and the second meter data at a combined meter at one of the institutions, wherein the difference between the amount of power generated by the associated renewable energy power generation component at the institution and the amount of power consumed at the institution is used to determine whether power was sold back to an electric power provider.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

storing scheduled maintenance data for each of the plurality of renewable energy power generation components; and

generating service scheduling data based on the scheduled maintenance data.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the first period of time is different from the second period of time.

12. A system for managing distributed renewable energy systems comprising:

a plurality of distributed solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems coupled to an electric power grid, each solar photovoltaic electricity generation system for generating service data and first meter data defining an amount of energy generated by the solar photovoltaic electricity generation system over a period of time;

a plurality of first institutions directly coupled to one or more of the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems for receiving electric power from the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems and for generating second meter data defining an amount of electric power received from the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems;

a plurality of second institutions coupled to one or more of the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems through the electric power grid, the second institutions for receiving electric power from the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems and generating third meter data defining an amount of electric power received from the electric power grid;

a photovoltaic electricity generation system service provider system for receiving service requests and providing maintenance and repair services to the solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems;

a renewable energy services provider system coupled to the plurality of distributed solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems, the plurality of first institutions, the plurality of second institutions and the photovoltaic electricity generation system service provider system, the renewable energy services provider system for electronically receiving the first meter data, the second meter data, the third meter data and the service data, for allocating an amount of energy corresponding to an amount by which the first meter data exceeds the second meter data towards the third meter data, and for generating the service requests based on the service data and periodic maintenance data;

a plurality of distributed wind power generation systems coupled to the electric power grid, each wind power generation system for generating service data and fourth meter data defining an amount of energy generated by the wind power generation system over a period of time;

a wind power generation system service provider system for receiving service requests and providing maintenance and repair services to the wind power generation systems;

wherein the plurality of first institutions are directly coupled to one or more of the wind power generation systems and are for receiving electric power from the wind power generation systems and for generating fifth meter data defining an amount of electric power received from the wind power generation systems;

wherein the renewable energy services provider system is coupled to the plurality of distributed wind power generation systems and the wind power generation system service provider system, the renewable energy services provider system for electronically receiving the fourth meter data, the fifth meter data and the service data generated by the plurality of distributed wind power generation systems, for allocating an amount of energy corresponding to an amount by which the fourth meter data exceeds the fifth meter data towards the third meter data, and for generating the service requests based on the service data generated by the plurality of distributed wind power generation systems and periodic wind power generation facility maintenance data;

a plurality of distributed fuel cell power generation systems coupled to the electric power grid, each fuel cell power generation system for generating service data and fourth meter data defining an amount of energy generated by the fuel cell power generation system over a period of time;

a fuel cell power generation system service provider system for receiving service requests and providing maintenance and repair services to the fuel cell power generation systems;

wherein the plurality of first institutions are directly coupled to one or more of the fuel cell power generation systems and are for receiving electric power from the fuel cell power generation systems and for generating fifth meter data defining an amount of electric power received from the fuel cell power generation systems; and

wherein the renewable energy services provider system is coupled to the plurality of distributed fuel cell power generation systems and the fuel cell power generation system service provider system, the renewable energy services provider system for electronically receiving the fourth meter data, the fifth meter data and the service data generated by the plurality of distributed fuel cell power generation systems, for allocating an amount of energy corresponding to an amount by which the fourth meter data exceeds the fifth meter data towards the third meter data, and for generating the service requests based on the service data generated by the plurality of distributed fuel cell power generation systems and periodic fuel cell power generation facility maintenance data.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising an institution account system for receiving meter data for each of the plurality of institutions and for generating periodic invoices for each institution based on the meter data.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising an infrastructure finance system for receiving renewable energy component finance data for each of the plurality of institutions and for generating periodic payment data for each of a plurality of financial institutions based on the renewable energy component finance data.

15. The system of claim 12 further comprising a service provider management system for receiving the service data and for selecting one of a plurality of service providers based on a type of routine maintenance, a type of repair, and a location of a renewable energy component.