Methods and Systems Involving Databases for Energy Microgeneration Data

• US 20120330847A1
• Filed: 06/24/2011
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Digital Holdings LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Boot, John Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,645,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/80
• 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

Abstract

A method for analyzing electrical generation data includes receiving data associated with a generating device at a metered location and storing the data associated with the generating device in a database, receiving data associated with time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location and storing the data in the database, associating the received data associated with a generating device with the data associated with time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location, processing the received data associated with a generating device with the data associated and the time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location to identify time periods that the generating device outputs electrical power to an electrical grid, and identifying a preferred time period that the generating device may be used to output power to the grid.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing electrical generation data comprising:

receiving data associated with a generating device at a metered location and storing the data associated with the generating device in a database;

receiving data associated with time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location and storing the data in the database;

associating the received data associated with a generating device with the data associated with time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location;

processing the received data associated with a generating device with the data associated and the time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location to identify time periods that the generating device outputs electrical power to an electrical grid; and

identifying a preferred time period that the generating device may be used to output power to the grid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes receiving grid loading data indicative of peak grid loading time periods and the identifying the preferred time period that the generating device may be used to output power to the grid includes correlating the time periods that the generating device outputs electrical power to the electrical grid with the peak grid loading time periods.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data associated with the generating device includes a geographic location of the generating device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data associated with the generating device includes an indication of a type of the generation device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data associated with the generating device includes a generation capacity of the generation device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data associated with time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location is received from a metering device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data associated with time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location includes an indication of net electrical power output to the grid by the metered location at the time periods.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified preferred time period that the generating device may be used to output power to the grid is output to a user on a display.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes sending a notification message to a user at the metered location indicating an offered incentive for outputting electrical power to the grid during the identified preferred time period.

10. A system for analyzing electrical generation data, the system comprising:

a database; and

a processor operative to receive data associated with a generating device at a metered location and storing the data associated with the generating device in the database, receive data associated with time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location and storing the data in the database, associate the received data associated with a generating device with the data associated with time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location, process the received data associated with a generating device with the data associated and the time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location to identify time periods that the generating device outputs electrical power to an electrical grid, and identify a preferred time period that the generating device may be used to output power to the grid.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the method further includes receiving grid loading data indicative of peak grid loading time periods and the identifying the preferred time period that the generating device may be used to output power to the grid includes correlating the time periods that the generating device outputs electrical power to the electrical grid with the peak grid loading time periods.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the data associated with the generating device includes a geographic location of the generating device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the data associated with the generating device includes an indication of a type of the generation device.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the data associated with the generating device includes a generation capacity of the generation device.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the data associated with time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location is received from a metering device.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the data associated with time periods that the generating device is used at the metered location includes an indication of net electrical power output to the grid by the metered location at the time periods.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the identified preferred time period that the generating device may be used to output power to the grid is output to a user on a display.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operative to send a notification message to a user at the metered location indicating an offered incentive for outputting electrical power to the grid during the identified preferred time period.