Integrated solar agent business model

• US 7,844,499 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Electronics Corporation (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Electronics Corporation (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yahiro, Shinichiro, Otomo, Mika
• Primary Examiner(s): Airapetian; Mila
• Application Number:
  US11/318,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

A method of delivering a solar system and related services from a solar system vendor to a customer is provided. The method includes estimating the customer'"'"'s solar system requirements, delivering the estimated requirements to the customer, providing a sales lead that includes the estimated requirements to a contractor, the contractor contacting the customer to perform a sales close, ordering the solar system products from the solar system vendor, and issuing a payment for the products to the solar system vendor. The method of delivering solar services further includes supplying a first set of solar system components from the solar system vendor and a second set of solar system components from a third-party vendor, configuring all or a portion of the solar system components in accordance with the solar system requirements, shipping the solar system to the customer'"'"'s site, and installing the system on the customer'"'"'s site. The method for delivering solar services further includes financing the solar system by providing a loan from a financial institution to the customer, providing periodic payments from the customer to the financial institution, and providing payments from the financial institution to the contractor and from the contractor to the solar system vendor. An optional network monitoring service may also be provided.

Claims

1. A method of delivering a solar system and related services from a solar system vendor to a customer, comprising:

estimating the customer'"'"'s solar system requirements;

delivering the estimated requirements to the customer;

providing a sales lead that includes the estimated requirements to a contractor, the contractor

contacting the customer to perform a sales close,

ordering the solar system products from the solar system vendor, and

issuing a payment for the products to the solar system vendor;

supplying a first set of solar system components from the solar system vendor and a second set of solar system components from a third-party vendor;

configuring all or a portion of the solar system components in accordance with the solar system requirements;

shipping the solar system to the customer'"'"'s site;

installing the system on the customer'"'"'s site; and

financing the solar system by providing a loan from a financial institution to the customer, providing periodic payments from the customer to the financial institution, and providing payments from the financial institution to the contractor and from the contractor to the solar system vendor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring environmental attributes from the customer to the solar system vendor, and transferring environmental attributes from the solar system vendor to members of the voluntary or compliance markets.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the environmental attribute is a Renewable Energy Credit (REC).

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the environmental attribute is an Emissions Right.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the environmental attributes are aggregated in a solar system vendor'"'"'s account and traded either individually or in the aggregate with interested members of the voluntary or compliance markets.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the solar system vendor provides a rebate to the customer in exchange for the transfer of the environmental attribute.

7. The method of claim 1, where the customer'"'"'s solar system requirements are estimated by an aerial or satellite image estimator which provides an aerial or satellite image of the customer'"'"'s premises.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein aerial or satellite image estimator is an Internet-based software application linked to the solar system vendor.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein estimation using the aerial or satellite image estimator includes the steps of ensuring that the customer'"'"'s premises is in a service area of the aerial or satellite photo estimator service, entering the customer'"'"'s average electric or other utility bill, name, address, telephone number, and email address, and verifying the customer'"'"'s information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of ensuring that the customer'"'"'s premises is in a service area of the aerial or satellite photo estimator service includes showing the customer a map of the geographic area where the aerial or satellite photo estimator service is available.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of ensuring that the customer'"'"'s premises is in a service area of the aerial or satellite photo estimator service includes entering the customer'"'"'s postal code and accessing a database to determine if the postal code is included in the aerial or satellite photo estimator service area.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the customer'"'"'s information is verified by showing the customer an aerial or satellite image where the customer'"'"'s premises is indicated on the image by a superimposed mark.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the customer'"'"'s information is verified by showing the customer an aerial or satellite image where the customer'"'"'s premises is indicated on the image in the context of the surrounding areas, including other streets, vegetation, man-made structures such as commercial or residential buildings, or other landmarks that would help identify the locality of the customer'"'"'s premises and verify that the location shown in the image is correct.

14. The method of claim 7, where the image of the customer'"'"'s premises is obtained from a third-party database, where the customer and the solar system vendor are the first and second parties.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the sales lead provided to the contractor is further comprised of computer aided design (CAD) data derived from the aerial or satellite image.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the sales lead provided to the contractor is further comprised of a concept drawing showing the layout of solar modules on the customer'"'"'s premises, directional views of the customer'"'"'s premises, and an estimate of the total generating capacity of the solar system.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the sales lead is provided to the contractor from a business to business (B2B) portal linked to the solar system vendor and providing support functions to the contractor, and the ordering of the solar system products from the solar system vendor takes place through the B2B portal.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the contacting the customer to perform a sales close comprises the steps of visiting the customer'"'"'s premises to observe the physical characteristics of an installation site and modifying the estimated requirements according to the observed physical characteristics.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of solar system components from the third party vendor are provided by one or more balance of sale (BOS) vendors by means of a configure to order (CTO) procurement method.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the configuring of all or a portion of the solar system components is carried out by the BOS vendors and the solar system vendor prior to shipping the solar system to the customer'"'"'s site.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein a government rebate issued to the customer upon purchase of the solar system is provided as whole or part collateral to the financial institution, allowing the customer to more readily finance the purchase of a solar system.

22. The method of claim 1, where the estimate requirements include the layout and number of solar modules.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivering the estimated requirements to the customer includes making the estimated requirements available on a website to be downloaded by the customer.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the components of the solar system include solar modules, an inverter, and a meter.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein installing the system on the customer'"'"'s site includes the steps of mounting the solar modules on the customer'"'"'s premises, and electrically connecting the solar modules to the other system components.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein installing the system on the customer'"'"'s site includes the steps of obtaining installation approval from a homeowner'"'"'s association, obtaining any necessary building permits, interacting with a state energy commission in obtaining any applicable rebates, interacting with the customer'"'"'s utility company, concluding the contract with the customer, obtaining delivery of the solar system, or any combination thereof.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated requirements includes estimated savings that result from the installation and use of the solar system.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated requirements includes a total cost and a net cost, where tax credits and rebates are deducted from the total cost.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the contractors operate as a franchise of the solar system vendor.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising providing a network monitoring service, where data is sent from the inverter to a monitoring server and monitoring client for the purposes of detecting malfunction in the solar system and monitoring the power generated by the solar modules.

31. The method of claim 30, where the data includes AC output, DC input, error messages, and the accumulated output.

32. The method of claim 30, where the network monitoring service is financed by the transfer of environmental attributes from the customer to the solar system vendor.