Bidding for energy supply
First Claim
1. A method for conducting an automated bidding process among a plurality of energy Providers for the benefit of end users, the process utilizing a moderating computer and based on an economic choice in accordance with auction rules, the method comprising:
- a. transmitting at least a portion of historical energy usage information associated with at least one end user to at least a portion of a plurality of energy Providers;
b. receiving, from each Provider of the plurality of energy Providers, including at least one energy Provider to whom the at least a portion of historical energy usage information has been transmitted in Step a., bids to provide energy, consisting of electric power, to the at least one end user;
c. processing the bids in accordance with the auction rules;
d. transmitting at least a portion of processed bid information to at least one bidding Provider of the plurality of energy Providers; and
e. designating, on the basis of the processed bid information, at least one Provider of the plurality of energy Providers to supply at least a portion of the electric power needed by the at least one end user for use at least one end-user facility during a specific future time interval;
wherein each of Steps a., d. and e. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with a control computer, or the moderating computer working in conjunction with both at least one adjunct computer and a control computer and wherein each of Steps b. and c. is performed by the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An auction service is provided that stimulates competition between energy suppliers (i.e., electric power or natural gas). A bidding moderator receives offers from competing suppliers specifying the economic terms each is willing to offer to end users or resellers for estimated quantities of electric power or gas supply (separate auctions). Suppliers receive feedback from the moderator based on competitors'"'"' offers and have the opportunity to adjust their own offers down or up, depending on whether they want to encourage or discourage additional energy delivery commitments in a particular geographic area or to a particular customer group. Each supplier'"'"'s offers can also be changed to reflect each supplier'"'"'s capacity utilization. The moderator selects one or more suppliers to provide electric power or natural gas to each end user or reseller, with each supplier providing at least a portion of the electric power or natural gas needed by each end user or reseller during a specific future time interval.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method for conducting an automated bidding process among a plurality of energy Providers for the benefit of end users, the process utilizing a moderating computer and based on an economic choice in accordance with auction rules, the method comprising:
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a. transmitting at least a portion of historical energy usage information associated with at least one end user to at least a portion of a plurality of energy Providers; b. receiving, from each Provider of the plurality of energy Providers, including at least one energy Provider to whom the at least a portion of historical energy usage information has been transmitted in Step a., bids to provide energy, consisting of electric power, to the at least one end user; c. processing the bids in accordance with the auction rules; d. transmitting at least a portion of processed bid information to at least one bidding Provider of the plurality of energy Providers; and e. designating, on the basis of the processed bid information, at least one Provider of the plurality of energy Providers to supply at least a portion of the electric power needed by the at least one end user for use at least one end-user facility during a specific future time interval; wherein each of Steps a., d. and e. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with a control computer, or the moderating computer working in conjunction with both at least one adjunct computer and a control computer and wherein each of Steps b. and c. is performed by the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for conducting an automated bidding process among a plurality of energy Providers for the benefit of end users, the process utilizing a moderating computer and based on an economic choice in accordance with auction rules, the method comprising:
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a. transmitting at least a portion of historical energy usage information associated with at least one end user to at least a portion of a plurality of energy Providers; b. receiving, from each Provider of the plurality of energy Providers, including at least one energy Provider to whom the at least a portion of historical energy usage information has been transmitted in Step a., bids to provide energy, consisting of electric power, to the at least one end user; c. processing the bids in accordance with the auction rules; d. transmitting at least a portion of processed bid information to at least one bidding Provider of the plurality of energy Providers; and e. designating, on the basis of the processed bid information, at least two Providers of the plurality of energy Providers, with each of said at least two Providers to supply at least a portion of the electric power needed by the at least one end user for use at least one end-user facility during a specific future time interval, such that the at least two Providers, when their respective designations to supply are summed, are designated to supply 100% of the electric power needed by the at least one end user for use at the at least one end-user facility during at least a portion of the specific future time interval; wherein each of Steps a., d. and e. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with a control computer, or the moderating computer working in conjunction with both at least one adjunct computer and a control computer and wherein each of Steps b. and c. is performed by the by the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for conducting an automated bidding process among a plurality of energy Providers for the benefit of end users, the process utilizing a moderating computer and based on an economic choice in accordance with auction rules, the method comprising:
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a. transmitting at least a portion of historical energy usage information associated with at least one end user to at least a portion of a plurality of energy Providers; b. receiving, from each Provider of the plurality of energy Providers, including at least one energy Provider to whom the at least a portion of historical energy usage information has been transmitted in Step a., bids to provide energy, consisting of electric power, to the at least one end user; c. processing the bids in accordance with the auction rules; d. transmitting at least a portion of processed bid information to at least one bidding Provider of the plurality of energy Providers; e. designating, on the basis of the processed bid information, at least one Provider of the plurality of energy Providers to supply at least a portion of the electric power needed by the at least one end user for use at least one end-user facility during a specific future time interval; and f. transmitting, to at least one of the designated at least one Provider, data indicating at least a portion of the quantity of electric power used by the at least one end user during at least a part of the specific future time interval at the at least one end-user facility; wherein each of Steps a., d., e. and f. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with a control computer, or the moderating computer working in conjunction with both at least one adjunct computer and a control computer and wherein each of Steps b. and c. is performed by the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for conducting an automated bidding process among a plurality of energy Providers for the benefit of Buyers, the process utilizing a moderating computer and based on an economic choice in accordance with auction rules, the method comprising:
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a. receiving, from at least one Buyer, at least one request for future energy supply, consisting of electric power; b. processing the at least one request and distributing at least a portion of at least one processed request to a plurality of energy Providers; c. transmitting at least a portion of historical energy usage information associated with the at least one Buyer to at least a portion of the plurality of energy Providers; d. receiving, from at least three bidding Providers of the plurality of energy Providers, including at least one energy Provider to whom the at least a portion of historical energy usage information has been transmitted in Step c., bids to provide electric power to the at least one Buyer; e. processing the bids in accordance with the auction rules; f. transmitting at least a portion of processed bid information to at least one of the at least three bidding Providers; and g. designating, on the basis of the processed bid information, at least two Providers of the at least three bidding Providers, with each of said at least two Providers to supply at least a portion of the electric power needed by the at least one Buyer for use at least one end-user facility during a specific future time interval, such that the at least two Providers, when their respective designations to supply are summed, are designated to supply 100% of the electric power needed by the at least one Buyer for use at the at least one end-user facility during at least a portion of the specific future time interval; wherein each of Steps a., c., f. and g. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with a control computer, or the moderating computer working in conjunction with both at least one adjunct computer and a control computer and wherein each of Steps b., d. and e. is performed by the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for conducting an automated bidding process among a plurality of energy Providers for the benefit of Buyers, the process utilizing a moderating computer and based on an economic choice in accordance with auction rules, the method comprising:
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a. receiving, from at least one Buyer, at least one request for future energy supply, consisting of electric power; b. processing the at least one request and distributing at least a portion of at least one processed request to a plurality of energy Providers; c. transmitting at least a portion of historical energy usage information associated with the at least one Buyer to at least a portion of the plurality of energy Providers; d. receiving, from at least two bidding Providers of the plurality of energy Providers, including at least one energy Provider to whom the at least a portion of historical energy usage information has been transmitted in Step c., bids to provide electric power to the at least one Buyer; e. processing the bids in accordance with the auction rules; f. transmitting at least a portion of processed bid information to at least one of the at least two bidding Providers; g. designating, on the basis of the processed bid information, at least one Provider of the at least two bidding Providers to supply at least a portion of the electric power needed by the at least one Buyer for use at least one end-user facility during a specific future time interval; and h. transmitting, to at least one of the designated at least one Provider, data indicating at least a portion of the quantity of electric power supplied to the at least one Buyer for use during at least a part of the specific future time interval at the at least one end-user facility; wherein each of Steps a., c., f., g. and h. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with a control computer, or the moderating computer working in conjunction with both at least one adjunct computer and a control computer and wherein each of Steps b., d. and e. is performed by the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification