Systems and methods for facilitating aggregation of social credits

• US 8,725,617 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micro Energy Credits Corp.
• Original Assignee: Micro Energy Credits Corp.
• Inventors: Allderdice, April, Dailey, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Subramanian, Narayanswamy
• Application Number:
  US13/250,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20120023037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 39
• US Class Current: 705/36.R
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed to systems and methods for facilitating the aggregation of carbon reduction credits resulting from finance loans financing the purchase of energy technology. For example, a credit aggregator may receive from a finance institution estimate parameters describing a loan type. The credit aggregator may calculate a value of a carbon reduction credit associated with each loan of the loan type considering the estimate parameters and display the value to the finance institution. In addition, the credit aggregator may receive bid data and booking data from the finance institution. When a credit is booked, the credit aggregator may receive from the finance institution periodic indications of a status of the intervention technology.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for facilitating the aggregation of carbon reduction credits resulting from loans financing the acquisition of intervention technology of a first energy technology type originated by a finance institution, the system comprising:

at least one computer device comprising;

at least one communication device;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device bearing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one computer device to;

receive, from at least one communication device of the finance institution, via the at least one communication device of the at least one computer device, estimate parameters describing a loan type and comprising data describing an intervention technology of the first energy technology type and data defining a baseline technology;

calculate a value of a carbon reduction credit associated with each loan of the loan type considering the estimate parameters;

transmit the value of the carbon reduction credit associated with each loan, via the at least one communication device of the at least one computer device, to the at least one communication device of the finance institution;

receive via the at least one communication device of the at least one computer device bid data transmitted from the at least one communication device of the finance institution, the bid data comprising data relating to the loan type and an estimated number of loans with correspondence to the intervention technology of the first energy technology type;

review the bid data by performing acts including calculating a value of at least one carbon reduction credit that would result from the bid, retrieving data describing the finance institution, generating a first score describing the finance institution, generating a second score describing a demand for credits generated in association with the bid, generating a third score describing the quality of the bid and automatically determining whether to approve the bid based on the first, second and third scores;

determine, via a bid data bid review engine, acceptability of the received bid data from the finance institution;

communicate acceptance of the received bid to the at least one communication device of the finance institution via the at least one communication device of the at least one computer device;

receive, via the at least one communication device of the at least one computer device, credit booking data for a first loan of the loan type transmitted from the finance institution via the at least one communication device of the finance institution, the credit booking data comprising a local address of a first location where the first energy technology type financed by the loan is installed, a latitude and longitude of the first location, and a tracking number indicative of the installation;

receive, via the at least one communication device of the at least one computer device, periodic indications validating continued applicability of carbon credits attributable to usage of the intervention technology at the first location transmitted from the finance institution via the at least one communication device of the finance institution;

direct a payment to the finance institution, via the at least one communication device of the at least one computer device, in return for a carbon reduction credit associated with at least the first loan.

2. The system of claim 1, the at least one communication device of the finance institution used to transmit the periodic indications comprising a mobile device.

3. The system of claim 1, the memory device further bearing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one computer device to derive at least some of the data describing the baseline technology using the first location of the intervention technology of the first energy technology type.

4. The system of claim 1, the loan type indicated by the bid data comprising an indication of the intervention technology of the first energy technology type and the baseline technology.

5. The system of claim 1, the act of receiving credit booking data for a first loan further comprising interrogating a Global Positioning System (GPS) functionally associated with a mobile device of the finance institution disposed at the first location to obtain the latitude and the longitude of the first location.

6. The system of claim 1, the act of reviewing the bid data further comprising providing the bid data, the value of the at least one carbon reduction credit and the data describing the finance institution to an administrative user of the system and receiving from the administrative user an indication of whether the bid is approved or rejected.

7. The system of claim 1, the memory device further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one computer device to:

calculate a value of a non-carbon reduction credit associated with each loan of the loan type considering the estimate parameters; and

direct a payment to the finance institution in return for the non-carbon reduction credit associated with the first loan.

8. The system of claim 7, the non-carbon credit comprising at least one credit selected from the group consisting of a Millennium Development Goal (MDG) credit, a biodiversity credit, a human development credit, a fair trade agricultural credit, and a fair trade craft credit.

9. The system of claim 1, the memory device further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one computer device to:

aggregate the carbon reduction credit associated with the first loan with a plurality of similar carbon reduction credits to form a lot of carbon reduction credits; and

book a sale of the lot of carbon reduction credits to a third party.

10. The system of claim 9, the memory device further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one computer device to:

determine whether any of the carbon reduction credit associated with the first loan and the plurality of similar carbon reduction credits have been downgraded; and

conditioned upon a downgrade, substituting the downgraded carbon credit for a replacement carbon credit.

11. The system of claim 1, the memory device further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one computer device to provide to a retail user interface to a retail user, the retail user interface is configured to receive a payment from the retail user in return for at least one carbon reduction credit.

12. The system of claim 11, the amount of the payment being determined based on a demand for the at least one carbon reduction credit.

13. The system of claim 11, the retail user interface comprising an indication of a plurality of available carbon reduction credits and data describing each of the plurality of available carbon reduction credits.

14. The system of claim 13, the data describing each of the plurality of available carbon reduction credits comprising the intervention technology generating an associated carbon reduction, and a location of origin of the carbon reduction.

15. The system of claim 1, the memory device further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one computer device to:

review data received from the finance institution and a plurality of additional finance institutions;

identify at least one finance institution selected from the finance institution and the plurality of finance institutions that is a candidate for an advance purchase of carbon reduction credits;

identify at least one finance institution selected from the finance institution and the plurality of finance institutions that is a candidate for receiving additional financing; and

identify at least one finance institution selected from the finance institution and the plurality of finance institutions that is a candidate for receiving additional training.

16. The system of claim 1, the memory device further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one computer device to transmit to the finance institution information identifying at least one supplier of the intervention technology.

17. A computer-implemented method for facilitating the aggregation of carbon reduction credits resulting from loans financing the purchase of energy technology, wherein the loans are originated by finance institutions, the method comprising:

receiving, with at least one computer device comprising at least one processor, at least one communication device, and a memory device, estimate parameters describing a loan type from a finance institution, the estimate parameters comprising data describing an intervention technology of the first energy technology type and data defining a baseline technology;

calculating using the at least one computer device, a value of a carbon reduction credit associated with each loan of the loan type considering the estimate parameters;

communicating to the finance institution, using the at least one computer device, the value of the carbon reduction credit associated with each loan;

receiving using the at least one computer device, bid data from the finance institution, the bid data indicating the loan type and an estimated number of loans;

reviewing the bid data, using the at least one computer device, by performing acts including calculating a value of at least one carbon reduction credit that would result from the bid, retrieving data describing the finance institution, generating a first score describing the finance institution, generating a second score describing a demand for credits generated in association with the bid, generating a third score describing the quality of the bid and automatically determining whether to approve the bid based on the first, second and third scores;

receiving from the finance institution, using the at least one computer device, credit booking data for a first loan of the loan type, the credit booking data comprising a local address of a first location where the first energy technology financed by the loan is installed, a latitude and longitude of the first location, and a tracking number indicative of the installation;

receiving from the finance institution, using the at least one computer device, periodic indications validating continued applicability of carbon credits attributable to usage of the intervention technology at the first location; and

using the at least one computer device to transmit a payment to the finance institution in return for a carbon reduction credit associated with the first loan.

18. A computer-implemented method according to claim 17, the periodic indications being received according to a predetermined schedule.