Energy management system and method for monitoring and optimizing energy usage, identifying energy savings and facilitating procurement of energy savings products and services

• US 20020178047A1
• Filed: 05/13/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Such, Joseph A., Or, Ellen Pak-Wah
• Application Number:
  US10/142,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20020178047A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

An energy management and corrective method utilizing a computer system and energy sensors the method comprising the steps of: monitoring energy usage at an energy consuming first facility and saving information regarding recording energy usage at the facility; establishing a historical base-line energy usage at the first facility based on the saved information of energy usage; comparing historical base-line energy usage to current energy usage at the first facility; determining excessive energy usage based on the comparison of historical base-line energy usage to current energy usage at the first facility; reporting a recommended corrective action for excessive energy usage, and providing an electronic purchase ordering link to purchase a supply needed to perform the corrective action.

Claims

1. An energy management and corrective method utilizing a computer system and energy sensors said method comprising the steps of:

a. monitoring energy usage at an energy consuming first facility and saving information regarding recording energy usage at the facility;

b. establishing a historical base-line energy usage at the first facility based on the saved information of energy usage;

c. comparing historical base-line energy usage to current energy usage at the first facility;

d. determining excessive energy usage based on the comparison of historical base-line energy usage to current energy usage at the first facility;

e. reporting a recommended corrective action for excessive energy usage, and

f. providing an electronic purchase ordering link to purchase a supply needed to perform the corrective action.

2. An energy management and corrective method as in claim 1 wherein the report of recommended action includes a suggested supply for the corrective action.

3. An energy management and corrective method as in claim 2 wherein the report of a suggested supply includes a plurality of vendor sources for the supply.

4. An energy management and corrective method as in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

g. monitoring energy usage of at least one other facility and saving information regarding recording energy usage at the facility, wherein the at least one other facility is similar to the first facility;

h. comparing current energy usage at the first facility to current energy usage at the at least one other facility, and

i. determining excessive energy usage based in part on the comparison of current energy usage at the first facility and the at least one other facility.

5. An energy management and corrective method utilizing a computer system and remote energy sensors said method comprising the steps of:

a. remotely measuring energy usage at an energy consuming first facility and saving in the computer system information regarding recording energy usage at the facility;

b. establishing a historical base-line energy usage data of energy usage at the first facility based on the saved information of energy usage;

c. comparing information obtained from a historical base-line energy usage database to current energy usage measured at the first facility;

d. determining excessive energy usage based on the comparison of historical base-line energy usage to current energy usage at the first facility;

e. reporting a recommended corrective action for excessive energy usage;

f. providing an electronic purchase ordering link to purchase a supply needed to perform the corrective action.