Methods of processing information in solar energy system

• US 8,249,902 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solarcity, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SolarCity Corporation (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Arfin, David, Niver, Michael, Tarbell, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): ADE, OGER GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US12/040,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.11
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

A sales method provides for the demonstration, performance forecasting, financing, leasing, renting, power purchase agreement, tax-advantages, and group benefits of complete renewable energy systems. Even before a sales call is attempted, a system integrator has arranged a special group of lenders and investors that will fund any project initiated, has engaged credit services to check consumer credit files, has collected operational data from a number of its own systems, has created forecast models of performance, and arranged open-membership groups to which a new user can join immediately to share in collective bargaining with utilities, spread down-time risk and expense, utilize tax incentives, etc.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

collecting operating data from a plurality of previously installed residential solar power stations associated with a plurality of customers across a network in at least one server, the plurality of solar power stations having a plurality of different solar power station configurations, the operating data specifying an operating performance of each solar power station including solar power output measurements of each of the plurality of solar power stations, wherein each residential solar power station is owned and operated by a system integrator for a specific lease period and the system integrator sells energy created by each residential solar power system to each customer associated with each residential solar power station at an agreed upon rate;

analyzing the operating data on the at least one server to produce a plurality of forecast models for the plurality of different solar power station configurations, wherein the forecast models specify energy production capabilities of the plurality of different solar power station configurations under a plurality of different operating conditions;

sending one or more of the forecast models from the at least one server to a portable computer;

demonstrating the one or more forecast models to a user using the portable computer for installing a new residential solar power station for the user that will be owned and operated by the system integrator for a lease period; and

generating, by the portable computer, pricing estimates for particular energy production needs of the user using the forecast models and predefined pricing formulas for selling energy created by the new residential solar power station to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising changing the pricing formulas based on further collection of said operating data.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising changing the forecast models based on further collection of said operating data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said demonstrating step comprises generating a performance forecast model of a proposed solar power station configuration for a particular installation and demonstrating the performance forecast model on the portable computer for the user.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a cost/benefit analysis of a proposed solar power station configuration for a particular installation and demonstrating the cost/benefit analysis on the portable computer for the user.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating documentation for a proposed solar power station configuration for a particular installation, the documentation including a cost/benefit analysis for the proposed solar power station configuration based on at least an estimated price, energy production of the proposed solar power station configuration, tax rebates, and utility rates.

7. A method comprising:

collecting information from a plurality of residential solar power stations associated with a plurality of customers across a network in at least one server, the information comprising operating data for particular solar power stations, the plurality of solar power stations having a plurality of different solar power station configurations, the operating data specifying an operating performance of each solar power station including solar power output measurements of each of the plurality of solar power stations, wherein each residential solar power station is owned and operated by a system integrator for a specific lease period and the system integrator sells energy created by each residential solar power system to each customer associated with each residential solar power station at an agreed upon rate; and

separating the information, by the at least one server, for processing by a plurality of different processing models operable on the at least one server, wherein information from particular solar power stations is identified by a particular solar power station identification, the processing models comprising;

a first processing model to receive at least a portion of the operating data and detect operational anomalies in particular solar power stations, and generate alerts if a particular system is underperforming and provide remedial actions;

a second processing model to receive at least a portion of the operating data and monitor performance of the solar power stations, wherein system performance for particular solar power stations is separately provided to owners of the particular solar power stations on a secure website by posting performance data on at least one webpage; and

a third processing model to analyze at least a portion of the operating data to produce a plurality of forecast models for a plurality of different solar power station configurations, wherein the forecast models specify energy production capabilities of the plurality of different solar power station configurations under a plurality of different operating conditions, the third processing model sending one or more of the forecast models from the at least one server to a portable computer for demonstration to a user for installing a new residential solar power station for the user that will be owned and operated by the system integrator for a lease period and energy created by the new residential solar power station being sold to the user.