Systems and methods for advanced energy settlements, network-based messaging, and software applications for electric power grids, microgrids, grid elements, and/or electric power networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016203569-A1
Application number	US-201614993703-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 12, 2016
Priority date	Jan 13, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for advanced energy settlements in electric power grid are proposed. At least one energy customer, at least one retail electric provider and at least one distributed generator connect to an advanced energy settlement platform communicatively. The advanced energy settlement platform is operable to summate a customer balance from all the settlement blocks during a billing period and collect payments from the at least one energy customer automatically; aggregate and settle distributed energy charges with distributed generators and fixed energy charges with the energy retailer or retail energy provider for the at least one energy customer during the billing period. The advanced energy settlement platform also provides interactive graphical user interface for different participants in the advanced energy settlement and for advanced energy settlements application development kit (ADK) for access to functionality within the advanced energy settlement platform.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for advanced energy settlements in electric power grid, comprising:
providing an advanced energy settlement platform; aggregating consumption data from energy customers and revenue grade metrology data from distributed generators into settlement blocks; underpinning a settlement process for a billing period based on the settlement blocks; mapping settlement blocks to appropriate energy power purchase agreement in effect; calculating the cost of each settlement block; summating a customer balance from all the settlement blocks during a billing period and collecting payments from energy customers automatically; aggregating and settling distributed energy charges with distributed generators for energy customers during the billing period through a clearing house; and aggregating and settling fixed energy charges with the energy retailer or retail energy provider for energy customers during the billing period.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the consumption data is measured through sub metering technology in real time or near real time.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cost of each settlement block includes Time of Use (TOU), demand, taxes, access fees and energy charges.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising integrating the advanced energy settlement platform with an existing distributed energy market exchange, wherein the existing distributed energy market exchange provides prices on distributed generation.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising providing a real time energy purchasing solution matching the consumers' real energy consumption against energy currently available with the existing distributed energy market exchange.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing and organizing packet level information for forecasting, data mining, revenue extraction, event detection, sophisticated energy management and enterprise integration.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein customer payment for a billing period between multiple distributed generators and the customer's existing energy retailer is managed in a single energy bill to the customer.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing intelligent analytics for generators by capturing and transforming market data for trending, forecasting, planning and maximizing revenue/investment opportunities;

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing intelligent analytics for customers by capturing and transforming energy data for energy management, forecasting, procurement, profiling, bill optimization and recommendation.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy customers has generation capability, wherein the energy customers has exportable generation capability, and wherein the energy customer acts as generators.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing an interactive graphical user interface for different participants in the advanced energy settlement.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a graphical user interface for advanced energy settlements application development kit (ADK) for access to functionality within the advanced energy settlement platform.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the ADK includes application design patterns for branding, white labeling, and themable implementation of new Apps.

14 . A system for advanced energy settlements in electric power grid, comprising:
at least one energy customer, at least one retail electric provider, at least one distributed generator, and an advanced energy settlement platform; wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is operable to:
aggregate consumption data from the at least one energy customer and revenue grade metrology data from distributed generators into settlement blocks;
underpin a settlement process for a billing period based on the settlement blocks;
map settlement blocks to appropriate energy power purchase agreement in effect;
calculate the cost of each settlement block;
summate a customer balance from all the settlement blocks during a billing period and collect payments from the at least one energy customer automatically;
aggregate and settle distributed energy charges with distributed generators for the at least one energy customer during the billing period through a clearing house; and
aggregate and settle fixed energy charges with the energy retailer or retail energy provider for the at least one energy customer during the billing period.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the consumption data is measured through sub metering technology in real time or near real time.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the cost of each settlement block includes Time of Use (TOU), demand, taxes, access fees and energy charges.

17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is integrated with an existing distributed energy market exchange, wherein the existing distributed energy market exchange provides prices on distributed generation.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is operable to provide a real time energy purchasing solution matching the at least one consumer's real energy consumption against energy currently available with the existing distributed energy market exchange.

19 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is operable to store and organize packet level information for forecasting, data mining, revenue extraction, event detection, sophisticated energy management and enterprise integration.

20 . The system of claim 14 , customer payment for a billing period between multiple distributed generators and the customer's existing energy retailer is managed in a single energy bill.

21 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is operable to provide intelligent analytics for generators by capturing and transforming market data for trending, forecasting, planning and maximizing revenue/investment opportunities;

22 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is operable to provide intelligent analytics for customers by capturing and transforming energy data for energy management, forecasting, procurement, profiling, bill optimization and recommendation.

23 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one energy customer has generation capability, wherein the at least one energy customer has exportable generation capacity, and wherein the at least one energy customer acts as a generator.

24 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the advanced energy settlement platform is operable to provide interactive graphical user interface for different participants in the advanced energy settlement.

25 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising providing a graphical user interface for advanced energy settlements application development kit (ADK) for access to functionality within the advanced energy settlement platform.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the ADK includes application design patterns for branding, white labeling, and themable implementation of new Apps.

Assignees

• Causam Energy Inc

Inventors

• Forbes Jr Joseph W
• Brockman Nathaniel Taylor

Classifications

• G06Q50/06 Primary

  Energy or water supply · CPC title

• G06F8/35

  model driven · CPC title

• G06Q20/145

  Payments according to the detected use or quantity · CPC title

• G06Q30/04

  Billing or invoicing · CPC title

• Y04S50/12

  Billing, invoicing, buying or selling transactions or other related activities, e.g. cost or usage evaluation · CPC title