SYSTEM AND METHODS TO AGGREGATE INSTANT AND FORECASTED EXCESS RENEWABLE ENERGY
Systems and methods dynamically measure, ascertain, and compare a local facility load with local renewable energy generation in substantially real time and determine whether excess energy exists from the local distributed renewable energy resource. Further, systems and methods forecast the available excess energy from the local distributed renewable energy resources for acquisition to third parties. A pulse width modulation (PWM) controller permits delivery of acquired increments of the available excess renewable energy.
1 . A method to allocate excess energy from distributed renewable energy resources, the method comprising:
automatically receiving in a substantially continuous way a measurement of energy generated by a distributed renewable energy resource;
automatically receiving in a substantially continuous way a measurement of energy consumed from the energy generated by the distributed renewable energy resource;
based at least in part on the received measurement of energy generated and the received measurement of energy consumed, automatically forecasting a quantity of excess energy generated by the distributed renewable resource;
transmitting an indication comprising the quantity of forecasted excess energy over a network to one or more third parties; and
allocating excess energy with a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller in response to a request to acquire an amount of the forecasted excess energy.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein allocating the excess energy comprises allocating the amount of the excess energy.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the amount of the excess energy comprises a range between approximately 0% and approximately 100%.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein allocating the excess energy further comprises inputting the amount of the excess energy to an electrical grid.
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the network comprises the Internet.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving in a substantially continuous way the measurement of energy consumed comprises receiving the measurement of energy consumed at least once every 15 minutes.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving in a substantially continuous way the measurement of energy generated comprises receiving the measurement of energy generated at a rate sufficient to synchronize the energy generated by the distributed renewable resource with energy on an electrical grid.
8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically determining a quantity of instant excess energy generated by the distributed renewable energy resource.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the indication further comprises the quantity of instant excess energy.
10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising automatically aggregating the quantities of instant excess energy generated by a plurality of distributed renewable energy resources.
11 . The method of claim 10 further comprising automatically aggregating the quantities of forecasted excess energy generated by a plurality of distributed renewable energy resources.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the indication further comprises the aggregated quantities of instant excess energy and the aggregated quantities of forecasted excess energy.
13 . The method of claim 1 wherein automatically forecasting the quantity of excess energy comprises forecasting the quantity of excess energy generated by the distributed renewable resource for a predetermined period of time.
14 . An apparatus to allocate excess energy from distributed renewable energy resources, the method comprising:
a first analog to digital converter configured to automatically provide in a substantially continuous way a measurement related to energy generated by a distributed renewable energy resource;
a first data sampling device configured to receive the measurement related to energy generated and to provide energy generated data;
a second analog to digital converter configured to automatically provide in a substantially continuous way a measurement related to energy consumed from the energy generated by the distributed renewable energy resource;
a second data sampling device configured to receive the measurement related to energy consumed and to provide energy consumed data;
a data analyzer comprising computer hardware configured to automatically forecast a quantity of excess energy generated by the distributed renewable resource based at least in part on the energy generated data and the energy consumed data;
a communication port configured to transmit an indication comprising the quantity of forecasted excess energy over a network to one or more third parties; and
a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller configured to allocate excess energy in response to a request to acquire an amount of the forecasted excess energy.
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein allocating the excess energy comprises allocating the amount of the excess energy.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the amount of the excess energy comprises a range between approximately 0% and approximately 100%.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 wherein allocating the excess energy further comprises inputting the amount of the excess energy to an electrical grid.
18 . The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the network comprises the Internet.
19 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein receiving in a substantially continuous way the measurement related to energy consumed comprises receiving the measurement related to energy consumed at least once every 15 minutes.
20 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein receiving in a substantially continuous way the measurement related to energy generated comprises receiving the measurement related to energy generated at a rate sufficient to synchronize the energy generated by the distributed renewable resource with energy on an electrical grid.
21 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the data analyzer is further configured to determine a quantity of instant excess energy generated by the distributed renewable energy resource.
22 . The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the indication further comprises the quantity of instant excess energy.
23 . The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the data analyzer is further configured to aggregate the quantities of instant excess energy generated by a plurality of distributed renewable energy resources.
24 . The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the data analyzer is further configured to aggregate the quantities of forecasted excess energy generated by a plurality of distributed renewable energy resources.
25 . The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the indication further comprises the aggregated quantities of instant excess energy and the aggregated quantities of forecasted excess energy.
26 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein forecasting the quantity of excess energy comprises forecasting the quantity of excess energy generated by the distributed renewable resource for a predetermined period of time.