System and methods for actively managing electric power over an electric power grid and providing revenue grade data usable for settlement

1. A system for managing power information on an electric power grid, comprising:

a server processor constructed and configured for communicating Internet Protocol-based (IP-based) messages with a plurality of power consuming devices, wherein the IP-based messages include information relating to activities by the plurality of power consuming devices;

at least one active load client operable to control at least one power consuming device and receive at least one IP-based power reduction message including information relating to an amount of power to be reduced for the at least one power consuming device;

wherein the at least one active load client is further operable to automatically reduce an amount of power supplied to the at least one power consuming device in response to the at least one IP-based power reduction message;

wherein the IP-based power reduction message includes instructions for managing power control events:

wherein the server processor is operable to transform the information included in the IP-based messages into settlement grade data; and

wherein the settlement grade data includes a quantification of revenue grade power available to be reduced by the activities of the at least one power consuming device and revenue grade power available to be supplied by the activities of the at least one power supplying device; and

wherein the settlement grade data is aggregated to reach a size of at least a single Power Trade Block (PTB) unit to trade and settle the amount of revenue grade power available to be reduced in real time or near real time.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a database for storing information relating to power consumed by the plurality of power consuming devices and an amount of power available to be reduced to each of the plurality of power consuming devices.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one active load client is operable to send an IP-based load status message to a utility control center, wherein the IP-based load status message includes a power consumption indicator or a power management status associated with the at least one power consuming device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions for managing power control events include alternating reduction in power to the plurality of power consuming devices based upon customer preferences associated with the plurality of power consuming devices.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the IP-based message includes a power inquiry command requesting the server processor to determine an amount of power available for temporary reduction from supply by a requesting electric utility, a market participant, or an electric power grid operator.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the server processor is operable to issue a power control event message responsive to the power inquiry command.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of power consuming devices includes a customer profile, wherein the customer profile is operable to change states based upon instructions provided by a market participant via an interface of any web-enabled device.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of power consuming devices is operable for cross-communication over a network via IP-based messaging.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a device control manager operable for communicating with the server processor information including at least one of temperature set points for thermally controlled power consuming devices, time intervals during which load control is permitted or prohibited, dates during which load control is permitted or prohibited, and priorities of power consuming device control.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the automatic reduction in the amount of power supplied to the at least one power consuming device creates an operating reserve, wherein a multiplicity of operating reserves is operable to be aggregated to act as one resource through an energy management system (EMS).

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of power consuming devices is a climate controlled device; wherein the rate of drift of the at least one climate controlled device is calculated; and wherein the instructions for managing power control events include reducing power to the at least one climate controlled device based on the calculated rate of drift associated with the at least one climate controlled device.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions for managing power control events include reducing power to a power consuming device out of the plurality of power consuming devices based upon geodetic points associated with the power consuming device.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the IP-based messages include a status request; wherein the at least one active load client is operable to respond with a status message; and wherein if the at least one active load client does not respond to the status request, a “no power” status is assumed.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one active load client has a status; and wherein if the at least one active load client changes status from a “no power” status to another status, then the active load client automatically reduces the amount of power supplied to the at least one power consuming device based upon a preset restart procedure.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of power consuming devices includes a customer profile; and wherein the preset restart procedure is based upon the customer profile.

16. A system for managing power information on an electric power grid, comprising:

a server constructed and configured for communicating Internet Protocol-based (IP-based) messages with at least one power consuming device and at least one power supplying device; wherein the IP-based messages include information relating to activities by the at least one power consuming device and the at least one power supplying device;

a database for storing the information relating to the activities by the at least one power consuming device and the at least one power supplying device, wherein the information includes power consumed by the at least one power consuming device, power supplied by the at least one power supplying device, revenue grade power available to be reduced to the at least one power consuming device, and revenue grade power available to be supplied by the at least one power supplying device;

wherein the server is operable to generate settlement grade data corresponding to the activities of the at least one power consuming device and the at least one power supplying device;

wherein the settlement grade data includes a quantification of the revenue grade power available to be reduced by the at least one power consuming device and the revenue grade power available to be supplied by the at least one power supplying device; and

wherein the settlement grade data is aggregated to reach a size of at least a single Power Trade Block (PTB) unit to trade and settle the amount of revenue grade power available to be reduced in real time or near real time.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the IP-based messages provide for settlement of a curtailment by at least one of the at least one power consuming device at the time of or approximate to the time of the curtailment.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the power consumed by the at least one power consuming device and the power supplied by the at least one power supplying device is measured with revenue grade metrology in real-time, near real-time, or the timing required by a grid operator entity for generating operating reserves for grid stability.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the server is operable to aggregate a plurality of consumer profiles from a plurality of power consuming devices, calculate an operating reserve based on a power curtailment to the plurality of power consuming devices associated with the plurality of consumer profiles, send an IP-based instruction to the plurality of the power consuming devices associated with the plurality of consumer profiles, and curtail power consumption after receipt of the IP-based instruction to create the operating reserve.

20. A method for managing power on an electric power grid, comprising:

a server issuing at least one power control event message responsive to a power control command requiring a reduction in an amount of electric power consumed by a plurality of power consuming devices;

an event manager receiving the at least one power control event message including at least one power management status relating to each client device and issuing at least one power control event instruction responsive to the at least one power control event message;

a client device manager issuing at least one power control message to at least one device control manager indicating identification of at least one controllable device to be instructed to disable a flow of electric power to or reduce the power consumed by at least one associated power consuming device responsive to the power control event instruction;

the at least one device control manager issuing at least one power control instruction to the at least one controllable device responsive to the at least one power control message, wherein the at least one power control instruction causes the at least one controllable device to disable the flow of electric power to, or reduce the power consumed by the at least one associated power consuming device; and

the server generating settlement grade data corresponding to activities of the at least one associated power consuming device, wherein the settlement grade data includes a quantification of the revenue grade power available to be reduced by the at least one associated power consuming device; and

wherein the settlement grade data is aggregated to reach a size of at least a single Power Trade Block (PTB) unit to trade and settle the amount of revenue grade power available to be reduced in real time or near real time.