System and methods to aggregate instant and forecasted excess renewable energy

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         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.