Cooperative energy farms and virtual net metering

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of providing current energy consumers with a method by which they are able to pay for renewable energy from Cooperative Energy Farms and Virtual Net Metering. Power Output Data is sent to the Ratepayer via Internet. Power Out-put Data is sent to the Utility Company from the Cooperative Energy Farms. This system provides the average power consumer to invest in renewable energy without the prohibitive expense and without having to move their residences to windy or south facing hills for wind turbines or solar energy grids. The privately owned energy generation plots (Cooperative Energy Farm) provides a continuous source of energy sent in to the pre-existing energy grid. This energy would be paid for by largely urban rate payers and would act to provide renewable energy sources without the expense and destructive results of fossil fuel usage.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a general schematic of one implementation of the invention. Widely dispensed individual ratepayers draw electricity from a shared power grid. Each of the depicted ratepayers purchases a portion of a Cooperative Energy Farm, (CEF) 70. Ratepayers then contract to have solar photovoltaic (PV) panels installed on their portion of the CEF 70, or purchase and existing populated plot. The individual solar PV panels are connected to central and shared grid-tie inverters (a portion of which can be owned by the ratepayer). The grid-tie inverters are compliant with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), and as such are remotely monitored and controlled by the utility companies operating the shared power grid to which they are connected. A report of energy generated from the ratepayer's portion of the CEF is transmitted to the electric utility company. Performance and surveillance data are also transmitted to the operating Energy Maintenance Company (EMC) 70 responsible for the CEF.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart delineating the prior art aspects of Net Metering. Current art provides for Net Metering as outlined in the left hand flow chart labeled “Net Metering.” The ratepayers' meter is either of a type that will run backwards or the ratepayer has two meters, one showing total energy consumed and the other showing total energy produced. The meter reader records this data manually, a calculation is made to determine the net energy usage and that data is stored for use in monthly or annual billing.

FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram illustrating the elements of Virtual Net Metering or VMN. A novel business method of the invention is VNM 10. The present invention implements VNM. Meter readers will still read the ratepayers' meter at the ratepayer's location as usual. The utility company will also electronically request energy production records for the same period from the ratepayer's virtual meter at the CEF 70. The flow from this point is identical to standard Net Metering in that the net energy usage is calculated, stored and used for the annual Net Metering energy billing.

Claims

1. A cooperative energy farm and virtual net metering system comprising: a) one or more privately owned energy generation plots forming cooperative energy farms;b) an array of two or more renewable energy system devices located on said generation plots, and a grid tie inverter, whereby said array of renewable energy system devices generate energy and feed it to said grid tie inverter;c) a utility company energy transmission system which receives energy from said grid tied inverter and distributes that energy to its individual ratepayer customer's sites; andd) an energy maintenance company that measures and monitors performance and security surveillance data from said cooperative energy farm, and through a global computer network, transmits power output data from said cooperative energy farm to said ratepayer customers;whereby those utility customers not capable of operating a renewable energy source can participate in the economic savings related to the generation of energy via renewable energy system devices.

2. The cooperative energy farm and virtual net metering system according to claim 1, wherein said one or more privately owned energy generation plots forming cooperative energy farms includes privately owned energy generation plots located in remote areas optimal for the generation of renewable energy.

3. The cooperative energy farm and virtual net metering system, according to claim 1, wherein said array of two or more renewable energy system devices located on said generation plots includes solar energy generation technology devices, such as solar photovoltaic panels.

4. The cooperative energy farm and virtual net metering system according to claim 1, wherein said array of two or more renewable energy system devices located on said generation plots includes wind energy generation technology devices, such as wind turbines.

5. The cooperative energy farm and virtual net metering system according to claim 1, wherein said renewable energy system devices are fractionally owned by said individual ratepayer customers.

6. The cooperative energy farm and virtual net metering system according to claim 5, wherein said individual ratepayer customers that own or lease said renewable system devices located at said cooperative energy farms, are capable of monitoring energy production at said cooperative energy farms via a global computer network.

7. The cooperative energy farm and virtual net metering system according to claim 1, wherein said individual ratepayer customers that own or lease said renewable system devices located at said cooperative energy farms, receive a proportional reduction in energy costs related to the generation of renewable energy based upon their fractional ownership of said renewable energy system devices located at said cooperative energy farms.

8. The cooperative energy farm and virtual net metering system according to claim 1, wherein said system enables said utility company to generate virtual net metering by remote polling of the energy production data of individual ratepayers, at will, in real time.

9. The cooperative energy farm and virtual net metering system according to claim 1, wherein said energy maintenance company receives energy generation data from said grid-tie inverters and makes said data available to said ratepayer customers via a global computer network.

10. The cooperative energy farm and virtual net metering system according to claim 9, wherein said energy generation data is available to said ratepayer customers on a real time basis via an Internet connection.

11. A method for enabling energy consumers not capable of operating a renewable energy source to participate in the economic savings related to the generation of energy via renewable energy system devices, comprising the steps of: a) providing one or more privately owned energy generation plots forming cooperative energy farms;b) installing an array of two or more renewable energy system devices located on said generation plots, and a grid tie inverter, whereby said array of renewable energy system devices generate energy and feed it to said grid tie inverter;c) connecting a utility company energy transmission system which receives energy from said grid tied inverter and distributes that energy to its individual ratepayer customers sites; andd) providing an energy maintenance company that measures and monitors performance and security surveillance data from said cooperative energy farm, and through a global computer network, transmits power output data from said cooperative energy farm to said ratepayer customers;whereby those utility customers not capable of operating a renewable energy source can participate in the economic savings related to the generation of energy via renewable energy system devices.

12. The method for enabling energy consumers not capable of operating a renewable energy source to participate in the economic savings related to the generation of energy via renewable energy system devices, according to claim 11, wherein said step of providing said one or more privately owned energy generation plots forming cooperative energy farms, includes the step of providing privately owned energy generation plots located in remote areas optimal for the generation of renewable energy.

13. The method for enabling energy consumers not capable of operating a renewable energy source to participate in the economic savings related to the generation of energy via renewable energy system devices, according to claim 11, wherein said step of installing an array of two or more renewable energy system devices located on said generation plots, includes the step of installing solar energy generation technology devices, such as solar photovoltaic panels.

14. The method for enabling energy consumers not capable of operating a renewable energy source to participate in the economic savings related to the generation of energy via renewable energy system devices, according to claim 11, wherein said step of installing an array of two or more renewable energy system devices located on said generation plots, includes the step of installing wind energy generation technology devices, such as wind turbines.

15. The method for enabling energy consumers not capable of operating a renewable energy source to participate in the economic savings related to the generation of energy via renewable energy system devices, according to claim 11, wherein said step of installing said renewable energy system devices includes the step of installing renewable energy system devices which are fractionally owned by said individual ratepayer customers.

16. The method for enabling energy consumers not capable of operating a renewable energy source to participate in the economic savings related to the generation of energy via renewable energy system devices, according to claim 15, wherein said step of installing renewable energy system devices which are fractionally owned by said individual ratepayer customers further includes the step wherein said individual ratepayer customers that own or lease said renewable system devices located at said cooperative energy farms, are capable of monitoring energy production at said cooperative energy farms via a global computer network.

17. The method for enabling energy consumers not capable of operating a renewable energy source to participate in the economic savings related to the generation of energy via renewable energy system devices, according to claim 11, wherein said individual ratepayer customers that own or lease said renewable system devices located at said cooperative energy farms, receive a proportional reduction in energy costs related to the generation of renewable energy based upon their fractional ownership of said renewable energy system devices located at said cooperative energy farms.

18. The method for enabling energy consumers not capable of operating a renewable energy source to participate in the economic savings related to the generation of energy via renewable energy system devices, according to claim 11, wherein said system enables said utility company to generate virtual net metering by remote polling of the energy production data of individual ratepayers, at will, in real time.

19. The method for enabling energy consumers not capable of operating a renewable energy source to participate in the economic savings related to the generation of energy via renewable energy system devices, according to claim 11, wherein said energy maintenance company receives energy generation data from said grid-tie inverters and makes said data available to said ratepayer customers via a global computer network.

20. The method for enabling energy consumers not capable of operating a renewable energy source to participate in the economic savings related to the generation of energy via renewable energy system devices, according to claim 19, wherein said energy generation data is available to said ratepayer customers on a real time basis via an Internet connection.