Patent Application
20080086411
The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice.
The present invention is directed to a method for promoting recycling from a fund established with revenue generated from the sale of environmental and/or power generation attributes by an entity producing renewable energy. The method comprises providing a point system by which a recycling consumer is credited for recycled materials collected. Further, the method provides for a reward system for redemption of points accumulated by the recycling consumer, the reward system including redeemable fund certificates drawn against the fund. The method further includes collecting recyclable materials from the recycling consumer and crediting an account in the name of the recycling consumer based on the quantity and/or quality of the recyclable material collected. Then the method provides for awarding fund certificates to the recycling consumer upon the accumulation of a sufficient point level.
According to one aspect of the invention, the method includes the promotion of recycling with the help of a fund established with revenue generated from the sale of environmental and/or power generation attributes by an entity that produces renewable energy. An entity producing renewable energy can include a non-commercial entity (e.g., a co-op, or a group of individuals), a commercial entity (i.e., a corporation, partnership, Limited Partnership (LP), Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), Limited Liability Company (LLC), Limited Company (Ltd.), a non-profit organization, a sole proprietorship, and/or a trust company), a government entity, or any combination thereof that produces energy from a renewable resource. Renewable energy technologies can include technologies that rely on energy derived directly from the sun, wave or tidal energy, hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, biomass, or biomass-based waste products (including landfill gases). The renewable energy can be based on any technology that relies primarily on an energy source that is naturally regenerated over a period of time and is derived directly or indirectly from the sun, fuel cells, moving water, or any other natural movements and mechanisms of the environment. However, it is possible that for the purpose of generating fund revenues from the sale of environmental and/or power generation attributes, that the present method may include all technologies deemed eligible renewable energy according to various state Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) programs. The term “renewable energy” can be expanded to include those renewable resources that a particular state government would like to encourage. For the purposes of the present invention, solar power can be defined as a technology that obtains usable energy from the sun's light. In addition, moving water can be defined as energy that is extracted from moving or falling water. Examples of water power may include waterwheels, hydroelectric energy generators (or hydroelectric dams), tidal power (e.g., captures energy from tides in a horizontal direction), tidal stream power (e.g., captures energy from tides in a vertical direction), and wave power (e.g., uses the energy in waves). Furthermore, wind energy (or wind power) production can be defined as the conversion of wind energy. One example of how this energy conversion can be accomplished is by using wind turbines to generate electricity by converting the rotation of turbine blades into electrical current via an electrical generator. Based on the present invention, geothermal power (or geothermal energy) production can be defined as the use of geothermal heat to generate electricity. By non-limiting example, geothermal energy may be produced by harnessing the Earth's natural geological heat sources and converting it to a source that can heat an occupied property. In addition, the term biomass may be defined as relating to energy production referring to living and recently living biological material that can be used as fuel. Biomass may also be referred to as plant matter grown to be used as biofuel, but can also include plant, wood or animal matter used for production of heat. Furthermore, biofuels may include any fuel that is derived from biomass, including recently living organisms or their metabolic byproducts, such as cow manure. It is possible to further define biomass to include biofuels that may include vegetable oil, biodiesel, and butanol ethanol (including ethanol fuel mixtures). Also, fuel cells can be defined as an electrochemical energy conversion device. By non-limiting example, reactants that can be used in a fuel cell may be hydrogen on the anode side and oxygen on the cathode side (a hydrogen cell), such that typically reactants flow in and reaction products flow out.
According to one aspect of the invention, the method involves promoting recycling by using a fund established with revenue generated from the sale of environmental and/or power generation attributes. The phrase “environmental and/or power generation attributes” may also be referred to as, Renewable Energy Credits or Certificates (RECs), Green Tags, and Tradable Renewable Certificates (T-RECs or TRCs). Environmental and/or power generation attributes can be described as the embodiment of all attributes of renewable energy generation as an instrument that can be bought and sold and that conveys a contractual right to combine those attributes (a certificate). By non-limiting example, one REC can be regarded as a tradable certificate of proof that one megawatt-hour of electricity has been generated by a renewable fuel source. In other words, a REC can be created only when the associated renewable energy resource generates one unit (measured in MWhs) of electricity.
According to one aspect of the invention, the method involves a fund that can be used to promote recycling, such that the fund is established with revenue generated from the sale of environmental and/or power generation attributes by an entity producing renewable energy. In particular, the fund is created from selling RECs. In addition to the income for the entity producing renewable energy from the sale of the power itself (the mega-watts and the mega-watt hours), selling RECs generates a second source of revenue. This additional revenue can be used for setting-up a fund that can be used as a reward; for example, recycling consumers can receive redeemable fund certificates for their recycled materials.
A recycling consumer may include a non-commercial resident (e.g., individuals, households, and/or a person or group with a budget which can be spent on a range of goods and services available on the market), commercial resident (e.g., a corporation, partnership, Limited Partnership (LP), Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), Limited Liability Company (LLC), Limited Company (Ltd.), non-profit corporation, sole proprietorship, and/or trust company), and/or any combination thereof that recycles materials. Furthermore, a recycling consumer may include recycling consortiums consisting of residents of apartment buildings, schools and other common facilities, and government users including local, state, and federal government entities.
To track recycling activity, each consumer will have a recycling consumer account assigned to them. The recycling consumer account provides information about the consumer and the consumer's activities. For example, the recycling consumer account may include such information as name, address, and home telephone number, alternate contact information (e.g., related family, living partners, etc.), and work address and telephone number. It is possible that the recycling consumer account may include information about the recycled materials collected for each recycling consumer, in terms of quality, amount and type of recycled material. As will be discussed below, the recycling consumer account can include information regarding all aspects of the recycled materials collected for each recycling consumer.
According to the present invention, the process of recycling materials may be described as the reprocessing of used materials that would otherwise become waste in order to break them down and remake them into new products. Recycled materials may include but are not limited to glass, paper, aluminium, steel, textiles, and plastic. Furthermore, these materials can be derived either from pre-consumer waste (materials used in manufacturing) or post-consumer waste (materials discarded by the consumer).
According to another aspect of the invention, the method involves providing a point system by which a recycling consumer is credited for their recycled materials. Generally, the point system is structured based on collecting recyclable materials from the recycling consumer and crediting their account according to the quantity and/or quality of their recyclable materials. In addition, the method provides a system for awarding fund certificates to the recycling consumer upon the accumulation of sufficient point level. In particular, the point system can include a weight-based, a volume-based, and/or some combination of weight and volume-based system for determining the amount of points to be credited to the recycling consumer's account. For example, the weight-based system can provide a process for weighing the recycled materials collected from the recycling consumer and crediting their account with a number of points based on a specific weight of recycled materials collected. On the other hand, the volume-based system may provide a process for verifying the volume of recycled materials collected from the recycled consumer and crediting their account with a number of points based on a specific volume of recycled materials collected. It is possible that the above systems (weight-based and volume-based) require the recycling consumers to use standard sizes or supplied containers and/or to allow the recycling consumers to use their own containers. Furthermore, the present method may determine the point structure based on the type and size of containers used for the recycled materials. By non-limiting example (under the above-mentioned weight-based and volume-based systems), recycling consumers can be provided with containers (large cans with a capacity of 64-96 gallons or small or variable cans with a capacity of 32-64 gallons), wherein a different point-rate can be credited for different size containers. Furthermore, the point system can include a weight-based, and/or volume-based, and/or some combination thereof and according to the quality of recycled materials collected. For example, the present method may determine an amount of points to be credited to the recycling consumer's account based on first determining the weight and/or volume, then making a determination on the quality of the recycled materials collected. If the recycled materials received meet the specific weight and/or volume requirement for being awarded a certain amount of points, but the quality of the recycled materials are not satisfactory, then the recycling consumer may receive fewer points to be credited to their account. On the contrary, it is possible in the above example, for the recycling consumer to be credited more points for the same specific weight and/or volume of recycled materials, if the quality of the recycled material received is more than satisfactory. As will be discussed below, the point system may be structured such that the recycling consumer may be awarded more or less points to their account depending on the amount of recycled materials collected over a specific period of time.
According to an aspect of the invention, the method provides for a reward system for the redemption of points accumulated by the recycling consumer, such that the reward system includes redeemable fund certificates drawn against the fund. The method further includes awarding fund certificates to the recycling consumer upon the accumulation of a sufficient point level. In particular, the recycling consumer after receiving the awarded fund certificates may redeem the fund certificates at their local power supplier for a credit to their power bill. However, it is also possible the recycling consumer upon receiving the awarded fund certificates may request the entity that provides the fund certificates to submit the redeemable fund certificates to the recycling consumer's local power supplier for a credit to their power bill.
It is possible the recycling consumer may be able to redeem the fund certificates either after and/or before crediting their power bill for an economic benefit such as a coupon for anyone of the following: the discount of goods and/or services provided by third parties, a discount on a municipal related expense and a subscription program. For example, the advantage to the recycling consumer for redeeming the fund certificate for the economic benefit may include a gift certificate and/or credit usable by the recycling consumer for any one of the above-mentioned benefits. Further, the economic benefit to the recycling consumer may include an item of commercial value, a reward (designated in any form), or discounts to pricing on collection service, or any other transferable item that is of value to the recycling consumer, commercial recycling consumer, government recycling consumer or consortium of recycling consumers. In particular, the item of commercial value (a coupon or reward) usable by a recycling consumer in the purchase of consumer or business goods, such as those found in retail stores such as household goods, grocery markets, and the like. The item of commercial value can be deposited in the recycling consumer account that could include an electronic coupon or rebate. Alternatively, for those recycling consumer in rural settings, the item of commercial value may be directly deposited on the key fob or magnetic swipe card that the recycling consumer uses for identification during the collection process. In such an instance, the item of commercial value may include a monetary credit directly applied to a magnetic swipe card, such as for example a credit or debit card commonly available and used frequently in commerce. Likewise, for other recycling consumers, the item of commercial value may be a monetary credit directly applied to the recycling consumer account, which may be associated with a debit card, credit card, or bank account associated with the user account for purposes of paying for third party services. Alternatively, the item of commercial value may be a coupon or discount to be used for specific consumer or business products made by specified manufacturers and sold by specified retailers, wherein those products are commonly recycled. Lastly, a user consortium may be interested in benefits that can be readily divided among a group, such as coupons, rebates or rate reductions in a third party service. For reference relating to a more general reward system see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/387,076 filed Mar. 20, 2006 by John W. Casella et al., titled “System and Methods for A Recycling Program.”
It is possible the recycling consumer may redeem the fund certificates for environmental and/or power generation attributes and/or RECs that can be purchased on the relevant markets.
According to another aspect of the invention, the method may further provide information regarding the recycling consumer account relating to all aspects of the recycled materials collected for each recycling consumer. For example, the recycling consumer's account may include information such as the different types of recycled materials collected from each recycling consumer. Furthermore, the recycling consumer's account may include information regarding the type of waste collection services used by a recycling hauler to collect the recycled materials. These could include curbside pick-up, mobile household hazardous waste collections, household hazardous waste drop-off facilities, transport recycling drop-off centers, and landfills. In addition, the recycling consumer's account may include information such as the type of recycled materials collected by category. Some examples of categories of recycled materials include solid waste, bulky waste, white goods, yard waste, electronic waste, other non-commercial entity waste, and other commercial waste. It is possible that the recycling consumer's account can include information relating to a geographic location, weight, volume, and the pick up time and date for the recycled materials collected from each recycling consumer. Furthermore, the recycling consumer's account may include information relating to the recycling consumer's history with respect to the recycled materials collected, possibly from years past. It is also possible that the recycling consumer's account can include information relating to an estimation of an amount of recycled materials to be collected in the future over a specific period of time. The advantage of estimating the recycling consumer's potential for providing recycled materials in the future, may be useful in spurring an economic benefit for the local economy. This benefit could be in the form of corporate growth, which would increase jobs as well as putting money back into the community. For example, the above-mentioned method may provide information that could help an entity, such as a manufacturing facility to determine profitability (or lack of profitability) by estimating the potential of the recycling consumer's community that utilizes the by-products or the recycled materials collected.
According to another part of the invention, the present method may provide the recycling consumers with access to their accounts through a computer network. When they access their account, the recycling consumers can view their account information and find out if they have accumulated any award certificates. The present method allows a recycling consumer to directly utilize the fund certificate provided herein. This process might entail downloading and printing a coupon, paying a portion of the power bill with collected points. It is possible that the recycling consumer's account may be communicating (possibly via the computer network mentioned above) with a transmitting group consisting of: email, telephone, text message, paper mail, fax, Internet, or any type of electronic medium used to provide account information and/or access for the recycling consumer.
According to another part of the invention, the present method may include a point system based on a tier system. For example, the point system may include one or more tier levels that may be based on the quantity and quality of the recycled materials collected from each recycling consumer during a specific period of time. By non-limiting example, each tier may require a specific quantity and quality of recycled materials collected from each recycling consumer during a specific period of time. This will allow the recycling consumer to receive extra points in addition to the standard allotted points received for the quantity and quality of recycled materials collected. For example, the multi-tier point system can be set up such that when the quantity and quality of recycled materials collected increases for each tier, so does the amount of extra points in addition to the standard allotted points received for the quantity and quality of recycled materials collected. The advantage to establishing a multi-tier system may be two-fold: first, the recycling consumer is provided with even more incentives to recycle in order to collect points and obtain more fund certificates; and secondly, the environment will improve since less recyclable materials will reach the landfill. In addition, fewer raw materials will be used for manufacturing goods since more recyclable materials will be available. Furthermore, the multi-tier point system may provide increased incentives for recycling consumers. One example is manufacturing facilities striving to reduce their operating costs, e.g., power to run machinery, by receiving fund certificates. It is not uncommon for some manufacturing facilities to spend more than 50% of their operating costs on power alone.
According to another part of the invention, the present method may include a “report” on the recycling consumers' activities over a specific period of time. By non-limiting example, the report mentioned above may include a summation of the recycled materials collected by the recycling consumers as they relate to information such as: points collected, fund certificates awarded, and fund certificates redeemed over a specific period of time. In addition, the report may be communicating with a transmitting medium group consisting of one of: email, telephone, text message, paper mail, fax, Internet and any other electronic medium, in order to provide account information to the recycling consumer. It is possible that the above transmitting medium could be transmitted in real time, such that the recycling consumer can monitor their recycling account activities in real time.
It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.
