Importance

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Abstract

An energy management system includes one or more electric power generators located at or near a consumer's premises, to provide power which is dedicated to the needs of that consumer. The power provided by the on-site generators complements that which is delivered via a centralized power grid network. In the event that the power grid is disabled, or is otherwise unable to provide adequate power to the consumer, the on-site generators are switched to provide power to critical equipment. In one embodiment, a computer-driven control facility selectively actuates the on-site generator to intelligently arbitrage between the locally generated power and that which is provided via the grid network, based on a variety of factors. The instantaneous cost of power supplied via the grid network is compared against stored costs of operating the on-site generators, such as the price of fuel required to run the generators, maintenance expenses, other types of service and installation expenses, and finance charges. When these costs are less than the charges for the power provided by the grid network, the central control system actuates the on-site generators, to partially or totally replace power delivered via the grid. Other factors are also employed in the decision whether to activate the on-site generators, such as data relating to weather conditions and peak usage periods. Historical data regarding the consumer's power usage is employed to predict times when the usage requirements are likely to be high, and thereby actuate the generators to supplement or replace the power provided from the grid.

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First Claim