An electrical distribution center includes a plurality of electrical receptacles or ports which are activated when currency is deposited into a currency receiving mechanism that is coupled to a timer switch. Electricity is provided to the receptacles for a pre-paid period of time. Thereafter, the timer switch opens to prohibit further flow of electricity to the receptacles until additional currency is deposited or credited to the electrical distribution center. The electrical distribution center may be connected to an electrical grid or include an electricity generating source such as a solar panel and associated control circuitry.

Provided is a method for effectively distributedly storing and verifying power transaction major data such as bidding, matching, and calculation that takes place as prosumers and consumers participate in an energy transaction service in a private blockchain platform-based peer-to-peer (P2P) network environment. By applying a distributed ledger technology for storing and verifying reliable power transaction data by securing a consensus algorithm and a chaincode of a private blockchain, reliability of a power transaction service between energy market participants may be increased and an added value of reducing transaction costs may be created.

Devices that consume power may be individually and uniquely associated with a blockchain wallet into which funds may be transferred. The device can be provided with a client application that executes within the device to determine an energy provider and the cost rate of energy supply. The client application calculates a value of energy consumption by the device and creates a blockchain transaction to transfer a funds value for the energy consumption from the device's blockchain wallet to a wallet of the energy provider. By providing devices that can self-manage their electricity supply and the accounting thereof, billing of power can be decentralized from a meter that meters all supply to a premises to individual devices. The requirement for a central billing entity, billing address, etc. can also be removed.

This invention provides a method for building a multi-energy trading and management platform based on blockchain. Based on the attributes of different functions to be implemented in the energy trading and management platform, the platform is built by combining different advantages of blockchain technology and database technology. Deploy the functions of issuing transactions, matching transactions, and querying transaction information in Ethereum smart contract, store user registration information in a traditional database, and establish a mapping relationship between real information and lengthy blockchain accounts to make information of transactions on the market be displayed with real names. This method not only meets the needs of energy distributed transactions but also avoids the problem of incompatible string type data in Ethereum smart contracts which affects system performance. At the same time, the transaction data displayed with real names ensures the openness and legality of the transaction system. It has a strong reference significance for the development of new models of distributed energy trading.

A network of collection, charging and distribution machines collect, charge and distribute portable electrical energy storage devices (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors or ultracapacitors). To allow easy and convenient access to empty portable electrical energy storage device compartments within the vehicles, if the vehicle comes within the vicinity of a collection, charging and distribution machine or other authorized external device such as a key fob or other wireless device of a user, an empty portable electrical energy storage device compartment that is closed or locked, is unlocked, unlatched or opened automatically. Also, if the portable electrical energy storage device compartment is in another desired state to have the compartment unlocked, such as having a portable electrical energy storage device in the compartment that has a charge level below a particular threshold, the compartment will likewise be unlocked, unlatched or opened automatically.

Methods and systems for charging vehicles in a parking area are described. In one embodiment, a charge request may be received for a vehicle located in a parking area. The vehicle may have a power connection with a power source. An electric charge is provided through the power connection from the power source to the vehicle based on receiving the charge request, the value of the electric charge being adjustable based at least in part on the power basis of the vehicle. Billing or Payment is recorded for providing the electric charge based upon departure of the vehicle from the parking area.

Two-way exchange vending can be performed by a two-way exchange based vending machine. The two-way exchange based vending machine can vend rechargeable batteries. The two-way exchange based vending machine can include different modules to perform different functionalities. The two-way exchange based vending machine can include a communications module, a dispensing module, a rejection module, and a receiving module. The communications module can communicate information to and receive inputs from a user. The dispensing module can dispense one or more rechargeable batteries or other requested products to a user. The receiving module can receive one or more rechargeable batteries from a user.

In some embodiments, the system and method may access a request to charge an electric vehicle at a specific charging station, identify a charging network (e.g., one of multiple, disparate charging networks) associated with the specific charging station, and automatically provide payment information to the charging network via a payment protocol associated with the charging network. The charging interface system, therefore, may facilitate access to any charging network and/or charging station by providing an interface between a driver of an electric vehicle and one of many charging networks.

An off-grid renewable energy harvesting device is disclosed, which provides electric power for purchase for general devices and for authenticated devices. In some embodiments only authenticated devices may be provided with electricity for purchase. In certain embodiments the authenticated devices may be provided electric power at a rate different than general devices. In some embodiments, secondary services may be provided by the authenticated devices. Secondary services may be providing communication, providing internet and internet-related services, video-on-demand services, digital video broadcasting, and the like.

Systems and methods for recommending purchase of a new smart appliance are described. The method includes receiving operational information relating to a first smart appliance. The method includes predicting, based on the operational information, a future date by which the first smart appliance will be required to be replaced by a second smart appliance. The method includes estimating, based on financial history of a user, a budget capacity for the user to purchase the second smart appliance. The method includes determining, based on the user's budget capacity and a predicted operating cost of the first smart appliance, a recommended date to purchase the second smart appliance. The recommended date is no later than the future date. The method includes providing the estimated budget capacity and the recommended date to the user.