Systems and methods for market-based financial settlement of transactions within an electric power grid are disclosed. At least one active grid element is constructed and configured in Internet Protocol (IP)-based network communication with a settlement processor via at least one coordinator in real-time or in a predetermined timeframe. The at least one active grid element generates revenue grade metrology data based on measurement and verification for a participation of the at least one active grid element in the electric power grid. The at least one active grid element provides automated messaging to the settlement processor. The settlement processor provides a market-based financial settlement message based upon the revenue grade metrology data and a kilowatt packet (KWP) unit. The KWP unit provides a quantifying market rate for monetization for any unit of kilowatts with respect to time.

The present specification relates to a data collection apparatus of a power system, the data collection apparatus comprising: a communication unit that communicates with a plurality of sites using different communication protocols to receive, from the plurality of sites, data about energy use information; a storage unit that stores a plurality of data models respectively corresponding to the communication protocols to store the data in each of the plurality of data models; and a processing unit that generates a basic data model by performing data modeling according to any one of the communication protocols, generates one or more extended data models by performing data modeling according to the rest of the communication protocols, includes the extended data models in the basic data model, and stores the included extended data models in the storage unit.

The present disclosure provides a computer-implemented method for ranking one or more control schemes for controlling peak loading conditions and abrupt changes in energy pricing of one or more built environments associated with renewable energy sources. The computer-implemented method includes analysis of a first set of statistical data, a second set of statistical data, a third set of statistical data, a fourth set of statistical data and a fifth set of statistical data. Further, the computer-implemented method includes identification and execution of the one or more control schemes. In addition, the computer-implemented method includes scoring the one or more control schemes by evaluating a probabilistic score. Further, the computer-implemented method includes ranking the one or more control schemes to determine relevant control schemes for controlling real time peak loading conditions and abrupt changes in energy pricing associated with the one or more built environments.

Distributed grid intelligence can enable a virtual power grid. Multiple consumer nodes can have local power sources, and be coupled to a same point of common coupling (PCC). The consumer nodes can be controlled by distributed control nodes at the consumer nodes. The control nodes control the distribution of power from the local power sources based on local power demand of each respective consumer node, and also based on distribution of power from the other respective control node. Thus, consumer nodes can share power generated locally, but operate independently without the need for central management or a central power plant.

A control system (300) allows recognized standard premise electrical outlets, for example NEMA, CEE and BS, among others to be remotely monitored and/or controlled, for example, to intelligently execute blackouts or brownouts or to otherwise remotely control electrical devices. The system (300) includes a number of smart receptacles (302) that communicate with a local controller (304), e.g., via power lines using the TCP/IP protocol. The local controller (304), in turn, communicates with a remote controller (308) via the internet.

A smart communications controller for alternative energy equipment includes an equipment port connected to the alternative energy equipment and a plurality of autoconfiguration objects. Each of the autoconfiguration objects is configured to perform a protocol testing process for a particular communications protocol. The protocol testing process includes automatically determining whether the communications protocol is used by the alternative energy equipment connected to the equipment port. The smart communications controller further includes an autoconfiguration manager configured to cause the autoconfiguration objects to iteratively perform their protocol testing processes until the communications protocol used by the alternative energy equipment is identified. The smart communications controller further includes an equipment controller configured to use the identified communications protocol for the alternative energy equipment to generate protocol-specific control signals for the alternative energy equipment.

An energy planning system that proposes an appropriate energy plan for a home includes: a sensor that senses a state of an energy facility in a home; a predictor that predicts a future lifestyle of a resident of the home; and a proposer that determines information about an energy plan for the home based on a result of the sensing by the sensor and the lifestyle predicted by the predictor, and outputs the information.

A system includes a network device installed at a site, the network device including an operating condition configured to be altered by an input initiated external to the site. The system also includes at least one multi-user configurable geographical boundary capable of being established about the site to alter the operating condition in response to a location based information of a user relative to the site and the geographical boundary. A method of managing a site includes detecting a network device installed at a site, the network device having an operating condition configured to be altered by an input initiated external to the site. The method also includes enabling configuration of at least one multi-user configurable geographical boundary capable of being established about the site to alter the operating condition in response to a location based information of a user relative to the site and the geographical boundary.

A computerized platform for monitoring the operation of an electric power distribution grid which includes in one form an accessory device operatively coupled with or comprised in an electronic protection relay of said electric power distribution grid, wherein said accessory device is configured to gather grid data and to transmit said grid data through the Internet; a publishing computerised unit capable of communicating with said accessory device through the Internet, said publishing computerised unit being configured to interact with said accessory device to acquire and store said grid data; an interface computerized unit capable of communicating with said accessory device and said publishing computerised unit through the Internet, said interface computerized unit being configured to provide interface services to manage the interaction of said accessory device with said publishing computerised unit.

A system for analyzing energy usage measures one or more parameters indicative of energy usage for a plurality of sub-circuits, where the sampling rate for the measuring is substantially continuous, and automatically transmits information related to at least one of the measured parameters at a rate that enables monitoring of current energy usage. The system further detects a significant change in a measured parameter, determines whether the significant change in the measured parameter is caused by a change in energy usage, and automatically transmits information related to the significant change in the measured parameter caused by the change in energy usage after detecting the significant change.