Constellation Energy Group, Inc. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20090048901 | Energy usage prediction and control system and method - A controller and/or a gateway acts as a feedback-based energy estimator for controlling initial and refined estimates of energy usage of one or more buildings controlled by the controller or gateway. An initial estimate of a building's energy needs for a specified time in the future (e.g., a month or a week ahead) are calculated, and then over time, in conjunction with an energy company, the initial estimate (and subsequent estimates) is revised based on the costs of the energy predicted or quoted by the energy company. The controller may examine jobs to be performed at the time as well as predictive information that may affect the building's energy needs (e.g., the predicted temperature for the time of the predicted energy needs). As expectations change (or as predicted factors such as temperature change), the energy company may be informed of the additional energy that will be needed (e.g., if the predicted temperature is increasing and cooling will be needed) or the excess energy that is expected (e.g., if the predicted temperature is decreasing and less cooling will be needed). | 02-19-2009 |
20090048718 | Multi-building control for demand response power usage control - An energy usage coordinator controls the energy usage of individual buildings of a group (or portfolio) of buildings in one or more load zones. These buildings have all contracted with an energy company which controls (directly or indirectly) the energy usage coordinator. By agreeing to lower energy usage during times of peak usage (when the energy company may otherwise have to pay very high prices on the spot or short term market), the owners or managers of the buildings receive a preferential energy rate from the energy company. Such a preferential rate may be in the form of a fixed rate reduction or a variable rate reduction. Alternatively, the energy company may determine that the energy is currently selling for twice what its building portfolio has contracted to pay for it so it requests some portion of the portfolio to reduce usage so that it can sell the excess/saved energy in the market. | 02-19-2009 |
20090048717 | Multiple input building controller - Controllers associated with the high energy devices may are programmed or configured with processing rules by a building manager or an energy usage coordinator such that the controllers can respond to various changing conditions without having to be contacted by the energy usage controller. Such autonomous control allows the controllers to react more quickly to potentially take advantage of advantageous conditions and/or avoid disadvantageous conditions. For example, by tracking information from market information services and/or from historical, current and predicted information services, a controller may be programmed to reduce energy usage autonomously under a number of programmable conditions. | 02-19-2009 |