Electrical power management

A method comprising:

• sending, by a first processor of a facility, a first demand request for a first quantity of power for a first time period having a first starting time and a first time duration,
• receiving, by a system, the first demand request;
• generating, by the system, a first price quote in response to the first demand request, the first price quote based on an available power generation capacity of a power generation source of the facility or of a power generation source of an electrical power provider, environmental factors, and a forecasted level of power consumption, wherein the facility and the electrical power provider are separate;
• transmitting, by the system to the first processor, the first price quote;
• receiving, by the first processor, the first price quote;
• sending, by a second processor of the facility, a second demand request for a second quantity of power for a second time period having a second starting time and a second time duration, the second starting time being different from the first starting time, and the second time period overlapping at least a portion of the first time period;
• receiving, by the system, the second demand request;
• generating, by the system, a second price quote in response to the second demand request, the second price quote based on the available power generation capacity of the power generation source of the facility or of the power generation source of the electrical power provider, the environmental factors, and the forecasted level of power consumption;
• transmitting, by the system to the second processor, the second price quote;
• and
• receiving, by the second processor, the second price quote;
• wherein the value of the first price quote and the value of the second price quote are set to discourage demand of the power in a first mode and to encourage demand of the power in a second mode to maximize an efficient operating level of the power generation source of the facility or the power generation source of the electrical power provider in both the first mode and the second mode;
• wherein the efficient operating level of the power generation source of the facility in the first mode is lower than the efficient operating level of the power generation source of the facility in the second mode, or the efficient operating level of the power generation source of the electrical power provider in the first mode is lower than the efficient operating level of the power generation source of the electrical power provider in the second mode;
• and
• wherein the first processor and the second processor are controlled automatically based on the first and second price quotes to maximize the efficient operating level of the power generation source of the facility or the power generation source of the electrical power provider in both the first mode and the second mode.

A system comprising:

• a receiver, the receiver receiving (i) from a first unit of a facility, a first demand request for a first quantity of power for a first time period having a first starting time and a first time duration, and (ii) from a second unit of the facility, a second demand request for a second quantity of power for a second time period having a second starting time and a second time duration, the second starting time being different from the first starting time, and the second time period overlapping at least a portion of the first time period;
• a processor, the processor generating (i) a first price quote in response to the first demand request, the first price quote based on an available power generation capacity of a power generation source of the facility or of a power generation source of an electrical power provider, environmental factors, and a forecasted level of power consumption, and (ii) a second price quote in response to the second demand request, the second price quote based on the available power generation capacity of the power generation source of the facility or of the power generation source of the electrical power provider, the environmental factors, and the forecasted level of power consumption;
• and
• a transmitter, the transmitter transmitting to (i) the first unit, the first price quote, and (ii) the second unit, the second price quote;
• wherein the facility and the electrical power provider are separate;
• wherein the value of the first price quote and the value of the second price quote are set to discourage demand of the power in a first mode and to encourage demand of the power in a second mode to maximize an efficient operating level of the power generation source of the facility or the power generation source of the electrical power provider in both the first mode and the second mode;
• wherein the efficient operating level of the power generation source of the facility in the first mode is lower than the efficient operating level of the power generation source of the facility in the second mode, or the efficient operating level of the power generation source of the electrical power provider in the first mode is lower than the efficient operating level of the power generation source of the electrical power provider in the second mode;
• and
• wherein the first unit and the second unit are controlled automatically based on the first and second price quotes to maximize the efficient operating level of the power generation source of the facility or the power generation source of the electrical power provider in both the first mode and the second mode.