Virtual grid system and method

A virtual grid system for a plurality of units at a location, comprising:

• a computer system in electrical communication with energy usage readers, each energy usage reader measuring energy use by an associated unit of the plurality of units;
• the computer system in electrical communication with an energy production reader, the energy production reader measuring energy produced by a renewable energy source associated with the location, the energy production reader and the renewable energy source separated from a utility grid by a utility transformer;
• the computer system configured to receive, from the energy production reader, energy production information of energy produced by the renewable energy source during a time period;
• the computer system configured to receive, from each energy usage reader, energy usage information for the associated unit during the time period;
• the computer system configured to calculate an excess energy produced by the renewable energy source during the time period and credit at least a portion of the excess energy to each unit;
• the computer system configured to calculate an energy benefit allocation for each unit using the energy production information, the energy usage information, and the credited excess energy amount;
• the computer system comprising an appliance automation module configured to, based on surplus energy produced by the renewable energy source being available at the location, automatically perform one or more of:
• controlling at least one control switch to turn off or reduce energy usage for each of the plurality of units according to each unit's energy benefit allocation to increase an overall energy benefit of the renewable energy source;
• or
• controlling at least one battery management system to increase stored current or discharge stored energy capacity to manage energy storage of the renewable energy source to increase usage of the surplus energy produced by the renewable energy source to increase an overall energy benefit of the renewable energy source;
• and
• a billing output generated for each unit that includes the unit's energy benefit allocation.

A method for operating a virtual grid system for a plurality of units at a location, the method comprising:

• providing a computer system in electrical communication with energy usage readers, each energy usage reader measuring energy use by an associated unit of the plurality of units;
• the computer system in electrical communication with an energy production reader, the energy production reader measuring energy produced by a renewable energy source associated with the location, the energy production reader and the renewable energy source separated from a utility grid by a utility transformer;
• receiving with the computer system, from the energy production reader, energy production information of energy produced by the renewable energy source during a time period;
• receiving with the computer system, from each energy usage reader, energy usage information for the associated unit during the time period;
• calculating with the computer system an excess energy produced by the renewable energy source during the time period and crediting at least a portion of the excess energy to each unit;
• calculating with the computer system an energy benefit allocation for each unit using the energy production information, the energy usage information, and the credited excess energy amount;
• automatically performing, by the computer system with an appliance automation module, based on surplus energy produced by the renewable energy source being available at the location, one or more of:
• controlling at least one control switch to turn off or reduce energy usage for each of the plurality of units according to each unit's energy benefit allocation to increase an overall energy benefit of the renewable energy source;
• or
• controlling at least one battery management system to increase stored current or discharge stored energy capacity to manage energy storage of the renewable energy source to increase usage of the surplus energy produced by the renewable energy source to increase an overall energy benefit of the renewable energy source;
• and
• generating a billing output generated for each unit that includes the unit's energy benefit allocation.