Systems, apparatus and methods for managing demand-response programs and events

A method for encouraging an energy consumer associated with a structure to participate in a demand response event, comprising:

• one or more computer processors accessing a pre-existing HVAC schedule indicating a plurality of setpoint temperatures, the pre-existing HVAC schedule being operative to facilitate control of an HVAC system associated with the structure in accordance with the setpoint temperatures;
• one or more computer processors determining a demand-response implementation profile associated with a demand response event period defined by the demand response event, the demand-response implementation profile comprising a modified HVAC schedule incorporating one or more changes to the setpoint temperatures indicated by the pre-existing HVAC schedule over the demand response event period;
• one or more computer processors determining at least one physical parameter associated with the structure that is at least partially determinative of an effectiveness of the structure in supporting a shift of energy consumption from one time interval to another time interval;
• one or more computer processors calculating one or more metrics indicative of an amount of energy likely to be shifted from the demand response event period to another time period based on the pre-existing HVAC schedule, the demand-response implementation profile, and the at least one physical parameter associated with the structure;
• and
• causing the one or more metrics to be communicated to the energy consumer.

A method for carrying out demand response for a population of structures having environmental cooling systems controlled by a respective population of network-connected thermostats, comprising:

• enrolling a plurality of energy consumers to participate in a demand response program, each said energy consumer being associated with one of the population of structures;
• determining a demand response event profile defining at least one attribute of an upcoming demand response event included in the demand response program, the at least one attribute including one or more of a time at which the upcoming demand response event is to begin, a demand response event period, and a magnitude of the demand response event;
• accessing, for each of said plurality of enrolled energy consumers, at least one qualification factor that is at least partially representative of their suitability for participation in the upcoming demand response event;
• identifying a subset of the plurality of enrolled energy consumers to be offered participation in the upcoming demand response event, the subset being identified by processing said qualification factors in conjunction with said demand response event profile;
• and
• causing an offer to participate in the upcoming demand response event to be transmitted to each of the identified subset of enrolled energy consumers.

An intelligent, network-connected thermostat comprising:

• a user interface for displaying information to an energy consumer associated with a structure and receiving user inputs from the energy consumer;
• a connector for coupling the thermostat to a cooling system associated with the structure;
• a communications component for communicating with a remote server;
• a memory for storing a demand response event implementation profile that defines a plurality of setpoint temperatures distributed over a demand response event period of a demand response event, and
• a processor coupled to the user interface, the connector, the communications component, and the memory, the processor being operable to:
• control the cooling system to cool the structure in accordance with the setpoint temperatures defined by the demand response event implementation profile over the demand response event period,
• receive a requested change to one or more of the setpoint temperatures defined by the demand response event implementation profile;
• determine an impact on energy shifting that would result if the requested change is incorporated into the demand response event implementation profile;
• and
• communicate to the energy consumer information indicative of the impact on energy shifting that would result if the requested change is incorporated into the demand response event implementation profile.

An intelligent, network-connected thermostat associated with an energy consumer, the thermostat comprising:

• a housing defining a shape of the network-connected thermostat and including a cavity for receiving one or more components;
• a connector coupled to the housing for electrically connecting the thermostat to a cooling system associated with the structure;
• a communications component for communicating with a remote server;
• and
• a processor coupled to the communications component and the connector, the processor being operable to:
• control the cooling system to cool a structure associated with the thermostat in accordance with a plurality of setpoint temperatures defined by a demand response event implementation profile over a demand response event period of a demand response event;
• monitor at least the electrical connection to the cooling system for tampering activity indicative of an attempt to obviate implementation of the demand response event implementation profile;
• and
• perform one or more responses in the event that said tampering activity indicative of an attempt to obviate implementation of the demand response event implementation profile is detected.