US 2014/0351108 A1Published application

Renewable energy sponsorship and funding model

AssigneeOneEnergy, Inc.

InventorsBryce Smith, Scott Ward Bixby, Travis Jonathan Bryan, William Michael Eddie, II, Christopher John Watmore

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Abstract

A renewable energy sponsorship and funding model may allow an entity (“sponsor”) to sponsor creation and/or operation of a renewable energy source without necessarily receiving power directly from the renewable energy source. The sponsor may engage in a contract for differences (CFD) with the renewable energy source through a service provider. The sponsor may periodically make payments or receive payments resulting from the differences determined under the CFD. The amounts of the differences are variable based at least on the production of renewable energy by the renewable energy source and the wholesale market rates used in the purchase of power produced by the renewable energy source. These variances may be difficult to accommodate in a financial budget implemented by the sponsor. Various techniques and systems are disclosed to offset and/or smooth these variances, including making purchases on a wholesale spot market, using a credit facility, and/or creating a forward contract.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

implementing a contract for differences (CFD) between a sponsor and a renewable energy source to establish a fixed rate for renewable energy produced by the renewable energy source during a term;
for each period of the term and under control of one or more computing devices:
determining a fixed rate value based on a fixed rate specified in the CFD and an amount of the renewable energy produced during the period;
determining a market rate income based on sale of the renewable energy produced during the period and sold at a wholesale market rate;
and
determining a difference between the fixed rate value and the market rate income during the period;
determining, by the one or more computing devices, an aggregate difference based on the difference for each period of the term;
in response to the aggregate difference indicating that the market rate income is greater than the fixed rate value, generating a payment request to pay the sponsor the aggregate difference;
in response to the aggregate difference indicating that the market rate income is less than the fixed rate value, generating a collection request to bill the sponsor the aggregate difference;
and
transferring at least a portion, but not all, of renewable energy credits (RECs) associated with the renewable energy source for the term to the sponsor.

8 more elements

One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on one or more processors, performs acts comprising:

determining a fixed rate value based on a fixed rate and amount of renewable energy produced during the period, the fixed rate being specified in a contract for differences (CFD) between a sponsor and a renewable energy source;
determining a market rate income based on sale of the renewable energy produced during the period and sold at a wholesale market rate;
determining a difference between the fixed rate value and the market rate income during the period;
determining an offset to be applied to the difference between the fixed rate value and the market rate income during the period, the offset to reduce the difference;
in response to the fixed rate value being greater than the market rate value after application of the offset, indicating a payment is due to the renewable energy source from the sponsor for the difference;
and
in response to the fixed rate value being less than the market rate value after application of the offset, indicating a payment is due to the sponsor from the renewable energy source for the difference.

4 more elements

A system, comprising:

one or more processors;
one or more memories in communication with the one or more processes;
and
a finance manager stored in the one or more memories and executable by the one or more processors to facilitate obligations under a contract for differences (CFD) between a sponsor and a solar energy source that establishes at least a fixed rate for solar energy produced by the solar energy source during a term, the finance manager to:
determine a fixed rate value based on a fixed rate and amount of the solar energy produced during the period;
determine a market rate income based on sale of the solar energy produced during the period and sold at a wholesale market rate;
determine a difference between the fixed rate value and the market rate income during the period;
in response to the fixed rate value being greater than the market rate value, indicate a payment is due to the solar energy source from the sponsor for the difference;
and
in response to the fixed rate value being less than the market rate value, indicate a payment is due to the sponsor from the solar energy source for the difference.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.